Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies: A Unexpected Holiday Flip

Why I Started Making These Cookies

Honestly, I didn’t set out to bake a cookie. I grabbed a bag of dried cranberries to toss into oatmeal. But then I remembered that weird box of pistachios shoved in the back of the cupboard. Nothing about this plan sounds like a traditional holiday cookie, which is exactly why I wanted to try it.

Crushing the pistachios and scattering the tart cranberries into the buttery dough felt kind of rebellious. It’s not the usual peppermint or ginger, but somehow it screams winter. The smell alone — roasted nuts merging with tart, ruby cranberries — made me pause. That moment of sniffing the raw dough, knowing it’ll turn into something unexpectedly good. That’s what I love about baking right now. No fancy ingredients, no fuss. Just a little surprise, a pinch of unpredictability.

Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

These cookies are baked treats that combine chopped pistachios and dried cranberries into a buttery dough. The dough is shaped and baked until golden, resulting in cookies with a tender yet slightly chewy texture, studded with colorful fruit and nut pieces.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 27 minutes mins

Servings: 12

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: baking

Calories: 150

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup pistachios roughly chopped

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Knife
• Food processor or chopping board

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure out the softened butter and granulated sugar into a mixing bowl and cream together with a hand or stand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Observe the pale color and airy texture as an indicator of proper creaming.
   1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
2. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Beat until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. The mixture should become slightly glossy and smooth.
   1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. The dough will start to come together and look crumbly but should hold when pressed.
   2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
4. Fold in the dried cranberries and chopped pistachios using a spatula or spoon until evenly distributed throughout the dough. The dough should be thick, with visible bits of fruit and nuts.
   1 cup dried cranberries, 3/4 cup pistachios
5. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoons, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten each mound with your fingers or the back of a fork for even baking.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers look set but slightly soft. You should hear a gentle sizzle and see the cookies turn a warm golden tone. Remove from oven and let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sometimes I think I forget that cookies don’t have to be perfect or pretty. They can be a little messy, a little weird, and still turn into something kind of special. Honestly, I don’t want these cookies to be for everyone. I want them to be the kind of thing you bake in a flurry of last-minute holiday chaos, then sneak a few before anyone can find them.