Cranberry Pistachio Cookies - Festive Christmas Cookies
Buttery cranberry pistachio cookies are perfect tea time treat any time of the year. Green crunchy pistachios with red tart-sweet cranberries make these perfect gift for the holiday season. This simple and easy fruit and nut cookie recipe takes 5 minutes to mix and 12 minutes to bake. This means that you can have warm delicious cookies in less than 15 minutes.
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Next month is Christmas and I have decided I want to give an assortment of cookies in a jar as Christmas gifts to family and friends. This year, Hanukkah and Christmas come at almost the same time, so these would be perfect.
I plan to make a few batches of different cookies and then add a few of each to every jar. We need six jars for the family and about 4 for friends. So, I purchased small cookies jars with little tags and a cute ribbon. It's kinda exciting when these look pretty.
I like to add more cookies but in smaller sizes, so they look fuller and prettier. Usually, I make the same recipe but smaller cookies and bake them for 8 to 10 minutes instead of 10 to 12 minutes. There are few of my family favorite cookies I absolutely must make, like my chocolate chip cookies, macadamia date roll cookies, old fashion soft molasses cookies, vanilla sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, Linzer cookies.
What do you think? Would you enjoy these assortments in a jar if you got them as Christmas gifts cookie jar?
Let's talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)
- All-purpose flour - Yes, plain flour works great for this recipe. The amount of flour in the recipe will contribute towards how dense the cookies will be, so make sure to measure the ingredients correctly.
- Egg - Always use large size eggs when baking unless specified. The size of eggs varies significantly these days. So, as a guide one large egg weighs between 50 to 60 grams.
- Vanilla - A good quality vanilla will make a huge difference in anything you make. Premium vanilla can be expensive, which is why I make my own homemade vanilla extract, bean paste or sugar.
- Brown sugar - The molasses in the brown sugar contributes to the soft texture. You can add dark brown sugar as well, but the cookies will also get a deeper color. I like a nice light brown cookie.
- Pistachio - I love using pistachio nuts this time of the year. And yet, you can use cashews, almonds, pecans or any other nuts you fancy.
- Cranberries - These add a nice sweet-tart taste to the cookies, but you can also use dates, raisins or other dried fruits.
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Useful tips and tools
- I'm not a slave to mixers. And yet, when you need some good creaming I have to insist that you use the K-Mix or Kitchen Aid.
- A good baking tray is always important. So, try using a light colored baking tray. Another option is to line the baking tray with parchment paper.
- Also, it is really important to cool cookies completely on all sides as soon as they come out of the oven. So, take them off the baking tray to prevent them from cooking further and place them on a cooking rack so they air circulates on all sides. This prevents steam from going back into the cookie, thus, keeping them crispy not soggy.
- Always bake cookies on the center rack of your oven. And if you have more than one tray simply bake them one at a time. You can bake two trays at the same time, and yet this can lead to some of the cookies in the bottom tray spreading too much. Also, you can rotate the trays during the baking. This is helpful with some cookies.
- Most cookies usually bake between 10 to 12 minutes. Since cookies bake quickly they can also get over-baked. This is due to our tendency to get distracted at the last minute. Hence, my solution is a kitchen timer that is always set to 10 minutes. I turn it on as soon as I place the cookies in the oven. This has saved me many cookies since my kids always keep me busy.
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How to make cranberry pistachio cookies (Save/Pin)
- Preheat the oven at 180 C / 356 F.
- Combine dry ingredients - Flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, pistachio, and cranberries - Set aside.
(Save 2 tbsp pistachios to sprinkle on top before baking) - Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla followed by the egg.
- Mix for two minutes until light and fluffy again.
- Add flour mixture and combine well.
- Use a cookie scooper to scoop dough onto a cookie sheet.
- Flatten the cookies slightly with the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle remaining chopped pistachio nuts.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom.
- Leave on the baking tray for 5 minutes.
- Then, cool on a wire rack completely before you store in the cookie jar.
- These cookies will stay good for up to two weeks on the counter.
Don't forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later. You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
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Description
Ingredients
- 113 grams (0.5 cups) Unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
- 110 grams (0.5 cups) Light brown sugar
- 1 (1 ) large Egg
- 128 grams (1.00 cups) All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) Salt
- 100 grams (1 cups) Cranberries
- 90 grams (0.75 cups) Pistachio chopped
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) Nutmeg freshly grated
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 180 C / 356 F.
- Combine dry ingredients - Flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, pistachio, and cranberries - Set aside.
- (Save 2 tbsp pistachios to sprinkle on top before baking)
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla followed by the egg.
- Mix for two minutes until light and fluffy again.
- Add flour mixture and combine well.
- Use a cookie scooper to scoop dough onto a cookie sheet.
- Flatten the cookies slightly with the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle remaining chopped pistachio nuts.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom.
- Leave on the baking tray for 5 minutes.
- Then, cool on a wire rack completely before you store in the cookie jar
- These cookies will stay good for up to two weeks on the counter.
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Love Cookies?
You may like to check out some of my other cookie recipes.
From the simple almond crinkle cookies to the best chocolate chip cookies as well as some of the most amazing shortbread stamp cookies.
Cookie Recipes by Veena Azmanov. Custard cookies, shortbread cookies, eggless cookies, glutenfree cookies, best chocolate chip
Claudia Canu
I love pistachios but somehow I've never tried to bake cookies with them. I'll definitely try this recipe! Thank you so much!
Veena Azmanov
You must use Pistachio in cookies so delicious
Bintu
What delicious looking cookies! I love cranberries and pistachios, what a great combination.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Bintu.
Ellen
I love pistachio anything and these cookies sound wonderful. Perfect for a holiday cookie tray.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Ellen
Dannii
Cranberry and pistachio sounds like such an amazing combo. I can’t wait to try them in a cookie.
Veena Azmanov
It is such an amazing combination Dannii.
David
yum! perfect cookies for this time of year.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, David
Sonal
This is an awesome recipe. Love the addition of pistachios in the recipe.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Sonal
Allison
I love pistachios, yet I never think to bake with them! Thanks for this reminder, and tasty recipe!
Veena Azmanov
Me too, Allison.Love Pistachios.
Rae
I bet everyone will love receiving a jar of these delicious cookies this holiday season. I don't know why, but I never think of using pistachios in cookies, which I think is a mistake on my part. 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Rae. Pistachios I cookies are delicious.
Tayler Ross
Cranberry and pistachio is one of my favorite flavor combos! I can't wait to try these!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Tyler.