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These buttery slice-and-bake Cranberry Pistachio Cookies drizzled with white chocolate are perfect for Christmas cookie exchanges.
It's that time of year to get ready to deck the halls with a treat exchange this holiday season. If you're looking for an updated classic holiday cookie, then look no further than this cranberry pistachio white chocolate shortbread cookie recipe.
These buttery cookies harmoniously balance the creamy white chocolate, tangy and tart cranberries, and mildly salty crunchy pistachios. Their combined flavor profile creates an irresistible holiday indulgence destined to earn a permanent spot on your Christmas baking roster.
These cookies pair wonderfully with a glass of milk or a scoop of ice cream.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
- Flavor Combinations: This recipe is an explosion of flavors. The sweetness of white chocolate, tangy cranberries and crunchy, salty pistachios create a symphony in your mouth.
- Easy to Make: They may sound fancy, but these cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies are straightforward to make. Even the most novice bakers can pull them off!
- Perfect for All Occasions: Whether it's Christmas, a mid-summer picnic, or just a cozy evening at home, these cookies are a hit at any time of the year.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- cream of tartar
- unsalted butter
- confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
- large egg
- orange extract
- pure vanilla extract
- dried cranberries
- pistachio nuts
- white chocolate baking bar or white chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt
See the printable recipe card below for exact quantities.
How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
- Whisk the dry ingredients.
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar.
- Beat in the eggs and orange and vanilla extracts.
- Add flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in cranberries and pistachios.
- Form into logs, chill, then slice and bake.
- Drizzle white chocolate. Enjoy!
See the printable recipe card below for exact recipe instructions.
Equipment Needed
Storage Instructions
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Ingredient Swaps
If pistachios aren't your thing, swap them out for almonds, macadamia nuts or hazelnuts. And if cranberries are too tart for your taste, dried cherries make a great alternative. Don't have baking chocolate bars? Use chocolate chips instead.
Cookie FAQs
Milk chocolate contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter and milk. While white chocolate only contains cocoa butter, milk and sugar. This gives white chocolate a sweeter, creamier taste.
To get perfectly round cookies, shape your dough into a smooth log before refrigeration. Use a sharp chef's knife for precision and clean cuts when slicing.
Wait until your dough log is thoroughly chilled. Use a sharp knife and slice in a single, clean motion, not a sawing motion, to get those perfect circles.
Freezing Slice-and-Bake Cookies
- Prepare the Dough: Mix all your ingredients per the recipe to make the cookie dough.
- Shape the Dough: Divide your dough into portions, depending on how much you want to freeze. Shape each portion into a log that is about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter.
- Wrap the Dough: Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap, ensuring it's fully covered to prevent freezer burn. Then wrap it again in aluminum foil.
- Seal and Label: Place the wrapped dough log(s) into a freezer bag. Seal the bag tightly, pushing out as much air as you can. Label the bag with the date and type of cookies for future reference.
- Freeze: Store the bag in the freezer. Your cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Baking Frozen Slice-and-Bake Cookies
- Preheat Your Oven: Before you get your dough out of the freezer, preheat your oven according to the recipe's instructions. Also, prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Slice the Cookies: Remove your dough log from the freezer. Unwrap it and cut it into slices of your preferred thickness (usually around ¼ to ½ inch) with a sharp knife. If the dough is too hard, let it sit for a few minutes, but don't let it fully thaw.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the slices on your prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space between each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies according to your recipe's instructions, but remember, frozen dough might need an extra couple of minutes in the oven. Start checking a minute or two before the recommended baking time to ensure they don't overbake.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, enjoy your freshly baked cookies!
This method works wonderfully for most slice-and-bake cookies, including these delightful white chocolate cranberry cookies.
Now, let's get to baking!
If you give this recipe a try, please leave a comment below, rate the recipe, and don’t forget to tag me @homesweetfarmhome on Instagram and use the hashtag #homesweetfarmhome. I’d love to see what you come up with and share with our community. Cheers!
Recipe Card
Cranberry Pistachio White Chocolate Cookies (Slice and Bake)
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted pistachios
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar powdered sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons orange extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups dried cranberries chopped
- ½ cup pistachios chopped
- 8 ounces white baking chocolate chopped (to be melted)
- flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.
- Using a hand mixer and a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioners' sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- On medium speed, beat in egg, orange and vanilla extracts. Scrape sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined. The dough will be crumbly.
- Add chopped cranberries and pistachios to the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide in two.
- Shape divided dough into logs (about 2.5 inches in diameter), wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight (recommended).
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Remove cookie dough logs from the refrigerator and unwrap. Slice the dough crosswise into ½ inch slices.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies are ready when they are lightly golden brown around the edges.
- Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheets and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are cooled, now it's time to melt the chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chopped white chocolate chunks in 15-second increments (stir after each increment) until completely melted and smooth.
- With a spoon, drizzle the tops of each cookie.
- Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.
- Let chocolate set and enjoy!
* The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Abby says
Great flavor combinations and super easy to make! Wil definitely make again for the holidays!