Crunchy Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for details.
These Crunchy Cranberry Pistachio Cookies are rich and buttery with a crumbly, crunchy texture and flecks of dried cranberries and pistachios throughout. They’re so irresistible that it’s almost impossible to eat just one.
When it comes to cookies, everyone has their preference: crunchy or chewy. If you love crunchy cookies, you are on the right page.
These Crunchy Cranberry Pistachio Cookies are buttery, snappy, crispy, and crunchy throughout. A generous dose of dried cranberries and chopped pistachios add a festive twist to the cookies.
Each bite is filled with nutty pistachios and tart cranberries for the perfect balance of flavour and texture. They are easy to make, look stunning on a cookie platter, and are guaranteed to become a new family favourite!
Why You Will Love These Cookies
- Chunks of cranberries and pistachios. The add-ins add colour contrast and flavor to the cookies.
- Crunchy texture. Crispy and crunchy cookies all throughout.
- Easy to make. This recipe is easy to make and makes a lot of cookies.
- Great for making in advance. The dough keeps well in the fridge or freezer, so you can make it ahead of time and bake it off when you are ready.
Ingredients You Need
- Unsalted butter. Use a good-quality butter.
- Granulated sugar. To provide sweetness, help the cookies spread, and give the cookies a crisp exterior.
- Egg. It acts as a binder and holds everything together.
- Vanilla extract. To enhance the flavour.
- Cake flour. Cake flour is a lower-protein flour. It has about 7-9% protein compared to the 10-12% protein in all-purpose flour. Using cake flour will make the cookies crisper, lighter, and more tender. You can also substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour, but the cookies will turn a little bit denser.
- Baking powder. For leavening, and to produce a light, fine cookie texture.
- Salt. To enhance the flavour.
- Pistachios. The roasted pistachios help to intensify the pistachio flavour. Roughly chop them so that there are no large pieces and they can be more evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Dried cranberries. Finely chop the cranberries so that they are distributed evenly throughout the dough.
The Secret to Making Crispy and Crunchy Cookies
- Cream butter and sugar. You are using the sugar to aerate the butter and fill it with bubbles that can capture the gasses released by your leavener. The more fine bubbles you have in your network, the lighter in texture your cakes will be and the finer the crumb.
- Use less egg. The egg acts as a binder and holds everything together, but too much will cause the cookies to be soft instead of crunchy.
- Use cake flour. Using cake flour will make the cookies crisper, lighter, and more tender.
- Add baking powder. It helps cookies rise and become light and airy.
- Flatten the dough before baking. Thin dough will produce even crisper cookies.
- Low-temperature baking. Baking at a lower temperature allows the cookies to spread before rising so they are even and crispy all around.
Make Ahead
Store cookie dough by refrigerating it in an airtight container for 3 days or freezing it for up to 3 months. For best results, pre-portion dough into balls, flatten the balls with a fork, flash-freeze them on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Add toppings and bake directly from frozen by adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
More Crunchy Cookies Recipes
- Crunchy Pistachio Cookies
- Crunchy Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
- Florentine Cookies
- Famous Amos Style Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Crunchy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 14 tbsp (200 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 gr) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (260 gr) cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (100 gr) roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup (100 gr) dried cranberries, roughly chopped
Toppings
- Dried cranberries
- Raw pistachios, finely chopped
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and granulated sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add egg and vanilla. Beat the mixture until well combined.
- Sift in cake flour and baking powder. Beat on low speed just until combined. Don't overmix.
- Add chopped roasted pistachios and dried cranberries. Mix with a spatula until well combined.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes to let the dough firm up.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 300℉/150℃. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mat.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into balls. Arrange the balls onto the prepared pan, leaving about 2 1/2 inch/6.5 cm of space between the cookies.
- Flatten the dough ball with a fork. Make sure the flattened dough still has at least 1 inch/2.5 cm of space between because the cookies will spread during baking. Top the cookies with dried cranberries and chopped pistachios.
- Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Transfer the cookies immediately onto a cooling rack and cool them completely before transferring them into an airtight container.
