Cranberry Pistachio Sugar Cookies

Prep Time:

10m

Bake/Cook Time:

10m - 14m

Yield:

24-36 cookies

If these Cranberry Pistachio Sugar Cookies were a character, they'd be Julia Sugarbaker. A delightful blend of sweet, tart, and a little bit nutty! This classic sugar cookie is full of chopped pistachios and dried cranberries. The pistachios add a delightful crunch, a little unexpected surprise in the soft cookie. Their earthy, slightly sweet flavor adds a great balance to the cookie's sweetness. Dried cherries provide a little chew and a pop of tartness. Cranberry Pistachio Sugar Cookies are light, tender, and ever-so-slightly crumbly, not the chewy kind, but the kind that softly crumbles and melts as you bite into them. And while cranberry desserts are normally served during the holiday season, the combination of all three — the sweet cookies, crunchy pistachios, and tangy cranberries — is a satisfying flavor profile you'll want to make year-round.

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Products Used

1 lb. Confectioners Powdered Sugar Box

Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup chopped pistachios
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup, for rolling Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
Cream powdered sugar and butter. Add vanilla extract and egg followed by flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
Chop pistachios in a food processor. They should be irregular shapes with some chunks. Reserve a tablespoon of nuts for topping.
Hand stir in pistachios and cranberries.
Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion dough and roll smooth. Roll dough ball in granulated sugar and then press into reserved pistachio bits. Place on a cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 10-14 minutes. Tops will still be soft, but edges should start to brown.
Allow to cool on cookie sheet for two minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Dixie Crystals Insight

Recipe developed for Dixie Crystals by Karen Granrud @PintSizedBaker.

Rate & Review

Kim O

Jul 05, 2023

I wasn't sure that these cookies would fully cook as they were large dough balls, but they did bake perfectly. Note to take them out just as they start to ever so slightly brown at the edges. They go from baked to over-baked quickly. The cookie stays very light in color and letting them rest on the cookie sheet helps them firm up. I chopped my pistachios by hand so I had larger chunks but since the cookies are on the larger size it worked well. I didn't roll them in sugar but just sprinkled a bit on top right out of the oven.