These cookies have become a “must make” every Christmas. We typically only make these around Christmas as dried cherries can be a bit expensive. Substituting cranberries for the cherries is a bit more economical and you won’t feel guilty making them often. Recipe yields 48 cookies.
Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped dried cherries
1 cup finely chopped pistachios
1 cup unsalted butter
1 and 1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp orange zest*
3 cups all purpose flour
Directions
1. In a food processor cream together butter, all sugar and eggs.
2. Add salt, orange zest and flour.
3. Continue to process until ingredients form a ball.
4. Transfer into a large bowl. Stir in the chopped cherries and pistachios.
5. Divide dough into two portions. Spoon dough onto sheets of plastic wrap. Form into a long roll approximately 2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate over night.
6. The next day, slice the dough while still cold into 3/8 inch (1 cm) slices.
7. Space out 12 – 16 onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 8 – 10 minutes. Cookies will have a slight golden colour on the bottom.
8. Should make 48 – 52 cookies.
Notes
Cranberries can be substituted for dried cherries. Do not use candied cherries.
The dried cherries and nuts are NOT added to the dough in the food processor as the dough will take on a greyish wine colour and not be as pleasing to the eyes.
You may use salted butter, just eliminate the salt in the recipe.
Baking times vary from oven to oven and the colour of the cookie sheet can also affect baking times.
* Orange zest is the coloured portion of the orange peel. It adds a great flavour in baking. Using a fine grater rub the orange against the grater to remove the coloured portion of the peel. Do not grate the white (pith) portion of the peel.
One response to “Cherry Pistachio Cookies”
These look yummy indeed! Not sure what orange “zest” is..is this orange flavoured soap? lol
Thanks for this recipe Murlo!