The Best Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread
This Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread is a holiday treat you’ll want to make again and again. The buttery brown sugar base gets a festive twist from orange zest, tart cranberries, and crunchy pistachios. It’s simple to make but packs a ton of flavor. Perfect for parties, gift giving, or enjoying with a cup of tea, these shortbread treats will quickly become a seasonal favorite.
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Shortbread has always been a holiday favorite in my house. But this cranberry pistachio version takes it to a whole new level and it’s perfect for the Christmas season!
The best part is it’s super easy to make. You don’t need any fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. Just a few simple steps and you’ll have a batch of these delicious treats ready to go.
The brown sugar gives these cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies a rich, caramel-like flavor. Add in the tangy cranberries, crunchy pistachios, and a hint of orange zest, and you’ve got something really special.
They’re perfect with a cup of coffee or as an after-dinner treat. And let me tell you, they make your kitchen smell amazing while they’re baking!
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What goes into this recipe
- Butter: Melted butter is the foundation of our shortbread. It gives you rich, buttery cookies and a soft, crumbly feel. I recommend unsalted butter so you can control the salt in the recipe.
- Brown Sugar: This adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness to the classic shortbread. It’s what makes these cookies extra special compared to traditional shortbread recipes.
- All Purpose Flour: Gives substance to the shortbread dough and helps to create a crumbly shortbread cookie.
- Dried Cranberries: These add a tangy sweetness and festive color to the shortbread. They’re a perfect match for the rich, buttery base.
- Pistachios: Chopped pistachios give these shortbread squares a lovely crunch and nutty flavor. Make sure to use toasted and salted ones for the best taste. Unsalted pistachios may be used but you might want to add a bit of salt to the cookie dough.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread
- In a large bowl, mix together the softened butter and brown sugar until well combined. This creates the base for your shortbread. I like to use a hand held {or stand} mixer until the ingredients are light and fluffy. Next, add the flour and salt to the butter and brown sugar mixture. Continue to mix until the dough starts to come together {it may still be a bit crumbly}.
- Add the orange zest, green pistachios, and red cranberries to the flour mixture.
- Mix everything together until just combined. You want the pistachios and chopped cranberries to be evenly distributed. I suggest using your hands to knead the dough together into a ball.
- Shape the dough into a long cylinder. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Once the dough is chilled, cut the log into thick slices {about 1/4 inch} and place them onto a silicone mat {or parchment} lined cookie sheet.
- Bake cookies for 18-22 minutes or until the cookies just start to begin turning light brown.
- You will know that they are ready when the bottom of the cookies are perfectly golden brown. Once they are cooled you get to decide if you want to serve them as is OR add a drizzle of white chocolate.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature butter. This makes it easier to mix with the sugar and other ingredients.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the shortbread tough.
- Cut the dough into even rounds that are the same thickness. This helps the shortbread bake evenly and look nice when cut. Just like this Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookie.
- Watch the edges for doneness. The top will still look pale when it’s done, but the edges should be just turning golden.
- Let it cool before adding white chocolate. This will ensure that the chocolate hardens nicely.
- Try different mix-ins. You can swap the cranberries for other dried fruits or use different nuts instead of pistachios in this shortbread recipe. I also love this Chocolate Chip Shortbread recipe.
Storage and Freezing
Store: Once the cranberry shortbread cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 5 days. You can place parchment paper or wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.
Freeze: These cranberry pistachio shortbread freeze well for up to 2 months. Let them cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container or bag. To enjoy, thaw them at room temperature for a couple of hours. You can also warm them slightly in the oven at 300°F for about 5 minutes if you prefer them crisp.
Recipe FAQs
Fresh cranberries have more moisture, which can affect the texture of the shortbread. If you want to use fresh, chop them finely and reduce the amount to 1/3 cup. You might also need to increase the baking time by a few minutes.
If you love fresh cranberries, be sure to check out this Cranberry Upside Down Cake.
Yes! Almonds or pecans work great in this recipe. Just make sure they’re chopped to about the same size as the pistachios. If using unsalted nuts, you might want to add an additional pinch of salt to the dough.
Definitely! I like to freeze a log of cookie dough. Just let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cutting and baking.
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Cranberry and Pistachio Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter {softened}
- ½ cup brown sugar {firmly packed}
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- zest one orange
- ½ cup toasted and salted pistachios {chopped}
- ½ cup dried cranberries {chopped}
Instructions
- Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. using a hand held {or stand} mixer, cream together until they are light and fluffy {this will take a minute or two}.
- Add the flour and salt to the butter and sugar mixture. Continue to mix until the mixture starts to come together {this might take a minute}. Finally, add the orange zest, cranberries and pistachios. Note: The dough will be a bit crumbly. I suggest using your hands to knead the dough together into a ball.
- Shape the dough into a long cylinder and wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 300°. After the dough has chilled, cut the log into 1/4 inch rounds and place them onto a baking sheet with a silicone mat {or parchment paper}. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the cookies just start to turn light brown around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely. Serve them as is, or add a drizzle of white chocolate. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Make sure to cut the rounds into an even thickness so that they bake up evenly.
- Get creative and add different dried fruit and nuts for additional flavors and textures.