These shortbread cookies are loaded with crunchy pistachios. Made with raw sugar and white whole wheat flour, they are rich and crumbly, and slightly sweetened with a drizzle of white chocolate.
It happens this time every year. Right about mid February, I’m ready for cookies again. At this point, I feel like I’ve sufficiently recovered from the cookie overdose brought on by the holiday season.
A few weeks spent anti-cookie and I’m ready to start thinking up some new recipes. Thoughts of butter, brown sugar and chocolate chips resume their place in my head. Before I know it, the oven is preheated and the cookie sheets are lined.
I don’t take my introduction back into cookie baking after a hiatus lightly. After giving the pistachios we have stocked in the pantry some thought, I decided I wanted to go back to my roots a bit with this recipe. I’ve experimented with shortbread quite a bit and I have a favorite version. It’s a heartier version that is still buttery, but not super sweet. It’s crumbly, but not hard and dense.
This time I decided to load up the favorite shortbread with pistachios. I thought a little drizzle of melted white chocolate would not only look pretty, but that it would add a little bit of sweetness. It’s optional, but I highly recommend it. Dark or milk chocolate would be equally delicious, so feel free to substitute.
Welcome back, cookies. Welcome back.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup raw sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup shelled dry roasted, salted pistachios, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon virgin coconut oil
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium and then medium-high for about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla. Turn the mixer to medium and add the flour a little at a time. Continue to mix, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer to medium-high. The dough will be crumbly. Continue to mix until it is a more cohesive dough and forms into a ball, about 30 more seconds. Stir in the pistachios.
- Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Form into a ball, wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and place it between two pieces of wax paper or parchment paper, about 8 inches long. Roll the dough to about 1/3 inch thickness. Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter (or a cookie cutter with a sharp edge) to cut out the cookies.
- Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Reform the dough and roll out again until you have cut all the dough to make about 20 cookies.
- Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, just until the edges are browned and the centers firm. Let cool for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Place the white chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe dish. Add the coconut oil. Heat on high in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Stir. Heat another 15 to 20 seconds, until the chocolate is melted.
- Drizzle the chocolate over the cooled cookies and let sit until firm, one to two hours. Store in an airtight container.
These cookies sound amazing! I LOVE cookies with pistachios in them!
Thanks so much! I don’t use pistachios nearly enough in cookies. I need to do some more experimenting!
It has been a long enough break from cookies! These look fabulous. The white whole wheat sounds great, and I never turn down white chocolate.
I agree, Lisa! Thank you! I love how white whole wheat flour tastes in cookies. It gives them a hearty, complex flavor. It’s one of my favorites.
These cookies are so pretty!
Thanks so much, Vanessa!