Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
With a sweet buttery flavor and lots of salty crunch, these pistachio shortbread cookies are the best recipe to impress guests. Easy to make in advance these shortbread cookies can be varied for any type of occasion.
There’s something so simply decadent about pistachio shortbread cookies that has everyone coming back for seconds. They’re tender and buttery but with a sweet and salty taste. The secret to making the best cookies is to use pistachio butter which gives the dough an even richer feel to it.
The best part though is that they’re a slice and bake recipe which means you can make them in advance of when you need them and save yourself the kitchen time. With lots of fun flavor options and a classic shortbread taste, these pistachio cookies are a recipe you’ll fall in love with.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pistachios, roughly chopped.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour.
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar).
- 1/4 tsp salt.
- 2 tbsp pistachio butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature.
- 2 tablespoons water (add only if needed to bring the dough together)
Preparation time:
Dough preparation: 15 minutes.
Freezing: 3 hours or overnight.
Resting (after freezing): 20 minutes.
Baking: 14 minutes.
Total (excluding extended freezing time): 30 minutes.
Yield: 16 cookies
Directions
In a bowl, mix the softened butter, pistachio butter, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
Add the flour, salt and pistachios all at once to the creamed mixture. Mix gently until the dough comes together, being careful not to overwork it. If the dough feels dry and doesn’t come together, add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together.
Place the dough on plastic wrap and shape it into a uniform cylinder, ensuring it is compact.
Wrap the cylinder in the plastic wrap and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Remove the dough from the freezer and let it sit for a few minutes to soften slightly for easier slicing.
Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into slices approximately 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick.
Arrange the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between each one.
Bake for 14 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden at the edges. The texture will appear dry.
Variations and Substitutions
Sandwich cookies: Bring the shortbread cookies up a whole other level by making sandwich cookies with a filling of lemon curd, your favorite jam, or Nutella.
Chocolate dipped: Once baked, melt some chocolate and dip each cookie up to the halfway point. Let the chocolate cool and harden before you serve them.
Nuts: Pistachios come with their own rich flavor, but pecan shortbread cookies or hazelnut cookies can be delicious twists too.
Zest: Make the cookies refreshing by adding some fresh lemon or orange zest to the batter for a citrus twist.
Dried fruit: Tossing in some chopped dried cherries, cranberries, or blueberries gives the cookies a bit more of a chewy texture and pop of color. If you do this, scale back the number of pistachios you’re adding in. Otherwise, the mix-ins are too heavy, and the cookies will crumble.
How To Make the Best Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
You’ll want to choose high-quality pistachios to make the flavor really come out in the cookies. Opt for unsalted nuts and chop them into small pieces if you’re buying them whole. You could also roast the pistachios beforehand for more flavor.
If you don’t have pistachio butter, make your own by toasting the pistachios to release their oils and then processing them in a food processor until smooth.
Make sure your butter is at room temperature before you need it. This helps it mix in evenly with the other ingredients.
Mix the cookie dough until it just comes together. Overmixing dough can cause the cookies to crumble more.
You want the dough to be slightly sticky in the sense that it holds together when pressed. Only add water if it doesn’t hold together. Otherwise, eliminate it.
Take care to smooth out the log when shaping it. You want it to be compact so that the cookies hold their shape and are even in size. If the dough is too hard after it’s been chilled, let it sit for a few minutes before portioning into discs.
Making them ahead of time: The dough needs time to chill in order to set. Thanks to this, you can make the log in advance and store it in the fridge or the freezer until you’re ready for it. In the fridge, it will stay fresh for about 3 days. In the freezer, it will keep for up to 3 months. When you need it, let it sit to thaw in the fridge before slicing.
Storing the cookies: You can store the pistachio cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you want to store them for longer, freeze them for up to 2 months. Separate layers of cookies between sheets of parchment paper and thaw them in the fridge when you want them.
Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup pistachios roughly chopped
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp pistachio butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter softened at room temperature.
- 2 tbsp water (add only if needed to bring the dough together)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the softened butter, pistachio butter, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- Add the flour, salt and pistachios all at once to the creamed mixture. Mix gently until the dough comes together, being careful not to overwork it. If the dough feels dry and doesn’t come together, add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together.
- Place the dough on plastic wrap and shape it into a uniform cylinder, ensuring it is compact.
- Wrap the cylinder in the plastic wrap and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the dough from the freezer and let it sit for a few minutes to soften slightly for easier slicing.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into slices approximately 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick.
- Arrange the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between each one.
- Bake for 14 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden at the edges. The texture will appear dry.
Notes
- Choosing pistachios: Use unsalted, high-quality pistachios for the best
flavor. If they are whole, finely chop them with a knife or food processor. - Pistachio butter: If you don’t have pistachio butter, you can make it by
blending toasted pistachios in a food processor until smooth. - Room temperature butter: Ensure the butter is properly softened before beating so that it blends well with the dry ingredients.
- Avoid overworking the dough: Mix just until the dough comes together. Overmixing can make the cookies tough instead of having a delicate, crumbly texture.
- Check the texture before adding water: Only add water if the dough doesn’t hold together when pressed with your hands. Add it gradually to avoid making the dough too wet.
- Evenly shaped cylinder: When forming the dough into a log, compact it well and smooth it out to ensure evenly shaped cookies.
- Freezing time: Freezing the dough is essential to help the cookies maintain their shape. Do not skip this step.
- Precise slicing: Use a sharp knife to prevent the cookies from crumbling
while cutting. If the dough is too hard, let it sit for a few minutes before slicing. - Spacing on the baking sheet: Leave enough space between cookies.
Although they don’t spread much, proper air circulation ensures even baking. - Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze them for longer shelf life.
