Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine melted unsalted butter and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Cream them together using an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Mix in the vanilla extract and optional almond extract until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually incorporate this dry mixture into the creamed butter mixture, stirring gently until just combined.

Fold in coarsely chopped pistachios into the dough, ensuring they are evenly distributed without breaking them down.

Scoop out about 1-inch balls of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space in between. Flatten each ball slightly and sprinkle some chopped pistachios on top.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the bottoms are light golden brown. Avoid overbaking to keep them tender.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then roll each in powdered sugar while warm to create a snowy finish.

Transfer the coated cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. For extra sweetness, consider rolling them in powdered sugar again once fully cooled.