Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread
These festive cranberry and pistachio shortbread cookies deliver vibrant colors and rich flavors, perfect for holiday baking with a simple one-bowl method.
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 2 large baking sheets
- 1 parchment paper
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- zest of one medium orange
- ¾ cup pistachios roughly chopped
- ¾ cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
Instructions
- Beat softened butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add orange juice and vanilla extract; beat until combined.
- Mix in flour, salt, and orange zest on low speed until just combined.
- Fold in chopped pistachios and dried cranberries with a rubber spatula.
- Shape dough into a 2-2.5 inch thick log on a lightly floured surface; wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap.
- Chill dough in freezer for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate for 4 hours until firm.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice chilled dough into ¼-inch thick rounds using a sharp knife.
- Place cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until edges are golden brown.
- Cool cookies on baking sheets before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Freeze sliced dough for longer storage before baking.
- Use salted butter if unsalted is not available, but reduce added salt slightly.