One of my favorite cold-weather activities is watching (and sometimes rewatching) The Great British Baking Show while I putter around the kitchen. While watching Biscuit Week from the most recent season, contestant Illyin made orange and pistachio Viennese swirls. And that made me think “Ooooh, pistachio shortbread cookies. Ooooh with dried cranberries!” And so here we are. With a recipe for gluten-free cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies that are right at home during the height of the cookie-baking season.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They’re buttery, crisp, crumbly, and just begging to be shared over a cup of coffee in front of twinkly lights or a roaring fire.
- They’re studded with dried cranberries and toasted pistachios with the perfect amount of cinnamon to create a cozy cookie that’s a perfect match for the winter holidays.
- The dough can be prepped a day ahead of time so they’re perfect if you want to have fresh cookies ready to go without having to mix up the dough.
- They store and travel well, making them a great option for holiday parties and cookie exchanges.
Making The Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookie
The nice thing about gluten-free shortbread cookies is that they’re pretty simple to make. The base cookie recipe really only requires 5 ingredients. From there, you have a blank canvas to play with.
A food processor makes quick work of this cookie dough. So if you have one, I recommend going that route. If you prefer to do it by hand, I’ve included directions for that, too.
Ingredients
Gluten-free Flour: I’ve tested these cookies with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour and Good & Gather Gluten Free Flour Blend. You should be able to substitute regular wheat flour without any problem. However, I can’t speak specifically to any other gluten-free flour blends. Generally, cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to gluten-free flour (which is why they’re my favorite thing to bake) but I just can’t make any guarantees if you use a different blend.
Sugar: I use organic unrefined cane sugar that I get in a big bag from Costco. But regular white sugar would also work fine.
Cranberries: I love cranberries for their bright, tart flavor, pretty color, and all-around holiday vibes. If you don’t like cranberries, currants would be a delicious alternative.
Pistachios: Pistachios are the nut I most associate with the holiday season but I don’t actually know why. I tried searching for info and didn’t come up with anything particularly compelling (this was the best info I could find). Maybe because (like most nuts) they’re in season this time of year? Maybe it’s just because they’re green? Who knows. The toasted pistachios are absolutely delicious with cranberries but honestly, any nut would work. I’m thinking pecans in particular (another nut I associate with the holidays, even though I’m not sure why).
Cinnamon: What would a holiday cookie be without a little bit of cinnamon? This warming spice is a seasonal favorite for good reason. I didn’t want this to become a “cinnamon cookie” so I added just a bit to give it that hint of holiday warmth.
Salt: To round out the flavors.
Butter: I always just use salted butter because that’s what I keep on hand at home and I don’t like to have to buy different butter just to make cookies. I haven’t noticed an issue with using salted butter and the usual salt called for in the recipe. Go with whatever butter you have on hand. As far as dairy-free options, I have tried this with coconut oil and, while it worked, the texture was both crumblier and a bit tougher than with butter. You’ll also have to use a bit more water if you go the coconut oil route. I haven’t had success using a vegan butter replacement (my test spread like crazy and burned) but I know there are lots of vegan butter replacement options out there so I might have just tested it with the wrong one.
Vanilla: Can’t make cookies without vanilla!
White baking chips: I love a good drizzle, so I used melted white baking chips to add a bit of decoration to these cookies. It’s completely optional and the cookies are just as delicious without it.
The Method
Heat a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pistachios and toast, tossing often, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden in spots. Keep an eye on these. They can go from “just beginning to brown” to “totally burned” fairly quickly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Combine the gluten-free flour, sugar, pistachios, cranberries, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor. Process until blended and the pistachios and cranberries have broken down a bit.
Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the food processor. Pulse 15-10 times until the butter is just incorporated and the dough starts to look a bit like wet sand.
In a small dish or measuring cup, measure out 2 tablespoons of cold water and the vanilla. While pulsing the dough, drizzle in the water. The dough should start to come together and look crumbly. If it’s still too dry, add more water ½ tablespoon at a time until it’s just moist enough to hold its shape when pressed. I ended up using three tablespoons of water in total.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can give the pistachios and cranberries a rough chop by hand and then whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then cut in the squares of butter using your hands, a pastry cutter, or fork before drizzling in the water and mixing until the dough just comes together.
Once the dough has come together, divide it equally between two sheets of parchment paper. Knead each portion of dough gently and briefly to bring it together. Then form it into a log and roll in the parchment paper until round (see tips below). Secure the ends of the parchment paper and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325° Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove one log of dough from the fridge and place it on a cutting board. Slice the dough into ½-inch rounds and place them on the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake in a preheated oven for 25-27 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Repeat with the second log of dough. You should end up with anywhere from 24-30 cookies total, depending on the size you roll and cut.
Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can drizzle them with the melted white baking chips, if you want. Simply melt the baking chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Or use a double boiler to melt the chips.
Once melted, you can drizzle using a spoon or carefully transfer the melted chips into a plastic storage bag and make a small snip on one corner. Then use the bag as a makeshift piping bag and pipe the melted chips over the cookies. This creates a slightly neater look, which is fun but not at all necessary.
How To Get Perfectly Round Cookies
Or at least close to perfect. Because, honestly, “perfectly round” won’t make these cookies taste better. And even though I use this method, my cookies still don’t always come out “perfectly” round and that’s fine by me. But this method does make forming those logs of cookie dough a whole lot easier.
Step 1: Place your cookie dough in the center of a sheet of parchment paper. Gently pat it into a rough log that’s close to the length and thickness you’re aiming for. Try to keep it fairly even—nobody wants a log that’s thicker in the middle or pointy at the ends!
Step 2: Fold the parchment over the dough (whichever direction feels comfortable for you) and roll it back and forth a couple of times. This helps smooth out the dough and prep it for the magic in the next step.
Step 3: Grab a straight edge—like a bench scraper or even a ruler—and hold it at a bit of an angle. Use your non-dominant hand to press it gently where the dough meets the work surface, with the parchment acting as a buffer. At the same time, use your dominant hand to tug the parchment slightly, rolling the dough against the straight edge. This motion rounds out the dough into a smooth, symmetrical log. If you need to take a couple passes, just lift the top of the parchment paper, roll the dough log back into position, and go again.
How to Keep Your Dough Log Perfectly Round
Once you’ve formed your dough log, you’re ready to refrigerate. If the dough is fairly soft, there’s a chance it will flatten a bit on one side as it chills. To avoid this, you can grab an empty paper towel roll and snip it lengthwise to use as a form to hold the dough while it chills. You could also rotate the dough every 10-15 minutes. Or not stress about it at all, which is usually my approach.
When it’s time to slice your dough into cookies, give the log a quarter-turn every three or four slices. This keeps your knife from flattening one side against the cutting board, so every cookie stays round.
And, of course, if this all sounds like too much effort, square, oval, or any shape cookies are just as delicious!
Other Recipes You Might Like
Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies: Another great cookie featuring cranberries with orange and cinnamon. They’re soft, tender, and have just the right amount of chew thanks to the oatmeal. Plus, they pair perfectly with an afternoon coffee, a good book, and a cozy blanket.
Gluten-free Mulled Chocolate Crinkle Cookies: These gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies are reminiscent of a rich mug of mulled hot chocolate with a touch of orange zest for brightness. The texture is perfect, with a bit of crispy crunch outside that gives way to a soft, chewy center.
Gluten-Free Chai Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies: These gluten-free chai spiced chocolate chip cookies are everything I love in a classic chocolate chip cookie with the addition of warming masala chai spices that are perfect for this time of year.
Gluten-Free Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 350 grams gluten-free flour* about 1 ½ cups, spooned and leveled
- 163 grams granulated sugar ¾ cup
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup raw pistachios**
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter***
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Heat a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pistachios and toast, tossing often, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden in spots. Keep an eye on these. They can go from “just beginning to brown” to “totally burned” fairly quickly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Combine the gluten-free flour, sugar, pistachios, cranberries, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor. Process until blended and the pistachios and cranberries have broken down a bit.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the food processor. Pulse 15-10 times until the butter is just incorporated and the dough starts to look a bit like wet sand.
- In a small dish or measuring cup, measure out 2 tablespoons of cold water and the vanilla. While pulsing the dough, drizzle in the water. The dough should start to come together and look crumbly. If it’s still too dry, add more water ½ tablespoon at a time until it’s just moist enough to hold its shape when pressed. I ended up using three tablespoons of water in total.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can give the pistachios and cranberries a rough chop by hand and then whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then cut in the squares of butter using your hands, a pastry cutter, or fork before drizzling in the water and mixing until the dough just comes together.
- Once the dough has come together, divide it equally between two sheets of parchment paper. Knead each portion of dough gently and briefly to bring it together. Then form it into a log and roll in the parchment paper until round (see tips in the blog post above). Secure the ends of the parchment paper and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325° Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove one log of dough from the fridge and place it on a cutting board. Slice the dough into ½-inch rounds and place them on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 25-27 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with the second log of dough.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can drizzle them with the melted white baking chips, if you want. Simply melt the baking chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Or use a double boiler to melt the chips.
- Once melted, you can drizzle using a spoon or carefully transfer the melted chips into a plastic storage bag and make a small snip on one corner. Then use the bag as a makeshift piping bag and pipe the melted chips over the cookies. This creates a slightly neater look, which is fun but not at all necessary.
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