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5 from 1 review

Soft-Baked White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies (with almond flour)

24 hrs 12 mins
GF Gluten-Free VG Vegetarian
by:
November 24, 2020 (Updated: December 19, 2023)
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overhead image of shortbread cookies with pieces of cranberry, pistachio, and white chocolate in the. The cookies are sprinkled with flaked salt and sit on white parchment paper.
Slice and bake chunky White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies are loaded with texture, gluten free, and so simple to make!

These slice and bake white chocolate cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies are going to be you favorite this holiday season!

If you love chunky cookies and texture in your baked goods, you are going to love these buttery shortbread cookies.

The awesome thing about these cookies is they are slice and bake! They are delicately sweet and have beautiful jewels of dried cranberry, pistachio, and creamy bursts of white chocolate.

The base of these cookies is a buttery, soft shortbread. It’s light and soft-baked in the middle but has toasty, golden brown edges.

Ingredients for these cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies:

  • unsalted butter
  • agave nectar: honey or maple syrup also works!
  • vanilla extract
  • blanched almond flour
  • salt
  • pistachios
  • dried cranberries
  • white chocolate
overhead image of four steps to make cranberry pistachio cookies

How to make cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies:

Place the butter in a medium bowl and melt it in the microwave for 30 seconds (you can also do this in a saucepan over medium-low heat). Once softened, whisk in the agave nectar and vanilla until combined. Or, check out my favorite trick for How to Soften Butter!

Add the blanched almond flour and salt to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together until combined.

Chop the pistachios and white chocolate bars into chunks. Add them to the bowl along with the craisins and fold them into the cookie dough.

Place the batter on a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil and use your hands to spread it into a log. I found it easiest to fold the aluminum foil over the dough and press it into a tight log.

side view of a shortbread cookie with a bite taken out and pieces of pistachio, white chocolate, and dried cranberry in the cookie.

Tap the ends of the log to make sure it doesn’t taper off at the ends. Fold the paper or foil around the dough and freeze overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350F and cut the log into 12 – 18 slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the edges and tops are golden brown.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 15 – 20 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Sprinkle the cookies with a finishing sea salt and enjoy.

overhead image of shortbread cookie with cranberries, pistachios, and white chocolate pieces in it and salt sprinkled on top. a bite is taken out of the cookie and the cookie sits on a white counter.

Did you make this? Leave a review below and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

overhead image of shortbread cookies with pieces of cranberry, pistachio, and white chocolate in the. The cookies are sprinkled with flaked salt and sit on white parchment paper. Recipe
GF Gluten-Free VG Vegetarian

Soft-Baked White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies (with almond flour)

Slice and bake chunky White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies are loaded with texture, flavor, and so easy to prep in 10-minutes!

Recipe by:
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
Prep: 24 hoursCook: 12 minutesTotal: 24 hours 12 minutes
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Servings: 18 cookies 1x

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup agave nectar (honey or maple syrup also works)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 4 oz. white chocolate, chopped in chunks

Instructions

  1. Place the butter in a medium bowl and melt it in the microwave for 30 seconds (you can also do this in a saucepan over medium-low heat). Once the butter is softened, whisk in the agave nectar and vanilla until combined.

  2. Add the blanched almond flour and salt to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together until combined.

  3. Chop the pistachios and white chocolate bars into chunks. Add them to the bowl along with the dried cranberries and fold them into the cookie dough.
    This is an overhead horizontal image of a glass bowl with raw cookie dough in it. On top of the dough are pistachio pieces, dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks. A spatula is dipping into the bowl. The bowl sits on a white surface.

  4. Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil and use your hands to spread it into a log. I found it easiest to fold the aluminum foil over the dough and press it into a tight log. You also want to make sure it’s as round as possible because the shape of the log decide the shape of your cookies.
    This is an overhead horizontal image of a shortbread cookie dough log with dried cranberries, white chocolate and pistachio pieces in it. The log sits on a piece of tin foil.

  5. Tap the ends of the log to make sure it doesn’t taper off at the ends. Fold the paper or foil around the dough and freeze overnight.
    This is an overhead horizontal image of a tin foil wrapped log. The log sits on a white surface.

  6. Preheat the oven to 350F.

  7. If you want to make sure you get round circle cookies, roll the frozen log back and forth to make sure it’s a round log.
  8. Cut the log into 12 – 18 slices.
  9. Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

    This is an overhead horizontal image of a close up of a sliced raw cookie dough circle. The cookie sits on a white piece of parchment paper and there are bits of dried cranberries, pistachios and white chocolate in it.

  10. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the edges and tops are golden brown.

  11. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 15 – 20 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

  12. Sprinkle the cookies with a finishing sea salt and enjoy.
    overhead image of shortbread cookie with cranberries, pistachios, and white chocolate pieces in it and salt sprinkled on top. a bite is taken out of the cookie and the cookie sits on a white counter.

Nutrition Info:

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 111
  • Sugar: 7.5g
  • Sodium: 109mg
  • Fat: 8.1g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.8g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 8.7g
  • Fiber: 0.6g
  • Protein: 1.4g
  • Cholesterol: 11mg
© The Toasted Pine Nut

Enjoy!! xo

overhead image of a gluten free sprinkle cookie with a bite taken out on a white counter

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  1. AvatarJen says

    My new fav cookies from last year and I made them again today! They are delicious!

    How thick should I make each cookie when cutting the dough?

    Reply

    • Lindsay Grimes Freedman says

      Yay! I’m so happy you love them!! I slice them between 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick. Hope you have a beautiful holiday season! xo

      Reply