Slice and Bake Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
Buttery orange shortbread slice and bake cookies studded with dried cranberries and pistachios. The freezer-friendly dough logs bake into crisp, tender red and green holiday cookies whenever needed.
Servings 30 cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest from about 1 orange
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Mix-Ins and Coating
- ¾ cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
- ¾ cup shelled unsalted pistachios roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons coarse sanding sugar optional, for the edges
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Beat the softened butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes until pale and creamy.
- Add the egg yolk, vanilla and orange zest and beat 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl.
- Add the flour and salt and mix on low just until the dough clumps together.
- Mix in the chopped cranberries and pistachios on low until evenly distributed.
Shape and Chill
- Divide the dough in half. Use parchment to roll each half into a firm log about 2 inches wide and 7 inches long.
- If using, roll the logs in the sanding sugar. Wrap tightly in parchment and chill at least 2 hours until firm.
Slice and Bake
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Trim the ends of the log and slice into ⅜ inch rounds with a serrated knife, turning the log as you go. Place 1 ½ inches apart.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the tops are set and the edges just turn golden.
- Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chop small: Pea-sized cranberries and pistachios slice cleanly; whole pieces tear the dough.
- Salted pistachios: If using roasted salted nuts, reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon.
- Make ahead: Dough logs keep 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Let frozen logs rest 10 minutes before slicing and add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
- Storage: Keep baked cookies airtight at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.