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Holiday Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

Cranberry pistachio cookies pair buttery, soft-centered dough with tart dried cranberries and chopped pistachios. Chill the dough before baking for cookies with lightly golden edges and tender centers.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 166

Ingredients
  

  • 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large, room temperature
  • 1 egg yolk large, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.75 cup pistachios shelled, unsalted, roughly chopped

Equipment

  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 baking sheet

Method
 

  1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg and egg yolk until combined.
  4. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  5. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed just until no dry streaks remain.
  6. Fold in the cranberries and pistachios.
  7. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  8. Heat the oven to 350°F near the end of chilling.
  9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  10. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon portions, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  11. Bake in batches for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft.
  12. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
  13. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For tender centers, stop mixing the flour in as soon as no dry streaks remain. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can be used, though the texture may vary.