Pistachios shortbread cookies are a classic make-ahead slice and bake recipe that’s perfect for the holidays or any time. If you need something exciting for your Christmas cookie tray, these chocolate-dipped pistachio cookies are buttery and crisp.
Pistachio shortbread cookies are tender, buttery and not overly sweet. The dough rolls up easily and slices beautifully, leaving you with delicious pistachio cookies that rival any bakery or tea room. Dip them in smooth dark chocolate and top them with chopped pistachios for a nutty and sweet combination.
If you love pistachios, try my Pistachio Bird Nest Baklava or Maamoul Cookies with Pistachio.
Why You’ll Love these Chocolate Pistachio Cookie
- It’s perfect for make ahead. Prep the dough in advance and store it in the fridge for a few days (or even longer in the freezer) until you are ready to make them.
- Easy to customize. Add chopped cranberries or candied orange peel, or dip them in white chocolate for a fun twist.
- They are light and buttery. Some cookies feel heavy, but these shortbread cookies with pistachios are light and pair perfectly with coffee or tea.
Pistachio Cookies Ingredients
- Butter: bring the butter to room temperature for the best results.
- Powdered Sugar: also called icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: adds a mild hint of vanilla flavor
- All-purpose Flour: this recipe hasn’t been tested with gluten-free flour.
- Salt: kosher salt enhances all of the other flavors
- Roasted Pistachios: finely chop some pistachios and leave some of them whole.
- Dark Chocolate: chop a bar of chocolate or use dark chocolate chips.
How To Make Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until light and creamy. On medium speed for about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl a few times during the process.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt, turn the mixer to its lowest speed and gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
- Add the pistachios. Use a spatula to fold in all of the pistachios.
- Chill the dough. Transfer the firm yet pliable dough onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a 10” log, about 2 inches thick. Wrap the dough in parchment paper and refrigerate for about 3 hours or overnight.
- Cut and bake the cookies. Once the dough is firm, cut the log into ¼” rounds. Place cookies onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 1 inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden on the edge.
- Cool the cookies. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to the cooling rack to cool completely.
- Dip the cookies in chocolate. Melt the chocolate using a microwave or double boiler. Dip cookies into the melted chocolate and place them on the parchment paper to set. If desired, sprinkle with extra chopped pistachios and coarse salt or salt flakes.
Tips To Make Shortbread Cookies With Pistachio
- Start with softened, room-temperature butter.
- Measure carefully. Use too much flour and the cookies will be dry and crumbly.
- We used a mix of finely chopped and whole pistachios, but you can chop them all if preferred.
- Rotate the dough log a quarter turn after every slice. This ensures that one side will not get squished down as you slice, and you will have a perfectly round shape.
- Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the cookies.
- If the dough warms and softens, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes.
- Leave plenty of space between the cookies, as they will spread a little.
- If cooking in batches cool the pans completely before adding more cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Place a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface and shape the dough into a long log about 1-2” inches in diameter. Roll it up in the plastic and twist the ends shut. Slit open a paper towel roll lengthwise with a pair of scissors. Place your plastic-wrapped dough log inside it. Get another big piece of food plastic wrap and wrap it tightly around our paper towel roll. This will secure the dough inside the paper towel roll and make it a nice round shape. Chill the dough right in the tube, then slice it into rounds.
Shortbread cookies are perfect for making ahead. Make this cookie dough in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking.
Butter cookies and shortbread cookies have very similar ingredients. Butter cookies contain more sugar, are sweeter than shortbread cookies, and both have a buttery flavor. Shortbread cookies are typically sliced, while butter cookies are easier to roll out and cut with cookie cutters.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days (or longer).
You can make a double batch and freeze the dough or the already ready baked cookies for up to a month. If you decide to freeze, wrap them well with food plastic wrap and use parchment paper in between pre-sliced cookies so they don’t stick to each other.
Shortbread cookies are a wonderful addition to a holiday cookie tray along with Oatmeal Jam Cookies, Christmas Gingerbread Tree Cookies, Maamoul Date Cookies and Peppermint Holiday Shortbread Cookies.
More Shortbread Recipes
- Lebanese Ghraybeh Shortbread Cookies
- Lemon Shortbread Cookies with Lemon Icing
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- Peppermint Holiday Shortbread Cookies
- Traditional Danish Butter Cookies
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious chocolate dipped pistachio cookies recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup roasted pistachios finely chopped
- ½ cup roasted pistachios whole singles (not chopped)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chopped or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until light and creamy. On medium speed for about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl a few times during the process.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt, then turn the mixer to its lowest speed and gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
- Use a spatula to fold in all of the pistachios.
- Transfer the firm yet pliable dough onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a 10” log, about 2 inches thick. Wrap the dough in parchment paper and refrigerate for about 3 hours or overnight.
- Once the dough is firm, cut the log into ¼” rounds. Place cookies onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 1 inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden on the edge.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, and then transfer to the cooling rack to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate using a microwave or double boiler.
- Dip cookies into the melted chocolate and place them on the parchment paper to set. If desired, sprinkle with extra chopped pistachios and coarse salt or salt flakes.
Notes
- Start with softened, room-temperature butter.
- Measure carefully. Use too much flour and the cookies will be dry and crumbly.
- We used a mix of finely chopped and whole pistachios, but you can chop them all if preferred.
- Rotate the dough log a quarter turn after every slice. This ensures that one side will not get squished down as you slice, and you will have a perfectly round shape.
- Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the cookies.
- If the dough warms and softens, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes.
- Leave plenty of space between the cookies, as they will spread a little.
- If cooking in batches cool the pans completely before adding more cookies.
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