Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Pistachio shortbread cookies are simple and festive ~ they're crisp and buttery with a touch of sparkle for the holidays and beyond!
Servings: 28 cookies
Video
Equipment
- stand mixer optional
- 2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus more for rolling the edges of the cookies
- 4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole pistachios, chopped, I use salted and roasted nuts
Instructions
- Cream the butter and the sugar together, scraping down your bowl as necessary. I use a stand mixer but you can also do this by hand.
- Beat in the vanilla.
- Fold the flour into the butter and sugar until it comes together to form a dough. It will be crumbly, but make sure all the flour gets incorporated.
- Fold in the pistachios and make sure you get them well distributed in the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and bring together into a flat disk. Roll out to 1/3-1/2 inch thick. I sometimes like to top my dough with parchment or plastic wrap to make rolling easier.
- Cut out your cookies with small 2" cookie cutter, you will have about 2+ dozen. Roll the edges of your cookies in sugar.
- Refrigerate the cut cookies for an hour. (You can also do this overnight.)
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Roll the edges of the cookies in sugar and place on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes. The cookies will still be pale and soft, but will firm up as they cool. Note: shorter baking will result in a softer cookie, longer time will make them crispier.
- I like to roll the edges of the cookies again in sugar for an extra sparkly look. Let them cool on the pan just until cool enough to handle, and then gently roll the edges in the sugar. The cookies need to be warm for the sugar to adhere, but be careful because they are delicate at this stage.
- Cookies will last up to a week at room temperature. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
*This recipe was first published in 2013. It has been updated and rephotographed in 2024.
Nutrition
Calories: 260 kcal · Carbohydrates: 23 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 17 g · Saturated Fat: 9 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 35 mg · Sodium: 2 mg · Potassium: 114 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 8 g · Vitamin A: 442 IU · Vitamin C: 0.5 mg · Calcium: 16 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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