Perfect Shortbread Cookies (With Pistachios and Chocolate!)

This Shortbread Cookies recipe will give you incredibly buttery cookies with a beautiful crumbly texture that’s perfect for the holidays! This classic shortbread cookie recipe features these Scottish-origin cookies with a twist of pistachios in every single bite.

These cookies are reminiscent of the holidays and are the perfect thing to give to your friends and family.

What’s best is that you can make the shortbread cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it for up to 2 months! This makes it perfect to plan and make ahead for the holidays!

They’re perfect to have on their own, with some tea or coffee, or with some jam sandwiched between them.

Regardless of how you choose to have them, this recipe will give you the best shortbread cookies you’ve ever had in your life!

Want to learn how to make Shortbread Cookies? Then keep on reading!

Table of Contents

• What are Shortbread Cookies?
• What’s the Difference Between Shortbread Cookies and Sugar Cookies?
• What’s the Secret to Making the Best Shortbread Cookies?
• What Makes This Shortbread Cookie Recipe Special?
• What You Need to Make Shortbread Cookies with Pistachio at Home
• How to Make Shortbread Cookies with Pistachio (Step-by-Step)
• Recipe Variation Ideas for Shortbread Cookies
• How to Store Leftover Shortbread Cookies
• More Cookie Recipes You'll Love
• Recipe Card
• Perfect Shortbread Cookies (With Pistachios and Chocolate!)
• Comments

What are Shortbread Cookies?

Shortbread cookies are delicious cookies that originated in Scotland but have now won the hearts of people all over the world. They’re essentially made using three important ingredients, namely flour, butter, and sugar.

These cookies have a ‘short’ texture and that’s why they’re named as such, which means their crumbly, crisp texture is what they’re known for the most. The butter content is quite high in these cookies and no liquids are used to achieve the crumbly, delicious texture.

No other cookie is as popular as these are during the holidays, and for a good reason! They taste perfect, are incredibly buttery, and just melt in your mouth! Shortbread cookies are also widely associated with Christmas and New Year’s (Hogmanay) in Scotland.

What’s the Difference Between Shortbread Cookies and Sugar Cookies?

Both shortbread cookies and sugar cookies are incredibly delicious, but they’re definitely not the same cookie. Shortbread has a denser texture and they’re crumbly, while sugar cookies are softer and less dense in texture.

What’s the Secret to Making the Best Shortbread Cookies?

The secret to making the best shortbread cookies is to use high-quality butter since most of the flavor comes from the butter in this recipe, so using a good quality one can make all the difference.

Luckily, here in the US, butter is graded according to flavor, color, texture, and aroma which makes it really easy to tell which butter is high quality and which isn’t. You’ll notice a letter code or numerical number on each butter’s packaging with the highest-grade being AA with a 93 score.

Another way is to check the butterfat content on the packaging. Find a brand in your local grocery store that has at least 82% butterfat for the best texture and flavor.

There’s also the question of whether you should use unsalted butter or salted butter. Even though shortbread cookies are slightly salty, I prefer using unsalted butter since it allows me to control exactly how the cookies taste.

Plus, for those of you reading this post, it makes it easy for you to get perfect results since every brand of butter has different amounts of salt so using unsalted butter will give you the right results regardless of which brand of butter you use!

What Makes This Shortbread Cookie Recipe Special?

This Shortbread Cookie recipe will give you absolutely classic results with the easiest recipe you’ve ever tried! But that’s not all, we’re taking it a step further and making some Pistachio Shortbread Cookies today!

These delicious nut-cookies also feature a chocolate drizzle which makes them taste incredible! I’ve chosen to add these two additions to the recipe because it’ll help you know exactly how to customize the Shortbread Cookies with any other nuts and drizzle you like.

Adding pistachios and drizzling chocolate is optional, and you can omit it to have classic shortbread cookies instead. And you know what tastes great with a treat like Pistachio Shortbread cookies? Some delicious cold milk!

There is something about cookies and milk that makes the heart giddy like a little child. And these beauties do not disappoint in taste either.

The caramel/salt combo has a new contender in the kitchen. Behold the combination of this sweet cookie, rich dark chocolate, and salty pistachios that is out of this world and mysteriously tasty.

Add a touch of red, such as dried cranberries, and you've got a holiday-worthy treat for Christmas.

Treats like this are perfect for holidays because they are super easy and quick to make. Your mixer and food processor does most of the work for you. All you do is roll, cut, bake, and enjoy!

So, try this Shortbread Cookie recipe during the holidays and give some to your friends and family. Trust me, they’re going to absolutely love them!

