White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
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These white chocolate, cranberry, pistachio cookies feature the three traditional Christmas colors all wrapped into one incredibly delicious bite! The cranberries can also be substituted with dried cherries for a delicious variation.
White chocolate, cranberry and pistachio cookies…..the three traditional Christmas colors wrapped into one incredibly delicious bite! These buttery cookies feature white chocolate, sweet-tart cranberries, and slightly salty pistachio nuts. The flavors work together beautifully to bring you a delightful holiday treat that is a must-add to your Christmas “to bake” list. (Or use dried cherries in the “off season”).
I published this recipe back in 2013, the year I started this blog. That Christmas I was working on developing a cookie that captured the fun, flavor, and colors of the Christmas holiday. At the time my 3 year old asked if we could make some popcorn, and as I reached into the cupboard for the popcorn kernels I noticed a bag of pistachios. Their vibrant green color stood out to me and within a minute I had my Christmasy cookie conceptualized. And so my kids and I ate some popcorn while I whipped up a batch of these White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies.
They were the first thing my husband noticed when he came home. Todd claims he doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth. But he’ll gobble up ice cream, Reese’s Pieces, pies, brownies, and cookies, to name a few. Kind of like, “I don’t really crave sweets…except for this and that…and that…and this…..” Yes dear, whatever you say, LOL :)
And so I made a batch of these cookies and no sooner did I exit the kitchen and walk back in again than several cookies were mysteriously missing. And then of course came that all-to-predictable comment, “Now you know I don’t really crave sweets…but these you can make any time!” I just smiled.
These cookies have gone viral over the years and have remained both a reader and a family favorite ever since that December back in 2013.
White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies Recipe
Let’s get started!
First cream the softened butter and the sugars. Beat for several minutes until fluffy and pale – this step is important to achieving the perfect texture.
Add the egg and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl sift the flour and baking soda. If you’re using unsalted pistachios, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Using a wooden spoon, carefully stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, just until combined.
Stir in the white chocolate chips, dried cranberries (or cherries) and pistachio nuts.
Drop heaping spoonfuls of the batter onto the greased cookie sheet.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
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For more delicious Christmas goodies be sure to try our:
- Kokosmakronen (German Coconut Macaroons)
- Zimtsterne(German Cinnamon Star Cookies)
- Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
- Christmas Pudding (Figgy Pudding)
- Pfeffernüsse (German Iced Spiced Cookies)
- Mince Pies (English Mincemeat Pie)
- Lebkuchen (Nürnberger Elisenlebkuchen)
- Stollen (German Christmas Bread)
- Panettone (Italian Christmas Bread)
- Springerle (German Embossed Cookies)
- Printen (Aachener Gingerbread)
- Pandoro (Verona Christmas Bread)
- Speculoos (Gingerbread Shortcrust Cookies)
- Bethmännchen (Marzipan Cookies)
- Heidesand (Browned Butter Shortbread Cookies)
- Marzipan (or Almond Paste)
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White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter , softened at room temperature
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon quality pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (note: the video mistakenly says baking powder)
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped shelled pistachio nuts
- 1 cup dried cranberries (or dried cherries)
- Note: If using unsalted nuts add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a cookie sheet.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy and pale in color, 3-5 minutes. This step is important for ensuring soft, chewy cookies. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Using a wooden spoon, carefully stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and pistachio nuts.
- Drop heaping spoonfuls of the batter onto the greased cookie sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet December 13, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I made these last year and they were a hit! Do you think they would be good if I were to use semi sweet chocolate chips instead of white chocolate chips?
Fantastic, Natalie, thank you! Absolutely, use any kind of chips you like.
I’m sitting here eating these cookies at shortly after 4:30 a.m. (my cat doesn’t understand the concept of time change…). Anyway, these are some of my absolutely favorite cookies. Pistachios and white chocolate? Yum! I ate them direct from the freezer, too…and they taste even better thawed😉.
Wonderful, Janet, thank you so much!
These are BEYOND AMAZING!!! This is by far the most requested cookie recipe whenever I’m asked to bring cookies!
I’m so glad to hear that, Bonnie, thank you!
Kimberly, these are CrAzY good! I made a batch just before Christmas and they were gone lightning quick! Everyone loved them and the plus side was that the bits of green with the red Craisins were so festive! In the end, I didn’t even mind spending 30 minutes shelling the pistachios! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe…it’s one I will make again and again!
Wonderful, Kathy, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
Kimberly, I made these to take to my in-laws for Christmas for something different to have with tea on Boxing Day. I made them with cherries as my father-in-law is not allowed cranberries with one of his medications. They LOVED them! FIL had four, count ’em, FOUR of them! …and they were not small cookies. He could not stop raving about them. Mummy and Daddy where over the moon when told I would leave the rest of the cookies with them. My husband’s eyes widened when I said that, but I assured him I would be making these again. This time, for us I’ll try them with the cranberries. I used Callebaut Select Belgium White Chocolate and they made these divine! Thanks for another superlative recipe. :)
I’m positively thrilled to hear that, Marri, thank you so much!
Do you use roasted salted pistachios or raw? Those are the only two kinds I can find.
You can use either, Emily, but if you use raw/unsalted, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the cookie dough.
I made these tonight for our church’s upcoming bake sale and I have to tell you that these cookies are fantastic! I doubled the butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, flour and soda. But I did not double the white chocolate, pistachios or cranberries and they came out fantastic! I beat the butter and sugars for a full 5 minutes until they were pale and refrigerated the dough before cooking each sheet full. These will definitely be part of my regular Christmas cookie recipes from now on. Thanks so much for sharing this with us. Merry Christmas!
Woohoo, Debbi, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
I can’t wait to try these! I “stumbled” upon this recipe & even before I read all the comments, I knew it was a keeper! I’m goung to make a batch ahead & freexe the dough today, then bake at Christmas when company comes. Stay tuned… Thank you & happy holidays to you and yours!
Thanks, Anji, I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Merry Christmas to you and your family also!