These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies are packed with sweet dried cranberries and crunchy pistachios. Perfect for Christmas, holiday cookie trays, or enjoying with a cup of coffee!
15 min baking30–36 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
- ½ cup (65 g) dried cranberries, chopped
- ½ cup (65 g) shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Instructions
1. Cream the butter and sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar for 2–3 minutes until smooth, light, and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract, if using.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms.
3. Add cranberries and pistachios
Gently fold in the chopped dried cranberries and pistachios until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
4. Shape the dough
Divide the dough into two portions. Roll each portion into a log approximately 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, smoothing the sides to create an even shape.
5. Chill the dough
Refrigerate the dough logs for at least 2 hours, or until firm. This helps the cookies hold their shape during baking.
6. Slice the cookies
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the chilled logs into rounds approximately ½ inch (1.2 cm) thick.
7. Bake
Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie.
Bake for 14–18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set.
8. Cool and serve
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Perfect Cookies
- Use real butter: It creates the rich, tender texture that makes shortbread irresistible.
- Don’t skip chilling: Cold dough produces beautifully shaped cookies.
- Avoid overbaking: The cookies should remain pale golden with slightly browned edges.
- Slice carefully: Use a sharp knife to prevent the pistachios from breaking the dough.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition (Approximate per Cookie)
Based on 36 cookies:
- Calories: 135 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Protein: 2 g
These festive cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies are buttery, delicate, and beautifully colorful — a wonderful homemade holiday treat!
Note: This is a recipe designed to recreate the cookies shown in your photo, rather than a verified original recipe.