Description
Festive pistachio cranberry wreath cookies bring holiday cheer with elegant European flair. Sweet nutty crunch meets tart cranberry in these delightful treats you’ll treasure during seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional for extra tenderness)
Fats and Sweeteners:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix-ins:
- 1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
Instructions
- Combine softened butter and powdered sugar in a spacious mixing bowl, whipping until the mixture achieves a cloud-like, airy consistency. Incorporate vanilla extract, blending thoroughly.
- In a separate vessel, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch until evenly integrated.
- Gradually introduce the dry ingredient mixture into the butter blend, stirring gently until a cohesive dough emerges.
- Delicately fold finely chopped pistachios and dried cranberries throughout the dough, ensuring even distribution.
- Gently form the dough into petite, uniform spheres, then carefully craft each ball into a wreath shape by creating a central opening and smoothing the circular edges with gentle fingertip pressure.
- Position the wreath-shaped cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, maintaining adequate spacing between each delicate pastry.
- Slide the prepared baking sheet into a preheated oven set at 350°F, allowing the cookies to transform into golden-edged delicacies over 12-15 minutes.
- Transfer the freshly baked wreaths onto a wire cooling rack, permitting them to reach room temperature.
- Embellish the cooled cookies with additional chopped pistachios, scattered cranberry fragments, and a delicate snowfall of powdered sugar for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened at room temperature for smooth, even mixing without lumps.
- Chop pistachios and cranberries finely to distribute evenly throughout the cookie dough for consistent flavor and texture.
- Add extra crunch by toasting pistachios lightly before incorporating into the dough for enhanced nutty depth.
- For gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with almond or gluten-free blend while maintaining same measurement proportions.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg