Halloween is behind us and the next holiday season is upon us. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, there are many events that involve family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. It is always nice to have a sweet treat on hand at your home, to take to your workplace or bring as a hostess gift. These Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies are the perfect solution. They are easy to make, come together quickly and you can use whatever dried fruit or nuts you have on hand. In addition, they look beautiful as part of a holiday cookie tray or potluck contribution.

These cookies are a delightful balance of buttery richness, tartness and crunch. They are so tasty that they will be hard to keep around!

Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped   (Dried cherries or apricots work well too)

1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped  (Pecans are a great substitution)

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about two to three minutes. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Add the flour and salt: Gradually add the flour and salt to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.

Fold in the cranberries and pistachios: Gently fold in the chopped dried cranberries and pistachios until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Shape the dough: Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm.

Preheat and slice: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough logs from the refrigerator and slice them into 1/4-inch thick rounds.

Bake the cookies: Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

Cool and serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: After shaping the dough you can freeze the log and bake them at a later time. I like to double the recipe so that I have some in my freezer to bake off at a later date.

— By Deborah Binder

Deborah Binder lives in Edmonds with her family. She loves to cook from scratch using produce from the gardens she created and maintains with her husband. She attended culinary school on the East Coast and focused on desserts, pastries and bread. She’s worked for restaurants and caterers in the front and back of the house (kitchen) on both coasts. Her current interest in food is learning to eat for health and wellness, while at the same time enjoying the pleasures of the table. Deborah loves experimenting and developing new recipes. As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation including butter.” Deborah can be contacted at jaideborah@yahoo.com.