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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cookies » Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

    Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

    Published: Nov 4, 2013 · Modified: Mar 7, 2021 by Barbara Curry · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.

    A bowl of ice cream with pistachio shortbread cookies
    A bowl of ice cream with pistachio shortbread cookies

    Pistachio shortbread cookies are a rich and buttery melt-in-your-mouth treat. An easy to make slice-and-bake cookie.

    Pistachio shortbread cookies in a bowl with ice creeam


     

    Growing up in the South with California raised parents, we cooked with walnuts, almonds, and pecans, but never pistachios and I certainly never had a pistachio shortbread. I did a little research and discovered that pistachio trees prefer a desert climate and do not do well in humidity.  Well, there’s my answer, humidity is ever present in the South.  

    While I love walnuts, almonds and pecans in almost everything, after discovering the rich flavor of pistachios I’ve been incorporating them into my recipes. They’re great chopped into cranberry shortbread cookies, or sprinkled on top of acorn squash or combined with lemon in lemon bars. However in these shortbread cookies, the pistachios are ground to a cornmeal consistency so the pistachio flavor is in every bite. 

    Through our travels in Italy, my husband discovered the refreshing taste of pistachio gelato, it’s his favorite.  He loved the idea of a pistachio shortbread and even offered to shell the pistachios.  He decided it was worth the effort, but I’ve since been ordering them because it’s hard to find unsalted shelled pistachios at the grocery. You can find them unsalted at Trader Joe’s.

    Shortbread cookies with a cup of tea

    Why you should make a shortbread cookie

    • You can prepare the easy shortbread cookie dough in 5 minutes
    • Since it’s a slice and bake cookie, you can keep a roll of the dough ready in the freezer
    • They’re not too sweet, so perfect for an afternoon snack
    • The rich buttery flavor is amazing

    What you’ll need

    Ingredients for pistachio shortbread cookies
    • Pistachios – shelled, dry roasted and UNSALTED. Unsalted can be hard to find but they carry them at Trader Joe’s, Whole foods and of course on Amazon. It takes a cup so you could shell them yourself if you’re ambitious.
    • Butter – unsalted and cold.
    • Pantry ingredients – flour, sugar, salt and vanilla

    How do you make pistachio shortbread cookies

    Step 1: Grind the pistachios in a food processor until fine.

    Ground pistachios

    Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients and process until it looks like cornmeal. With the food processor running, add a little water until a dough forms.

    Pistachio shortbread dough in a food processor

    Step 3: Form the dough into logs and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. Slice and bake.

    A log of shortbread dough

    These cookies are amazing. So much so that I’m trying to come up with more ways to cook with pistachios.  The flavor is so rich without being excessively sweet.  A word of warning, if you can’t find the un-shelled ones, they are a bit of work to get out of the shells.  Also, they are not a beautiful cookie.  However, they’re perfect with a bowl of Lemon Gelato.  

    Stacks of pistachio shortbread cookies

    FAQ’s and tips

    What type of pistachios do you need?

    You need to use unsalted roasted pistachios.

    Can you freeze the dough?

    Yes, once you form the dough into logs, wrap it in plastic wrap and then put them in a ziplock freezer bag.

    How do you keep the slices from crumbling?

    If your slices are crumbling it’s because the dough is too cold. Let it warm up a little before slicing.

    More amazing cookie recipes

    • S’mores cookies
    • Carrot cake cookies
    • Blueberry white chocolate cookies
    • Lemon crinkle cookies
    • Brown butter coconut cookies

    If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

    Pistachio shortbread cookies in a bowl with ice creeam

    Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

    Author: Barbara Curry
    Pistachio shortbread cookies are a rich and buttery melt-in-your-mouth treat. An easy to make slice-and-bake cookie.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin
    PREP: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    COOK: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 36

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
    • 1¼ cups flour
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • ½ cup unsalted butter chilled cut into ½ pieces
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    Equipment

    • Food Processor
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground but not a paste, about 30 seconds. Add flour, sugar, butter, salt and vanilla; pulse until mixture is the consistency of cornmeal. With machine running, drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice water (a crumbly dough should form; do not over process).
    • From into a two inch log and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about an hour, until firm. Take out and slice into ¼ inch slices and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
    • Bake at 350º 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.
    Barbara’s Tips + Notes
    • If refrigerated longer than an hour, you will need to let it warm up a bit before cutting.
    • You can freeze the dough once you have shaped it into logs. Wrap in plastic and freeze in a ziplock bag. Let that before slicing.
    • You can make the logs smaller, just reduce the cooking time.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
    Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage on Instagram!

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    Barbara Curry is the culinary adventurer of Butter & Baggage. With a dedicated enthusiasm for real butter made from happy cows she is in constant pursuit of delicious recipes and tasty dishes. She shares her experiences, ventures, and occasional misadventures because let’s face it things can get messy in any kitchen.

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