I can’t believe there are only 4 days until Christmas! I don’t know about you, but I already feel a sugar crash coming on…there have been a lot of cookie tastings and eggnog drinking since I got home to Ohio for the holidays. Not that I’m complaining! Plus, it got me this recipe for cranberry pistachio shortbread.
This shortbread is so yummy, and with a mix of cranberries and pistachios it’s so festive! These would be really beautiful on a Christmas morning breakfast spread along with an eggnog latte.
nuts and berries
I just love adding little goodies like nuts and berries to desserts. It instantly elevates them and adds so much more flavor. Pistachios and cranberries are a perfect combo to add a little saltiness and sweetness to this buttery shortbread. Plus, the colors are spot-on for Christmas!
I would recommend chopping or crushing your pistachios before adding them into the shortbread. You’ll get more of that bright green color, and it’ll be easier to bake (and eat).
how to make shortbread
I love a good shortbread. It’s so buttery and melts in your mouth perfectly along with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Shortbread is also shockingly easy to make! It only requires a few ingredients and a few minutes of active baking. Most of the time the dough is either hardening on the fridge or baking in the oven.
First, you’ll want to whip up some softened butter and sugar into a light, fluffy mixture. Then, you’ll add some vanilla, flour, and salt, and you have your basic dough.
The rest of what you add is totally up to you. For this recipe, it’s chopped pistachios and cranberries, but you can also substitute other fruits and nuts.
Once your dough is mixed, you’ll just form it into a log (I made mine so the shortbread almost comes out biscotti-shaped, but you can make it more round or thicker if you’d like), and then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours so it gets nice and solid before cutting and baking.
That’s pretty much it! Then you’ll slice it and bake the shortbread pieces. Hopefully you enjoy these as much as I do, and they make your holidays a little brighter and sweeter!
⟶ the recipe
cranberry pistachio shortbread
ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) of butter, softened
⅓ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
2 hours 30 minutes
Total time
2 hours 45 minutes
Makes 12 pieces of shortbread
instructions
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, and beat on low until combined.
In a small bowl, sift together flour and salt. Beating on low, gradually add the flour and salt mixture.
Stir in the pistachios and cranberries until well-mixed. Use your hands to mix dough together until it forms a solid shape. If pieces are crumbling off, add a couple drops of water so the dough sticks together.
Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and form it into a log, about 1 inch thick and 12 inches long.
Wrap shortbread and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove shortbread from the fridge and cut into 12 even pieces. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15-18 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
Allow shortbread to cool for a couple minutes before transferring to a cookie tin or serving.
⟶ modifications
- There are a lot of different goodies you can add to this shortbread besides pistachios and cranberries. You can substitute a different type of nut like almonds or pecans. You can also try another type of dried fruit. Tart dried cherries would be good
⟶ make it ahead
- You can make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking
- Store shortbread in a tightly sealed tupperware or cookie tin. You can either refrigerate or keep them in a cool space for up to 5 days
