Introduction

Oh, friends, gather ’round! I have a recipe that’s going to transport you straight to cozy town. Think of those crisp autumn days or the magical sparkle of the holiday season. This White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread is like a warm hug in cookie form. It’s incredibly easy to whip up, making it perfect for those spontaneous baking urges, and trust me, everyone who tries it will be begging for the recipe. It’s the kind of treat that makes memories, the kind you’ll want to share (or maybe keep all to yourself, I won’t judge!).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: You can have these delicious cookies ready in under an hour, start to finish!
Easy: Seriously, if you can stir ingredients together, you can make these. No fancy techniques required.
Giftable: Beautifully decorated and utterly delicious, these make the most thoughtful homemade gifts.
Crowd-pleasing: The combination of creamy white chocolate, tart cranberries, and nutty pistachios is a winner with pretty much everyone.

Ingredients

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make this magic happen. Don’t worry, these are all pretty standard pantry staples!

1/2 lb unsalted butter, room temperature: Make sure your butter is nice and soft – it makes creaming so much easier!
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed: This gives our shortbread that lovely depth of flavor and a touch of chewiness.
1/3 cup granulated sugar: For that perfect sweetness and crispness.
1 tsp vanilla extract: The little secret ingredient that elevates everything.
2 cups all-purpose flour: The base of our delightful shortbread.
1/2 tsp salt: Just a pinch to balance out all that sweetness and make the flavors pop.
1 cup white chocolate chips: Because, well, white chocolate! Use your favorite brand.
3/4 cup dried cranberries: For that delightful tartness and gorgeous ruby-red color.
1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped: These add a wonderful crunch and a beautiful green hue to the dough.
8 oz white candy coating: This is for our gorgeous drizzle. Almond bark works perfectly here.
1/4 cup pistachios, finely chopped: For that extra pretty finishing touch.

How to Make It

Alright, time to get our hands a little floury! This is the fun part.

Preheat and Prep: First things first, let’s get that oven preheating to 350°F (175°C). Grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. This is my little trick to prevent any sticking and make cleanup a breeze.
Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a big mixing bowl, cream together your softened butter, packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar. You want to beat them until they’re super light and fluffy. It usually takes a minute or two with an electric mixer, and it makes all the difference for the texture!
Add the Vanilla: Now, beat in that teaspoon of vanilla extract. It just makes everything smell so wonderful already.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour and salt. This ensures the salt is evenly distributed, so you don’t get salty bites.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to your creamy butter mixture. Mix until everything is just combined. We don’t want to overmix here, as that can make our shortbread tough. Just until you don’t see any more dry flour.
Stir in the Goodies: Now for the best part! Gently stir in the white chocolate chips, those lovely dried cranberries, and the roughly chopped pistachios. Fold them in until they’re evenly scattered throughout the dough.
Shape the Dough: Spoon the dough onto your prepared baking sheet and press it down evenly. I like to use my hands or a spatula for this. Once it’s a nice, even layer, you can gently score the dough into your desired shapes – squares, rectangles, or even diamonds. This makes cutting so much easier after baking.
Bake to Golden Perfection: Pop that baking sheet into your preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes. You’re looking for the edges to be lightly golden brown.
Cool Down: Let the shortbread cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. This helps it firm up. Then, carefully transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is key here, my friends!
Melt the Coating: While the shortbread is cooling, it’s time to melt your white candy coating. Follow the package directions for the best results – usually, it’s a quick melt in the microwave or a double boiler.
Drizzle Away: Once your shortbread is completely cool, grab a spoon or a piping bag and drizzle that melted white candy coating all over the top. Make it as pretty or as rustic as you like!
Sprinkle the Sparkle: Before the candy coating sets, immediately sprinkle the finely chopped pistachios over the top. They add such a lovely pop of color and extra crunch.
Let it Set: Now, just let that beautiful drizzle set completely. This might take about 30 minutes at room temperature, or you can pop it in the fridge for a bit to speed things up. Once it’s firm, you can cut along those score lines you made earlier, and your gorgeous shortbread is ready to be devoured!

Substitutions & Additions

Feeling adventurous? Here are some ideas to jazz up your shortbread even more:

Dried Fruit Swap: If cranberries aren’t your favorite, try dried cherries, blueberries, or even chopped apricots!
Nutty Alternatives: Pecans or almonds would also be delicious in place of or in addition to pistachios.
Chocolate Variety: You could also use milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips for a different flavor profile.
Citrus Zest: A little bit of orange or lemon zest added to the dough can give it a bright, fresh kick.
Extra Drizzle: For a truly decadent treat, you could drizzle with melted milk or dark chocolate after the white chocolate has set.

Tips for Success

A few little pointers to ensure your shortbread turns out perfectly every time:

Room Temperature Butter is Key: This is probably the most important tip for achieving a tender shortbread. If your butter is too cold, it won’t cream properly. If it’s too soft, it might melt into the sugars.
Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once you add the flour, mix just until it comes together. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to tough cookies.
Score Before Baking: Scoring the dough before baking makes cutting so much cleaner and easier after it’s baked and cooled.
Prep Ahead: You can make the shortbread dough a day in advance and keep it wrapped in the refrigerator. Just let it soften slightly before pressing it onto the baking sheet.

How to Store It

Once your shortbread has completely cooled and the candy coating has set, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature. It should stay deliciously fresh for about 3-4 days. If you live in a very warm climate, you might want to store it in the refrigerator to prevent the chocolate from softening.

FAQs

Can I freeze this shortbread? Yes, you absolutely can! Once baked and cooled (before drizzling with candy coating), wrap the shortbread tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and then proceed with the candy coating and finishing touches.
My shortbread is crumbly, what did I do wrong? This can happen if the butter was too cold when creaming, or if you overmixed the dough after adding the flour. Ensure your butter is properly softened and mix the flour in gently until just combined.
Can I make this recipe without the candy coating? Of course! The candy coating adds a beautiful finish and a touch of extra sweetness, but the shortbread itself is delicious on its own. You can also dust it with powdered sugar if you prefer.

Happy baking, everyone! I hope you enjoy making and sharing this delightful White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread as much as I do.

White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread

A delightful and easy-to-make shortbread cookie featuring creamy white chocolate, tart cranberries, and nutty pistachios, perfect for holidays or any occasion.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Servings 16 cookies

Equipment

Mixing bowl large
Electric mixer
Medium-sized bowl
Whisk
Baking Sheet
Parchment paper
Spatula
Wire rack
Spoon for drizzling
Piping bag optional

Ingredients

Shortbread

0.5 lb unsalted butter room temperature
0.33 cup brown sugar packed
0.33 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
0.5 tsp salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
0.75 cup dried cranberries
0.5 cup pistachios roughly chopped

Drizzle & Topping

8 oz white candy coating or almond bark
0.25 cup pistachios finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Gently stir in the white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and roughly chopped pistachios.
Spoon the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and press it down evenly. Score the dough into desired shapes.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
Let the shortbread cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt the white candy coating according to package directions.
Drizzle the melted white candy coating over the cooled shortbread.
Immediately sprinkle the finely chopped pistachios over the wet coating.
Let the coating set completely before cutting the shortbread into pieces.

Notes

For best results, ensure butter is at room temperature. Do not overmix the dough after adding flour. Score the dough before baking for easier cutting.