These Cranberry Pistachio Citrus Cookies are a delicious blend of flavors that perfectly complement the holiday season. Nutty, colorful and a mild zing, these are sure to impress!
I feel like many of us have been baking for months. I know I find comfort in the kitchen, baking treats that come together with the familiar ingredients of butter, sugar, flour, etc. It’s sometimes like a little bit of magic and science mixed together. Also a bit comforting to be able to bake up something familiar when everything is so unfamiliar.
This holiday season may look a bit different. Less parties, less travel, less visitors. But maybe by sharing some of our favorite recipes, our loved ones can find that bit of comfort too? Maybe. I sure hope that we can all find those little glimmers of magic together, through this time.
My friend Natasha has done a yearly cookie bake-off with online friends for a few years now, and even though many of us aren’t swapping cookies in person, I hope that we can still share virtually. Maybe a little online bake-off with your favorite people? I’d love to know how you’re celebrating, and if you stick around at the end of this recipe, you just may find some more cookie recipe ideas!
In the past I have shared Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies, Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Coffee Glaze, and Peanut Butter Marshmallow Chocolate Chunk Cookies for Natasha’s Houseful of Cookies event. I have loved every one of those cookies, and I hope you’ve tried some of them too!
This year I’m sharing a recipe that I actually created last year a few days after Christmas. They are understated and elegant, with a hint of flavors and mild crunch. I love that the flavors are delicate since last year my recipe was quite bold. These cookies are just as delicious and will look beautiful to serve throughout the Christmas season.
HELPFUL TOOLS:
These are items that I used to either make the Cranberry Pistachio Citrus Cookies, or they are included in the photos.
KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Qt. Stand Mixer – Boysenberry
GRIDMANN 18″ x 26″ Commercial Grade Aluminum Cookie Sheet Baking Tray Pan Full Sheet – 1 Pan
Demarle Silpat Silicone Cookie Baking Mat
KitchenAid Tilt Head Flex Edge Beater, 4.5/5 Quart, White
Cosmos Pack of 2 Non Stick Baking Cooling Rack, 10 x 11 inches
Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
OXO Good Grips Measuring Cups with Magnetic Snaps, Stainless Steel
Norpro Nut/Topping Chopper
HUJI Zester/Grater – Razor Sharp Stainless Steel Blade Protective Cover
*These are affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase or sign up for a program, I may earn a commission. This is at no additional cost to you.
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- zest of 1 large orange
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup pistachios, chopped
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the dried cranberries to a medium bowl. Pour orange juice on top of them in the bowl, then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until soft and smooth.
- Combine the orange zest with the ½ cup of white granulated sugar and stir until they are blended well together. Add the orange and sugar combination to the creamed butter. Add the brown sugar as well, and continue to cream the sugars and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla, then the egg. Mix until well incorporated.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir together until well combined.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and mix together until just combined.
- Drain the orange juice from the cranberries, then squeeze any excess moisture out with a cheesecloth (you can also use quality paper towels for this).
- Roughly chop the cranberries, then fold them in to the cookie mixture with the chopped pistachios.
- Roll into 1 inch balls (I use a cookie scoop to keep the size uniform), then place cookie dough about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes. Cookies will look golden when done.
- Remove cookie sheet from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes before removing and placing on cooling racks until completely cooled.
- Enjoy!
WHAT IS HOUSEFUL OF COOKIES?
Houseful of Cookies is an annual, virtual cookie hop, hosted by Natasha Nicholes of Houseful of Nicholes. She really likes playing on the “Houseful” theme when there is more than one of something, and since there’s more than one cookie…here we are. Each year, she gathers a bunch of us from the internet to bake up our epic cookie creations and share them with all of you! It’s a fun time, and we all have dealt with butter, flour, and various flavorings to bring you our goodies each year. This year, we present to you, our cookie hop.
Houseful of Cookies 2020 Participants:
Houseful Of Nicholes – Dumpster Cookies
Day By Day In Our World – Granola Cookies
Honest & Truly – Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Love Jaime – Snowball Cookies
How Was Your Day? – Lingonberry Thumbprints
Mama Harris’ Kitchen – Cranberry Pistachio Citrus Cookies
This Worthey Life – White Chocolate Cranberry & Toffee Cookies
Someday I’ll Learn – Easiest Christmas Cookies
Life Of A Ginger – Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
100 Directions – Easy Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Brownie Mix Cookies
Brooklyn Active Mama – Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies
Sugar, Spice, and Glitter – Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
Good Girl Gone Redneck – Peanut Butter Nutella Sugar Cookies
This Mamas Life – Cherry Bits
Have you been baking a lot lately?
What has become some of your favorite things to bake during this time? Let me know in the comments, and while you’re here you can view my Amazon Store for more products that I personally use and love!
Also, if you love this recipe don’t forget to PIN it to your favorite board on Pinterest!
(Just hover over the picture below and click “Pin it”)
I already know I am going to enjoy eating this cookie! I love dried cranberries and pistachios! So instant cookie crush. Thank you for sharing!