If you’re looking for cookies that taste amazing and are incredibly tasty, yet colorful, festive, crunchy, sweet-sour, and incredibly buttery, Golden Festival Pistachio Cranberry Cookies are the perfect treat.
These cookies combine the richness of roasted pistachios with the bright, tangy flavor of dried cranberries, creating a bakery-style cookie that’s simply stunning to eat, yet incredibly easy to make at home.
If you’re a beginner, this article will teach you how to make pistachio cranberry cookies step by step, including baking tips, ingredients, variations, leftover storage instructions, and helpful questions.
Designed for a USA audience, this recipe guarantees consistent results every day. If you’re looking to do some baking for the holidays, this recipe is a must-try and satiates your sweet cravings.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Golden Festival Pistachio Cranberry Cookies:
- Rich with pistachios and tart cranberries
- Crispy on the edges and soft and chewy in the center
- Freezer-friendly cookie dough
- Super easy to make at home
- Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or everyday snacking
All Ingredients Needed:
Dry Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional but highly recommended)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened – 2 sticks
Available Cheese Ingredients
- 1 cup dried cranberries, Craisins style
- 1 cup chopped roasted pistachios – unsalted is fine
How to Make Pistachio Cranberry Cookies: Complete step-by-step instructions
1. Preparing the Baking Station
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, 175°C.
- Lightly line both baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Set aside the butter to soften thoroughly, as it’s crucial for a perfect texture.
2. Mixing the Drying Ingredients
- Use a medium bowl and whisk together the ingredients in the specified amounts:
- By whisking baking soda, flour, salt, and baking powder, set aside.
- This will ensure a light and uniform texture for your cookies.
3. Creaming the Butter and Sugar
- Use a large mixing bowl.
- Add the granulated sugar, softened butter, and brown sugar.
- Continue beating with a stand mixer or hand mixer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture becomes fluffy and light.
- Add the vanilla extract, egg, and almond extract.
- Continue beating until smooth and well combined.
Tip: Creaming adds air to the dough, allowing your cookies to rise gradually and remain soft.
4. Adding the Dry Ingredients
- Slowly add all of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in 3 to 4 batches.
- Use a spatula to combine thoroughly and avoid overmixing.
- Once the dough is formed, add the dried cranberries and pistachios.
5. Chilling the Cookie Dough, Optional but Recommended
- Be sure to chill the pistachio cranberry cookie dough in the refrigerator for 25 to 35 minutes to prevent spreading.
- If you’re in a hurry, you can skip chilling, but the cookies will be thinner.
6. Shaping the Cookies
- To make pistachio cranberry cookies, use a cookie scoop or spoon to form evenly sized cookie balls.
- Spread them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- If you want a bakery-like look, you can press extra cranberries or pistachios on top of each cookie.
7. Baking
- Bake the pistachio cranberry cookies for 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
- Note that the center will appear slightly soft; this is perfect.
- Be sure to let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 to 7 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
8. Serving and Enjoying
Your Golden Festival Pistachio Cranberry Cookies are ready and should be:
- Soft, chewy, and delicious on the inside.
- Slightly crisp on the outside.
- Blendid with the crunch of pistachios and the sweetness of cranberries.
- Pistachio cranberry cookies can be served with hot chocolate, milk, or coffee, or packaged as gifts.
A few expert tips for pistachio cranberry cookies:
- Don’t overbake—this will cause the cookies to harden as they cool.
- For a richer flavor—use unsalted and roasted pistachios.
- For the holidays—for a sweeter version, add white chocolate chips.
- For thicker cookies—be sure to chill the dough.
- For gluten-free—use a 1:1 GF baking flour instead of flour.
- For vegan butter—use vegan butter and a flax egg.
Storage
- Here are some great storage tips for Golden Festival Pistachio Cranberry Cookies to ensure they last longer:
- Pistachio cranberry cookies can be stored in an airtight jar at room temperature for 5 to 7 days.
- Refrigerating: Best for 10 to 11 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, store unbaked cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Bake the frozen dough at 350°F for 14 to 15 minutes.
Some variations you might want to try:
- For pistachio coconut cookies: Add 1/2 cup grated coconut for a chewier texture.
- For an orange zest version: Add 1 teaspoon orange zest for a tangy flavor.
- For cranberry oatmeal cookies, replace one cup of flour with rolled oats.
- For white chocolate pistachio cranberry cookies, replace one cup with white chocolate chips.
FAQ
Answers to questions about Golden Festival Pistachio Cranberry Cookies and how to fix mistakes, making them even better for Christmas:
Q. How can I keep the cookies soft?
Storing them in an airtight container with a slice of bread or an apple slice helps retain moisture.
Q. Why do cookies spread more?
When you don’t chill the dough or the butter is too warm.
Q. Can I use salted pistachios?
Yes! Reduce the amount of salt by 1/4 teaspoon to balance the flavor.
Q. Can I freeze the pistachio cranberry cookie dough?
Yes! Scoop out balls of dough and place them on a tray and refrigerate.
Store in a bag; they bake well even in the refrigerator.
Q. Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried cranberries?
Yes! But fresh cranberries add moisture and tartness; you can use them, but chop them finely and dry them first.
Q. Can I make the dough in advance?
Absolutely! The dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours and then baked.
Q. How to make pistachio cranberry cookies more festive?
For Christmas or other festive occasions, add white chocolate chips first, drizzle with icing, or roll the edges in crushed pistachios.
Final Thoughts
Golden Festival Pistachio Cranberry Cookies are colorful and incredibly delicious. They’re perfect for any celebration or cozy night in. They strike the perfect balance of nutty, sweet, and chewy, making them sure to be a hit with everyone.
If you’re looking to bake something for the holidays, parties, or weekend fun, these pistachio cranberry cookies are a perfect Christmas treat, delivering consistently bakery-level results every time. Be sure to bake them now. If you’d like more recipes, let me know the name of the dish.
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