Pistachio Shortbread Cookies are a delicious homemade recipe with the perfect soft and buttery texture without being tough or crunchy. The chopped pistachios add texture and a touch of salt to balance the sweetness of the cookie dough. It's hands down one of my favorite shortbreads that I've made from scratch!
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 10 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 18
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Buttery and tender with a delicate sweetness, nutty pistachio crunch.
- 🍚 Best Served With: A cup of hot tea or coffee, or alongside fresh berries for a light dessert spread.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, the dough can be chilled or frozen in advance, and baked cookies keep well for several days.
Summarize and Save This Content On
This is a reliable slice-and-bake cookie recipe! Every time I make it, I never have to worry if my shortbread pistachio cookies will come out delicious and tender. Plus, I love the chocolate drizzle because it adds to the decadence and presentation. Pistachios and chocolate are an underrated match for sure.
If you enjoy the appeal of slice-and-bake cookies, these lazy cookie bars and this chocolate chip cookie pie give off that same easy vibe.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's make-ahead friendly: You can prepare the cookie dough in advance, saving you time when you plan to serve the cookies. Then, you can just slice and bake them fresh.
- The cookies don't spread as they bake: These pistachio cookies hold their shape as they bake and won't spread in the oven. They have the structure of classic shortbread.
- You can customize the flavors: I love that you aren't stuck to one flavor. You can make small adjustments to these pistachio shortbread cookies to fit your preferences.
Ingredients
To make the best pistachio shortbread, you'll need the ingredients below. Pistachios are the start, and butter is key to achieving the correct texture and flavor!
- Pistachios: Chopped pistachios are a little crunchy and salty, making them perfect for cookies and other treats. The green color also makes them work for holidays like St. Patrick's Day, too.
- Butter: The temperature of the butter is the most important aspect of this pistachio shortbread recipe. It must be softened but not melted, so it mixes well with the dough. I also use unsalted so that I can add sea salt to the cookies. This enhances the other ingredients so well.
- Almond extract: I use almond extract to complement the pistachios and enhance the nutty, buttery flavors in the shortbread.
- Dark chocolate: This is optional, but a drizzle of melted dark chocolate complements the pistachio wonderfully. I also add a chocolate drizzle to these croissant cookies to make them look more elegant.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Maple: Swap half the sugar with maple syrup to add a warm maple flavor without changing the texture of the cookie dough.
- White chocolate: Drizzle melted white chocolate over the pistachio shortbread cookies instead of dark chocolate for added richness.
- Coconut: Fold in ¼ cup of shredded coconut into the cookie dough for sweetness and texture.
If you love pistachio recipes like this, you have to try my pistachio tiramisu. It's out of this world good.
How to Make Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Here are the instructions you'll need for this pistachio shortbread cookie recipe. Blanch your pistachios by pouring boiling water over them in a bowl for 30-60 seconds, then drain them (this enhances the green color). Then, when you're ready to bake, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 325°F.
Step 1: Make the cookie dough. Cream the butter and sugar first, then add the almond extract, flour, and salt. Once the dough forms, fold in the chopped pistachios.
Step 2: Form a log and chill. Now you can form a dough ball and then roll it into a 2-inch log. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 2 hours.
Step 3: Slice and bake. Next, slice your dough into ½-inch cookies and place them on the lined cookie sheet, leaving just a little space between them. Then, put the pan in the oven and bake the cookies for about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Garnish and serve. Allow them to cool for about 10 minutes, then melt the chocolate, drizzle it over the cookies, and sprinkle crushed pistachios on top. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, and then sample one with a pumpkin chai latte.
Our pistachio chocolate chip cookies are worth checking out if you enjoy this recipe.
Expert Tips
- Stick to the low baking temperature: The lower temperature helps the shortbread cookies bake more slowly, keeping them from spreading, holding their shape, and baking evenly without browning too much.
- Chill overnight if possible: The cookie dough must be chilled in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. I prefer overnight if I have the time because the colder the dough, the better the cookies!
- Storage and freezing the cookies: Store your pistachio shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Avoid storing them in the fridge because it can dry out the cookies.
If you love buttery shortbread, try these easy toffee shortbread cookies.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy some ice cream, like chocolate crunch ice cream or banana split ice cream, with your pistachio shortbread cookie.
- A hot drink like this pumpkin spice latte is the perfect match to a freshly baked pistachio butter cookie.
- Rich and creamy desserts pair well with buttery shortbread, and I recommend this ambrosia custard recipe and chocolate raspberry cheesecake parfait.
Recipe FAQs
These cookies will remain pale after they bake. Once the edges are set, they are done. The tops of the cookies will also look a little shimmery, too.
Yes! Wrap the dough log tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for 4-6 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, and then slice and bake it according to the directions.
Overbaking the cookies removes the moisture, leaving them dry and crumbly. I also recommend measuring the flour accurately because too much can make the cookies crumbly.
Watch the heat of your oven. If you know that it runs hot, avoid placing the shortbread cookies on the bottom rack. It can cause the bottoms of the cookies to brown quickly and possibly burn.
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Do you like cookie recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 ounces unsalted pistachios shelled and chopped
- 1 stick butter unsalted and softened
- 50 grams granulated sugar about ¼ cup
- ⅛-1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 125 grams all-purpose flour about 1 cup, plus more for dusting/rolling
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Optional Toppings
- 3 ounces dark chocolate optional
- pistachios shelled and finely chopped
Instructions
- Optional Step: Blanche chopped pistachios for 30-60 seconds by covering with boiling hot water in a small bowl. Strain well and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar together on low speed in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment for about 1 minute to combine.
- Mix almond extract in for about 20 seconds, then flour and salt and run until a dough forms (about 1 minute).
- Using the mixer or by hand add pistachios to the dough (if using the mixer, stop as soon as incorporated).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a ball, then into a log (about 2 inches in diameter), cover tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours (I often do overnight).
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- With a sharp knife, slice ½ " cookies and place them on prepared sheet with some space between (they will not spread too much).
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges just start to look set, the tops will still look shimmery.
- Chill on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If topping, melt chocolate in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave, incrementally, mixing in between.
- Carefully place melted chocolate into a piping bag, cut a small hole in the tip and drizzle as desired. Sprinkle with pistachios.
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Notes
- Don't leave these pistachio cookies in the oven too long, because you can risk overbaking them. This results in a dry and crumbly shortbread.
- The pistachio shortbread dough is perfect to make ahead and freeze. It can last 4-6 months.
- When the pistachio shortbread cookies are done, the edges will be set but not brown. It's normal for the tops of the cookies to still be soft and shimmery; they will set more as they cool.
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