This buttery shortbread is filled with cranberries, pistachios and orange zest. It’s an easy slice and bake cookie is perfect for the holidays.
If you’re looking for a buttery, flavorful shortbread recipe – then this cranberry pistachio shortbread is perfect. Sometimes I find shortbread can tastes bland or boring, but not these. They have a delicious crunch without being dry, and are filled with Christmas flavors thanks to fresh orange zest, tart cranberries and pistachios.
Like all classic shortbread – there are only 3 main ingredients: butter, sugar and flour. The classic, buttery shortbread flavor comes from the obvious culprit. So you really must use 100%, real butter – no substitutions here. Because butter is rich on its own, there isn’t too much sugar in the recipe. Then we’re using just the right amount of flour. Make sure to whisk the flour first, then spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top when measuring. Or use a weigh scale which is definitely the most accurate way to measure – I’ve included the weights in the recipe.
Note – too much flour and shortbread gets dry and flavorless. Not enough and it can fall apart or spread too thin.
Then for flavorings we’re adding in freshly grated orange zest, dried cranberries and pistachios. You’ll need to roughly chop the cranberries and pistachios first. This is important because if you don’t the cookies can fall apart if the pieces are too big.
What’s great about this shortbread recipe is that it’s a slice and bake variety. Therefore you can make the dough in advance and pop it in the fridge for up to 4 days before baking, or freeze for up to 2 months. Then thaw in the fridge overnight before baking. You’ll divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, and then form each half into a log shape about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. It’s really important to form the dough into a dense, tight log. Continue to press the dough together tightly as you form each log. You’ll wrap each log in wax paper or parchment, twist the ends and then pop it in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
When you’re ready to bake, simply unwrap the log and slice into cookies about ¼ inch thick.
This tasty cranberry pistachio shortbread is simple, buttery, and not too sweet. If you’d like to take it up a notch, you can even dip half of each cookie in white chocolate.
I love cranberries, pistachios and orange zest as a delicious flavor combo for the holidays. And if you’re looking for more cranberry recipes, I’d recommend trying:
Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar*
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour* AKA plain flour - 281 grams or 9.92 ounces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ¾ cup dried cranberries chopped
- ¾ cup unsalted pistachios* chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
- With the mixer on low speed mix in the flour, salt and orange zest until just combined. The dough will be thick.
- Stir in the chopped cranberries and pistachios.
- Place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper on the counter. Take ½ of the dough, place it on the sheet of wax paper and form it into a log shape about 1 to 1 ½ inch (2-3 cm) in diameter. Roll up the log in wax paper and twist the ends. Really think of packing the log tightly as you form the log.
- Repeat the process with the 2nd half of the dough, so you end up with 2 logs.
- Place the logs in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or up to 3 days. Logs can be frozen for up to 2 months in a freezer container, then thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325F (16FC) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
- Take 1 log out of the fridge at a time, unwrap the log and slice into cookies about ¼ - ⅓ inch thick (about 0.5 cm).
- Place cookies 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet and bake for 14-17 minutes, or until the tops looks set and around the edges are starting to turn golden brown.
Notes
- This recipe doesn't use too much sugar - which is typical of shortbread.
- Make sure to measure the flour correctly. Either whisk it first, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top. Or use a weighing scale for the most correct measurement.
- You'll want to use shelled pistachios with the skin off.
- Logs can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking. Or place cookie dough logs in a freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw logs in the fridge overnight, then slice and bake. Do not thaw dough on the counter because it will get too soft.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Nutrition information is an estimate only and based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 36 equal-sized cookies.
This shortbread recipe is tasty and easy. I chopped the dried cranberries and pistachios a little finer than shown because I worried about the dough sticking together in logs. It worked well. I doubled the ingredients, dipped half of each in white chocolate as suggested and sprinkled them with red decorating sugar. It made them festive and Christmas-like. I think I might try rolling and cutting them next time however. I usually do that with shortbread cookies. I use a rectangular cookie cutter with rippled edges. It would make dipping them a little a easier and the final product would look more professional because cut edges are irregular and can get crumbly.
Wonderful flavor, but when I sliced them fell apart into crumbles. Was very careful in measuring flour. Made another batch, did not refrigerate and formed them into small balls. Dipped a small glass bottom in water, then granulated sugar and pressed cookie. They are baking now. Increased orange jest to 2 T and increased cranberries and pistachios to 1 C each. Funny note, opened package of pistachios only to find out they were in the shell. Do you have any idea how many it takes to amount to 3/4 C? Have a very sore thumb underneath the nail!
Dough is crumbly. Waste of my time when the logs the next day just fall apart.