Cherry Pistachio Shortbread
31
- Prep Time20 mins
- Total Time1 hr
- Makes24 cookies
Produced by Radiyah Chowdhury, Irene Ngo and Aimee Nishitoba; photography by Erik Putz; food styling by Michelle Rabin; Paper art by Ali Harrison of Light + Paper
Cherries and pistachios make a wonderful Christmas combo in this delightful shortbread cookie recipe from Sable Shortbread in Kentville, N.S. Roast your pistachios ahead of time and use the best-quality maraschino cherries you can find (Sable uses Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino Cherries).
Ingredients
1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar, (48 g)
2 tbsp icing sugar, (25 g)
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup quartered maraschino cherries, (reserve 2 tbsp liquid for buttercream), drained well
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp chopped roasted pistachios, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour, (120 g)
Buttercream
1/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, divided (180 g)
2 tbsp reserved maraschino cherry, liquid from jar
1/4 tsp vanilla
red food colouring, (optional)
red and green coarse sugar, (optional)
Instructions
Cookies: Beat 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, until fluffy, about 1 min. Beat in granulated sugar and 2 tbsp icing sugar just until combined.
Reduce speed to low. Beat in vanilla, and then cherries and 2 tbsp pistachios just until combined. (Don’t overmix.) Beat in flour, scraping down side of bowl, just until dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface.
Gather dough into a ball, then shape into a log about 12 in. long. Roll log in remaining ½ cup pistachios, coating well. Wrap log in parchment or waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm enough to slice, at least 2 hr.
Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
Slice chilled log into 24 1/2-in.-thick cookies, arranging 1 in. apart on prepared sheets.
Bake until cookies start to brown on bottoms and spring back lightly when touched, about 15 min. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 15 min.
Buttercream: Meanwhile, beat 1/4 cup butter, using an electric mixer on medium, until fluffy, about 1 min. Beat in 3/4 cup icing sugar until combined. Reduce speed to low. Beat in cherry liquid and vanilla. If you’d prefer a deeper red colour, beat in a few drops of red food colouring. Beat in remaining icing sugar, ¼ cup at a time, until soft peaks form.
Scrape buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a swirl onto each cooled cookie. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let stand overnight until icing is firm. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
