Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
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Buttery, crumbly shortbread cookies get a red and green Christmas makeover with the addition of cranberry and pistachio-the perfect holiday dessert recipe!
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I’ve learned a lot of new words and sayings since we moved to England this summer. For example in the UK they call cookies “biscuits.” They also say “lovely” a lot. So in that spirit, today I’m sharing with you a lovely biscuit recipe that is perfect for Christmas gifting and parties!
These cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies are everything a shortbread should be-buttery and crumbly with the perfect balance of sweetness and a bit of pistachio crunch! The red and green will help them fit right in with your holiday decor as well!
Incidentally, did you know that shortbread originated in Scotland-which as I mentioned is where we’ll be spending Christmas this year!
Give these cookies as Christmas gift along with other holiday classics like Coconut Snowballs, Peanut Butter Blossoms, and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter, chilled and cut into cubes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice.
Instructions:
Pulse the cranberries a couple of times in a food processor and transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat the process with the pistachios and set aside in the same bowl. In the same food processor, add the flour, sugar, salt and give it a 2 or 3 pulses till nicely mixed. Add the butter and pulse till it resembles a crumbly mixture.
Drizzle in the almond extract and orange juice and give it a couple more pulses to mix. Add the dough to the bowl with the cranberries and pistachios and mix by hand. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, knead and roll into a log. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough into 1/4 inch discs. Arrange on cookie sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes till golden brown around the edges. Cool on wire rack. Store in airtight container. Makes 24 cookies.
Aren’t they festive looking? Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
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Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
- Total Time: 24 mins
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
Buttery, crumbly shortbread cookies get a red and green Christmas makeover with the addition of cranberry and pistachio-the perfect holiday dessert recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup or 1 stick of unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice.
Instructions
- Pulse the cranberries a couple of times in a food processor and transfer to a large bowl.
- Repeat the process with the pistachios and set aside in the same bowl.
- In the same food processor, add the flour, sugar, salt and give it a 2 or 3 pulses till nicely mixed.
- Add the butter and pulse till it resembles a crumbly mixture.
- Drizzle in the almond extract and give it a couple more pulses to mix.
- Add the dough to the bowl with the cranberries and pistachios and mix by hand.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface, knead and roll into a log.
- Wrap the dough in cling wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut the dough into 1/4 inch discs.
- Arrange on cookie sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes till golden brown around the edges.
- Cool on wire rack. Store in airtight container.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 14 mins
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 2.3 g
- Sodium: 36.8 mg
- Fat: 2.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
These were easy to make, although I had to add an extra tablespoon of orange juice to hold the dough together. Baked way over 14-16 minutes and never got brown edges. A bit disappointed in texture and flavor. Won’t be making again.
Hi there! keen to try this for christmas but i don’t have a food processor. i could use my blender for the cranberry and nuts but could i use a hand mixer with a dough attachment for the other steps?
thank you!
I have a food processor but it’s big and tucked away in the back of the pantry. I chopped up the craisins and nuts and used a pastry cutter and then my hands to process the dough. Worked out just fine!
i made these before and they were wonderful but can’t remember if it calls for salted or unsalted butter?
I use unsalted butter almost 99% of the time to control the salt in the recipe, I’ll make sure to update and notate that in the recipe card.
I absolutely love this recipe. The cookies were easy to make. They are beautiful to look at, and they taste absolutely delicious! I will make these over and over again! Thank you.
Dude here,
I make these biscuits each Christmas. I add clementine zest and shredded unsweetened coconut to the pistachio and cranberry mixture. I put the 1 tbsp clementine juice in at the same time as the almond extract (if that was confusing to you as it’s left out in part of the instructions). They are perfect holiday shortbreads. Loved by all.
they were easy and turned out really, really good!
Hii can i use almond flour instead of maida or half maida half almond flour??
DELICIOUS!!! I made this recipe for a work holiday party and everyone loved them! I love orange so I added a little zest. For a little extra sweetness I drizzled the top with orange royal icing. Absolutely perfect! I plan on making them again for family Christmas dinner 🙂
So good!
Can you use vanilla instead of almond extract? (I”m not a big fan of almond.) Thank you…they look wonderful.
What about the OJ? Does it go in with the almond extract?
yes, so sorry I have fixed the instructions now!
I finally got around to making these little cookies/biscuits ?Delicious and easy to make. It’s hard to just eat a couple though. Thank you for sharing Melissa ?
I’m so glad you liked them Marjorie!! ~Melissa
Love your emails. These biscuits are really delicious.
Thank you Marge! I hope you enjoy them! ~Melissa