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Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies – Best Holiday Treat

cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies - featured image
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These buttery, tender shortbread cookies are studded with tart dried cranberries and crunchy pistachios, creating the perfect holiday treat. Simple to make with basic pantry ingredients, they’re ideal for gifting or enjoying with a cup of coffee.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (90g) dried cranberries
  • ¾ cup (90g) shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: Take your butter out of the fridge and cut it into small cubes, about ½-inch each. Pop them back in the fridge while you measure everything else. Roughly chop your pistachios and set them aside with the dried cranberries.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients: In your large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until no lumps remain.
  3. Cut in the butter: Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
  4. Add sugar and vanilla: Stir in the granulated sugar and vanilla extract. The mixture will still look crumbly—it should hold together when squeezed but fall apart easily.
  5. Fold in the mix-ins: Gently fold in the dried cranberries and chopped pistachios. Be careful not to overmix.
  6. Form the dough log: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Bring it together with your hands and shape it into a log about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.
  7. Chill the dough: Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or freeze for 15 minutes if in a hurry).
  8. Preheat and slice: Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the chilled dough log and slice into ¼-inch thick rounds. Place slices about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
  9. Bake: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are just barely golden brown. Centers should still look pale.
  10. Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Keep everything cold for best results. Do not overmix the dough. Use a sharp knife for slicing. Rotate baking sheet halfway through baking. Test for doneness by touch, not color.

Nutrition

Keywords: shortbread cookies, cranberry pistachio, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, easy shortbread, butter cookies

Find it online: https://forkifyfun.com/cranberry-pistachio-shortbread-cookies-best-holiday-treat/