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Best Easy Cranberry Pistachio Christmas Cookies Recipe

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These quick and easy cranberry pistachio Christmas cookies are buttery, chewy, and studded with tart cranberries and crunchy pistachios. Perfect for last-minute holiday baking, they come together in under 30 minutes and taste like you spent hours on them.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Zest of 1 medium orange
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • ¾ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  2. Toast the pistachios: Place the chopped pistachios in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan occasionally and toast for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker. Pour onto a plate to cool completely.
  3. Cream the butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla: Crack the egg into the butter mixture, add the vanilla extract, and beat until well combined, about 30 seconds.
  5. Add the dry ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined.
  6. Add the orange zest: Fold in the orange zest using a spatula until evenly distributed.
  7. Fold in the cranberries and pistachios: Add the dried cranberries and cooled toasted pistachios to the dough. Fold gently until evenly distributed.
  8. Scoop the dough: Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  9. Bake: Place one baking sheet at a time on the center rack of your preheated oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers look set but still soft.
  10. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

For best results, toast the pistachios to enhance their flavor. Use room temperature ingredients for proper creaming. Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling. Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for even baking. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes will yield thicker, chewier cookies.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry pistachio cookies, Christmas cookies, easy holiday cookies, quick cookies, no chill cookies

Find it online: https://dinadinnertable.com/best-easy-cranberry-pistachio-christmas-cookies-recipe/