White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies Recipe
White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies combine the festive flavors of traditional Christmas colors into one deliciously soft and chewy treat. These cookies blend buttery dough with sweet white chocolate chips, tart dried cranberries, and crunchy pistachio nuts, perfect for holiday celebrations or anytime you crave a delightful homemade dessert.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon quality pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt (add only if using unsalted nuts)
Add-ins
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped shelled pistachio nuts
- 1 cup dried cranberries (or dried cherries)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a cookie sheet to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture for 3-5 minutes until it becomes fluffy and pale in color. This step is essential for achieving soft and chewy cookies.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt (add the extra salt only if your nuts are unsalted). Using a wooden spoon, gently stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Incorporate Add-ins: Fold in the white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and chopped pistachio nuts evenly through the dough.
- Shape and Place Dough: Drop heaping spoonfuls of the cookie batter onto the greased cookie sheet, spacing them out to allow spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies start to turn golden around the edges.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for optimal creaming and texture.
- If using unsalted pistachios, add the extra ¼ teaspoon salt to the dry ingredients to balance the flavors.
- For softer cookies, do not overbake; remove when edges are golden but centers remain slightly soft.
- Substitute dried cherries if you prefer a slightly different tart flavor.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
