These Italian Pistachio Butter Cookies are delicate, buttery sandwich cookies filled with a rich pistachio cream and finished with a bright green candied cherry.

They are inspired by the classic cookies found in Italian pastry shops: crumbly, fragrant, beautifully piped, and perfect with espresso.

The pistachio filling can be made in several ways, from a simple Italian pistachio spread to a homemade filling made with pistachio flour or finely ground pistachios.

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italian_pistachio_butter_cookies_recipe

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 12–14 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 18–20 sandwich cookies
Category: Cookies, Italian Desserts
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

For the Butter Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (8 oz / 226 g)
• ⅔ cup powdered sugar (80 g)
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (270 g)
• ¼ cup cornstarch (30 g)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2–3 tablespoons whole milk, only if needed

For Decorating

• 18–20 green candied cherries or candied green cherry halves

Pistachio Filling – Choose Your Favorite Version

Variation 1: Classic Pistachio Cream Filling

The easiest and most traditional option.

• ¾ cup Italian pistachio cream / crema al pistacchio (about 7 oz / 200 g)

Use directly from the jar if it has a thick, spreadable consistency.

Variation 2: Pistachio Mascarpone Filling

For a softer and creamier filling:

• ¾ cup pistachio cream (200 g)
• 2 tablespoons mascarpone

Mix until smooth and creamy.

If the filling becomes too soft, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes before assembling the cookies.

Variation 3: Homemade Pistachio Filling with Pistachio Flour

This version is perfect if you have pistachio flour, which is simply very finely ground pistachios.

Ingredients

• ½ cup pistachio flour or very finely ground unsalted pistachios (55–60 g)
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar (40 g)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (42 g)
• 2–3 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

Add the pistachio flour, vanilla, almond extract if using, and salt.

Add the milk or heavy cream gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the filling becomes smooth, thick, and spreadable.

For a more intense pistachio flavor, add another tablespoon of pistachio flour.

Nonna’s Tip: If using whole pistachios, grind them very finely in a food processor. Pulse rather than blend continuously, otherwise the pistachios may release too much oil and turn into pistachio butter.

Variation 4: Pistachio Pastry Cream Filling

For a more luxurious Italian pastry-shop version:

• 1 cup prepared pastry cream
• ¼ cup pistachio flour or finely ground pistachios (25–30 g)
• 2 tablespoons pistachio cream, optional

Fold the pistachio flour into the cold pastry cream.

For an even stronger pistachio flavor, mix in the pistachio cream.

Refrigerate until firm before using.

This version should always be stored in the refrigerator.

Variation 5: White Chocolate Pistachio Filling

For a richer and sweeter filling:

• ½ cup white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• ½ cup pistachio cream
• 2 tablespoons pistachio flour or finely ground pistachios

Mix together until smooth.

Let the filling rest for 10–15 minutes until thick enough to pipe.

How to Make Italian Pistachio Butter Cookies

1. Cream the Butter

Place the softened butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl.

Beat with an electric mixer for 3–4 minutes, until pale, light, and fluffy.

This step helps create the delicate, crumbly texture typical of Italian butter cookies.

2. Add the Egg and Flavorings

Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, if using.

Beat until completely incorporated.

3. Add the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

• all-purpose flour
• cornstarch
• salt

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.

Mix only until a soft dough forms.

The dough should be soft enough to pipe but firm enough to keep its shape.

If necessary, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time.

4. Pipe the Cookies

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large open-star piping tip.

Pipe small circular rosettes approximately 1¾–2 inches wide.

Try to keep them similar in size so they pair together evenly.

5. Add the Candied Cherries

Press a green candied cherry or half a cherry gently into the center of half of the cookies.

These will become the tops of the sandwich cookies.

Leave the other half undecorated.

6. Chill

Refrigerate the trays for 30 minutes.

Chilling helps the cookies retain their beautiful piped shape during baking.

7. Bake

Preheat the oven to:

350°F (175°C)

Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

The centers should remain fairly pale.

Do not overbake.

8. Cool

Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.

Transfer carefully to a wire rack and cool completely.

Assemble the Cookies

Turn the undecorated cookies upside down.

Pipe or spread approximately 1–2 teaspoons of your chosen pistachio filling onto each cookie.

Top with one of the cherry-decorated cookies.

Press very gently so the filling spreads toward the edges without breaking the cookies.

Nonna’s Secrets for Perfect Pistachio Butter Cookies 👵🏻

Use Soft, Not Melted Butter

The butter should be soft enough to cream easily, but never melted.

Melted butter will cause the cookies to spread and lose their piped shape.

Don’t Overwork the Dough

Once the flour is added, mix only until combined.

Chill Before Baking

This is essential for maintaining the ridged pastry-shop appearance.

Use a Large Piping Tip

A large open-star tip works much better than a small nozzle because the dough is relatively thick.

Use Unsalted Pistachios

For homemade pistachio flour, use unsalted, preferably peeled pistachios.

Toasting Is Optional

For a deeper nutty flavor, lightly toast the pistachios before grinding them.

Let them cool completely before processing.

What Is Pistachio Flour?

Pistachio flour is simply pistachios that have been ground into a very fine meal.

In the United States you may also see it sold as:

• pistachio flour
• ground pistachios
• pistachio meal

It should not be confused with pistachio paste.

Pistachio flour is dry and finely ground, while pistachio paste is smoother and contains more of the natural oils released from the nuts.

How to Make Pistachio Flour at Home

Place unsalted pistachios in a food processor.

Pulse in short bursts until very finely ground.

For best results, add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar from the recipe while grinding. This helps absorb some of the pistachio oils and reduces the risk of turning the nuts into pistachio butter.

Stop as soon as the mixture resembles fine almond flour.

Storage

Cookies filled only with commercial pistachio cream can be kept in an airtight container in a cool room for approximately 3–4 days.

Cookies filled with:

• mascarpone
• pastry cream
• heavy cream-based filling

should be refrigerated.

Let refrigerated cookies sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving.

Can I Make Them Ahead?

Yes.

The unfilled butter cookies can be baked 2–3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container.

For the best texture, fill them shortly before serving or the day before.

Can I Freeze Them?

The plain baked cookies freeze very well for up to 2 months.

Freeze them without the filling.

Thaw completely at room temperature and assemble afterward.

Nutrition Facts

Approximate values per 1 sandwich cookie, depending on the filling used.

Nutrition values are approximate and vary according to the pistachio filling used.