Description
Delight in the decadent fusion of Middle Eastern and chocolate flavors with these Pistachio Kunafa Chocolate Cookies. Featuring a crispy, golden-roasted kunafa pastry combined with rich pistachio spread and tahini, all encased in a tender, cocoa-infused cookie dough with chocolate chunks. Perfectly baked to a soft finish and adorned with melted pistachio drizzle, these cookies offer a unique and indulgent treat that balances crunch, creaminess, and deep chocolate notes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pistachio Kunafa Filling
- 1 cup (90gm) kunafa pastry
- 1 Tbsp butter or ghee, for roasting kunafa dough
- 3/4 cup (200gm) pistachio spread
- 2 Tbsp Tahini (optional)
For the Cookie Dough
- 114gm unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon espresso/instant coffee powder
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Prepare Pistachio Kunafa Filling: Shred the kunafa pastry into 1-2 cm pieces using a food processor or scissors. In a large frying pan, melt butter or ghee over medium heat. Add the shredded kunafa and continuously stir until it turns a beautiful golden-brown color. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Mix Filling Ingredients: Transfer the roasted kunafa to a mixing bowl. Add pistachio spread and tahini if using, then stir thoroughly to combine. Refrigerate the mixture for 10 minutes to slightly solidify.
- Form Filling Balls: Divide the pistachio kunafa filling into 10-12 equal-sized balls using your hands or a small scooper. Place these balls on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for at least 15 minutes or until ready to assemble.
- Bake the Browned Butter: In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams and turns light golden brown. Immediately remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl, allowing it to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Make Cookie Dough: To the browned butter, add espresso powder and mix well. Whisk in the brown sugar until dissolved, then add vanilla extract and the room temperature egg, whisking for another 1-2 minutes until smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter using a spatula until no flour streaks remain and dough is uniform.
- Assemble Cookies: Remove the pistachio kunafa balls from the freezer. Take a portion of cookie dough and wrap it completely around each filling ball, ensuring no filling is visible. Repeat until all filling balls are covered. Press chocolate chunks on top of each cookie gently.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the cookies on a baking tray on the lower-middle rack and bake for about 10 minutes. The cookies will be soft right out of the oven.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool completely for 20-25 minutes to set properly. Optionally, drizzle melted pistachio spread on top for an elegant finish. Serve and enjoy the rich textures and flavors.
Notes
- The measurements for pistachio spread and kunafa are approximate and can be adjusted for desired creaminess or crunchiness.
- Cookies will be soft right out of the oven; proper cooling is essential for the right texture.
- Tahini is optional but adds a complementary nutty flavor to the filling.
- You can use a cookie scooper to handle the filling balls for less mess.
- If semi-sweet chocolate chunks are unavailable, substitute with any preferred baking chocolate chunks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 40g)
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