What You Need to Make Shortbread Cookies with Pistachio at Home

Making these delicious Pistachio Shortbread Cookies at home only requires basic ingredients you probably have in your pantry already! Let’s take a look at what these are:

For Shortbread Cookie Batter:

• Butter: This is definitely one of the most important ingredients in this recipe. Make sure to buy unsalted butter that’s of good quality. Read the section above to learn more about how to identify high-quality butter in the US.
• Sugar: You’ll also need some white granulated sugar to sweeten your shortbread cookies to just the right level.
• Flour: We’ll be using some simple all-purpose flour for this recipe to give our cookies some structure.
• Egg: You’ll also need one room-temperature egg to help leaven them perfectly and to add some richness and flavor.
• Vanilla extract: To bring out all the flavors, we’ll also be using some pure vanilla extract.
• Salt: Shortbread cookies are the perfect mix of sweet and salty, so we’ll be using some sea salt in our cookie batter.
• Pistachios: To get the perfect Pistachio Shortbread Cookies, we’ll be adding some coarsely chopped pistachios to our cookie batter.
• Baking powder: We’ll be using some simple baking powder as the leavening agent in this shortbread recipe.

For Shortbread Cookie Topping:

• Chocolate: For the perfect chocolate drizzle, we’ll be using some dark chocolate chips or a chocolate bar for the cookies.
• Milk: You’ll also need some whole milk to get the right consistency in the drizzle.
• Pistachios: We’ll also be using some coarsely chopped pistachios here to top out Pistachio Shortbread Cookies.

How to Make Shortbread Cookies with Pistachio (Step-by-Step)

Making these delicious Shortbread Cookies is incredibly simple and easy. Here’s what you need to do step-by-step to make them at home:

How to Prep Oven and Pistachios for Shortbread Cookies

Start by preheating the oven to 325 F.

Next, coarsely pulse the pistachios in a food processor, leaving them a little chunkier. Set aside until ready for use.

How to Make Shortbread Cookie Batter

Time to make our shortbread cookie batter! In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes, or until the sugar has almost dissolved.

Then add a large egg, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Mix once more for an additional minute or so, until all are well combined.

Next, add flour, pistachios, and baking powder to the bowl, and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. 

How to Shape and Bake Shortbread Cookies

Let’s shape and bake our cookies! Transfer the dough from the mixer bowl onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead the dough into a ball and roll it out flat, until it's about ¼-inch thick.

Sprinkle the dough with flour as necessary to prevent it from sticking to the working surface and rolling pin. Using a cookie cutter with a 2.5 inches diameter, cut out the cookies.

Using a chef's spatula, place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can also use a silicone mat on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown lightly.

Once done, let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack.

Word of caution: if the cookies are still a bit warm they may be fragile. Handle them gently. Using a chef’s spatula, carefully transfer the cookies onto a wire rack.

How to Make Dark Chocolate Ganache

While the cookies are cooling start making the chocolate ganache. I have used this NO-FAIL ganache recipe for many years. I find that using chocolate chips for making ganache is different from using a chocolate bar.

When using chocolate chips, the resulting ganache is hard and breakable once completely set. Whereas when using a chocolate bar, the ganache turns out smooth after it cools completely.

Melt the chocolate chips and milk in a bowl placed over a hot water bath. Stir until all the chocolate has melted and is smooth in texture. Set aside and allow the chocolate to cool slightly before using.

How to Decorate Pistachio Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle

Let’s decorate our delicious shortbread cookies with chocolate drizzle and chopped pistachios!

To do this, start by pouring the chocolate ganache into a plastic Ziploc bag. Snip off a tiny piece of one corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate on top of each cookie (in your preferred design).

While the chocolate is still soft, sprinkle each cookie with coarsely chopped pistachios for a perfect garnish and flavor.

Your delicious Pistachio Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle are ready to be served!

Recipe Variation Ideas for Shortbread Cookies

This shortbread cookie recipe will give you the most classic and delicious flavor that’s reminiscent of the holidays! But if you’re looking to customize the flavor according to your preferences, check out these ideas:

Other nuts: You can add any other coarsely chopped nuts you like! Walnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds, and even hazelnuts work really work with the flavor of shortbread cookies.

Other extracts: You can switch out the vanilla extract for other flavors such as almond extract to give your cookies a different flavor.

Lemon variation: Want to have some lemon shortbread cookies? Try making a lemon glaze using lemon zest and lemon juice and drizzle it on top!

Warm spices: You can also flavor your shortbread cookies using some fall-favorite warm spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, or even pumpkin pie spice!

Shapes: If you’re making these for the holidays, you can cut them out into any holiday-specific shape you like! Decorate them with sprinkles and edible glitter for a festive look!

How to Store Leftover Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread cookies can be stored in an airtight container for a week, or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

They can also be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months! Allow them to come back to room temperature before serving.

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