Every December, Grandma's blue snowflake tin comes out of the cupboard, and these Cranberry Pistachio Christmas Cookies are always the first ones to fill it. Soft and buttery in the middle with lightly golden edges, every bite is packed with chewy dried cranberries and crunchy pistachios, so they look as festive as they taste with that pretty red and green on top.
The dough comes together in one bowl in about 15 minutes, with simple pantry ingredients and no mixer tricks. Pressing a few extra cranberries and pistachios on top before baking is the little secret that makes them look bakery-perfect. Bake a batch for cookie swaps, holiday trays or gift tins, and keep a few hidden for yourself, because they never last long.
Prep: 15 min | Bake: 11 min | Makes: about 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries (+ extra for the tops)
- 3/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped (+ extra for the tops)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter and both sugars until creamy. Mix in the egg, vanilla and almond extract.
- Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt until just combined.
- Fold in the cranberries and pistachios.
- Scoop big balls of dough onto the sheet, 2 inches apart. Press a few extra cranberries and pistachios on top.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are light golden. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet.
Tip
Chill the dough 30 minutes for thicker cookies.
Enjoy your Grandma'S Cranberry Pistachio Christmas Cookies! Save this recipe and share it with someone who loves easy home cooking.
