Pistachio Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227 g)
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (90 g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (270 g)
• 3/4 cup roasted unsalted pistachios (90 g)
• 3/4 cup dried tart cherries (100 g)
• 1 large egg for brushing (50 g)
• 1/2 cup coarse sparkling sugar (100 g)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest, optional (6 g)

Instructions

1. Mix only to cohesive crumbs. Beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth, about 90 seconds. Add flour on low and stop when moist broad crumbs form. Fold in pistachios and cherries until the colors are scattered evenly.
2. Compress a firm round log. Tip dough onto parchment and squeeze it into one mass. Roll into a 12-inch log about 2 inches wide, pressing from the center outward to remove hidden gaps. Wrap and chill for 45 minutes until firm.
3. Sugar and slice evenly. Brush the cold log lightly with beaten egg and roll in coarse sugar. Use a thin sharp knife to cut 1/3-inch rounds, rotating the log after every few cuts so one side does not flatten.
4. Bake to a pale-gold rim. Arrange slices on cool lined pans with one inch between. Bake one pan at a time at 325°F for 11 to 13 minutes. Remove when tops remain pale and the very lowest rims show.
5. Cool before stacking. Let cookies stand on the pan for 4 minutes, then transfer carefully to a rack. Their centers firm as they cool. Wait until fully cold before stacking or packing so the sugared edges do.

Notes

• Use the dish-specific texture cue at every stage instead of relying on minutes alone for Pistachio Cherry Shortbread Cookies.
• Keep ingredient sizes close but naturally varied so cooking stays even and the final arrangement remains relaxed.
• Store or make ahead exactly as described above, label containers with dates, and finish visible garnish shortly before serving.

Nutrition Facts