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Home » Food » By Course » Dessert » White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

November 12, 2023 by Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet · 171 Comments

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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 pistachio cookies recipe dried cherries cranberries

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.

white chocolate cranberry pistachio cookies recipe dried cherries cranberries

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 dried cherries cranberries

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.

beating butter and sugar

Add the egg and vanilla extract.

adding the egg to butter and sugar

In a separate bowl sift the flour and baking soda.  If you’re using unsalted pistachios, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.

combining dry ingredients in bowl

Using a wooden spoon, carefully stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, just until combined.

adding dry ingredients to wet ingredients

Stir in the white chocolate chips, dried cranberries (or cherries) and pistachio nuts.

white chocolate cranberry pistachio cookies recipe dried cherries cranberries

mixing cookie dough

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.

dropping cookie batter on cookie sheet

Enjoy!

white chocolate cranberry pistachio cookies recipe dried cherries cranberries

PIN ME!

white chocolate cranberry pistachio cookies recipe dried cherries cranberries christmas

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)
white chocolate cranberry pistachio cookies recipe dried cherries cranberries christmas colors

White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

Kimberly Killebrew
The three traditional Christmas colors all wrapped into one incredibly delicious cookie!
Print Recipe
4.94 from 44 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 169 kcal

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 and baking soda. 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

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 59mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet December 13, 2013

 

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171 Comments →

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171 Responses

  1. Anonymous says

    July 18, 2022 at 6:08 pm

    How many months before Christmas can l make them

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      July 19, 2022 at 9:16 pm

      These will only keep for a few days but you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

      Reply
  2. Ramella says

    March 13, 2022 at 8:55 am

    Can I make the dough ahead of time (2 days) before actually baking?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 13, 2022 at 1:41 pm

      Hi Ramella, yes that’s fine. You can also freeze it if you want to make it further in advance.

      Reply
  3. Judy Fielding says

    January 30, 2022 at 6:26 am

    These were easy to make and delicious. Did a combination of pistachio nuts and almonds.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      January 30, 2022 at 3:56 pm

      Thank you, Judy, I’m happy you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  4. Joanne says

    December 31, 2021 at 6:38 am

    Absolutely loved these cookies! I made them for Christmas and they were a hit. Thank you for this easy and delicious cookie recipe.

    Reply
  5. Nicole says

    December 23, 2021 at 2:00 pm

    My pistachios are roasted. Is that ok or should they be raw for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 24, 2021 at 7:10 am

      Roasted is fine, Nicole. Happy baking!

      Reply
  6. Briauna Rickard says

    December 19, 2021 at 7:51 am

    Hello how long are these good for?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 19, 2021 at 11:05 am

      Hi Briauna, about 5-7 days.

      Reply
  7. Anonymous says

    December 14, 2021 at 8:16 am

    Will doubling the recipe work?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 14, 2021 at 8:21 am

      Yes it will!

      Reply
  8. Dorothy says

    December 12, 2021 at 9:45 am

    Should the flour be packed or spooned into measuring cup?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 12, 2021 at 12:09 pm

      Hi Dorothy, I just scoop it directly from the flour container and then scrape it off with a knife to level it.

      Reply
    • Nancy Atchison says

      December 18, 2021 at 10:56 am

      I always spoon my flour into the measuring cup. That way you don’t get too much flour. The most accurate recipes show the weight of the flour. I don’t have a scale so second best is spooning the flour into the cup.

      Reply
  9. Julie says

    December 9, 2021 at 10:30 am

    These are wonderful! 8 minutes was perfect timing. Edges are crisp, soft centers. My husband came out, tried one, and said, “ I usually don’t like cookies with a bunch of stuff in them, but these are wonderful! Keep this recipe.”

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 13, 2021 at 9:24 pm

      Thank you, Julie, I’m so glad you both enjoyed them!

      Reply
  10. Janny says

    December 8, 2021 at 10:36 am

    I’m planning on freezing the cookie dough into portioned balls. Do I let the frozen cookie thaw a bit or cook from frozen? Do I have to adjust the bake time? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 8, 2021 at 6:27 pm

      Hi Janny, you can bake them frozen but they won’t spread as far. Otherwise I’d let them fully thaw before baking.

      Reply
  11. Robin says

    December 7, 2021 at 4:21 pm

    Hi
    I’m planning on making these as part of my food gifts for Christmas. Do you think they would freeze well, or better to make right before gifting???

    Thank you
    Robin Foley
    Wichita KS

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 7, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      Hi Robin, freshly baked are of course always best but yes, you can freeze them.

      Reply
  12. Jessie says

    November 28, 2021 at 2:09 pm

    These cookies are AWESOME!! I used fresh cranberries instead of the dried and loved the burst of tart with the sweet!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      December 24, 2021 at 8:50 am

      Can you bake on parchment paper instead of greased cookie sheet?

      Reply
      • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

        December 24, 2021 at 9:27 pm

        Hi Lisa, absolutely, you can use parchment paper.

        Reply
  13. Mella Cortez says

    October 31, 2021 at 7:14 pm

    If I have unsalted pistachios can I use salted butter?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      October 31, 2021 at 7:24 pm

      Hi Mella, yes you can!

      Reply
  14. Patti says

    October 26, 2021 at 6:04 pm

    Pretty cookies, and very tasty!! Mine looked just like the picture.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      October 26, 2021 at 7:48 pm

      Thank you, Patti, I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  15. Kathy Blum says

    May 26, 2021 at 9:07 am

    Can you use freeze dried fruit, as in freeze dried raspberries?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      May 26, 2021 at 6:34 pm

      Hi Kathy, I haven’t tried that but am sure it will work fine!

      Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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