The best recipes use high-quality, simple ingredients.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
1 cup (2 sticks \/ 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u2154 cup (80g) powdered sugar<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u00bc teaspoon almond extract (optional, but highly recommended for depth)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u00bd teaspoon salt<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u2154 cup (80g) dried cranberries, roughly chopped<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u2154 cup (80g) shelled pistachios, roughly chopped (unsalted recommended)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Prep Time: 20 mins | Chill Time: 2 hours | Cook Time: 12-15 mins\/batch | Yields: 36 cookies<\/p>\n
In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy. This step incorporates air and is key for the perfect texture.
\nBeat in the vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and salt.<\/p>\n
With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour, mixing until just combined. The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed.\u00a0Do not overmix.
\nUsing a spatula or your hands, gently fold in the chopped cranberries and pistachios until they are evenly distributed.<\/p>\n
Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Divide it in half.
\nShape each half into a log about 2 inches in diameter and 7-8 inches long. Roll it tightly into a cylinder.
\nPro Tip:\u00a0For perfectly round cookies, place the log inside the cardboard tube from a paper towel roll that has been sliced lengthwise.<\/p>\n
Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the dough is very firm.\u00a0This is non-negotiable\u00a0for clean, easy slicing. The dough logs can be frozen at this point for up to 3 months.<\/p>\n
Preheat your oven to 325\u00b0F (165\u00b0C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
\nRemove one log of dough from the refrigerator. Using a sharp knife, slice the log into \u00bd-inch thick rounds. If the dough cracks, let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
\nPlace the rounds on the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart (they spread very little).<\/p>\n
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the bottoms are just barely starting to turn light golden. The tops should not brown.
\nLet the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.<\/p>\n
Real Butter is Key:\u00a0There is no substitute for high-quality unsalted butter in shortbread. It is the star of the show.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Proper Measurement:\u00a0For best results, weigh your flour. If using cups, use the spoon-and-level method to avoid dense, dry cookies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Room Temperature Butter:\u00a0Your butter must be truly softened to cream properly. It should yield slightly to pressure but not be oily or melted.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
The Slice-and-Bake Secret:\u00a0For perfectly round cookies that don’t have a flat side, roll the log every 15 minutes during the first hour of chilling to prevent flattening.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The best recipes use high-quality, simple ingredients. 1 cup (2 sticks \/ 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5998,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies: The Ultimate Festive, Buttery, & Make-Ahead Treat - Grandma Baking Recipes","description":"The best recipes use high-quality, simple ingredients. 1 cup (2 sticks \/ 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature \u2154 cup (80g) powdered sugar 1"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5997","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5997"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5997\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5999,"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5997\/revisions\/5999"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/breckas.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}