Step 1: Preheat Your Oven - Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures your cookies bake evenly and achieve the perfect golden color.
Step 2: Prepare the Pistachios - If you're using raw shelled pistachios, chop them roughly. If you have pistachio flour, you can skip this step. Set aside the pistachios for later.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: Add the Dry Ingredients - Gently fold in the all-purpose flour and fine sea salt into the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until just combined.
Step 5: Incorporate the Wet Ingredients - Now, add the heavy cream, pistachio extract, and finely grated orange zest to the mixture. Stir until everything is well combined.
Step 6: Fold in the Pistachios - Carefully fold the chopped pistachios into the cookie batter. Ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Step 7: Bake the Cookies - Spoon tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.
Step 8: Melt the Chocolate - While the cookies are cooling, melt the finely chopped chocolate using a double boiler or microwave. If using a microwave, heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until fully melted and smooth.
Step 9: Coat the Cookies - Once the cookies have cooled completely, dip the bottom of each cookie into the melted chocolate. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off before placing them on a cooling rack.
Step 10: Garnish and Serve - Sprinkle the dipped cookies with dried rose petals for a stunning presentation. Let the chocolate set before serving or packaging them up as gifts.
