Bring a splash of festive color and incredible texture to your holiday dessert table with these Cranberry-Pistachio Cookies. Combining the vibrant green of salty, roasted pistachios with the deep red of sweet-tart dried cranberries, these cookies are as beautiful as they are delicious. They offer the perfect balance of sweet, salty, buttery, and chewy in every single bite. Whether you are baking a batch for a cozy weekend at home, preparing sweet gifts for neighbors, or looking for the ultimate star of your annual Christmas cookie exchange, this simple recipe is guaranteed to please. Get ready to bake a new holiday favorite that’s sure to have everyone asking for the recipe!
Here’s a look at the core ingredients you’ll need to make these festive Cranberry-Pistachio Cookies.
Betty Crocker™ Sugar Cookie Mix: The ultimate shortcut to getting a perfectly sweet, soft, and chewy cookie without measuring out individual dry ingredients.
Pistachio Instant Pudding and Pie Filling Mix: One 4-serving box of instant pistachio pudding mix is the secret to these cookies. It infuses them with a rich, nutty pistachio flavor, a beautiful light green hue, and keeps the baked texture incredibly soft.
Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour: Flour is added to firm up the dough, ensuring the cookies hold their shape beautifully on the baking sheet and don't spread too thin.
Shelled Pistachios and Dried Cranberries: These are the star additions! The crunch of salty, roasted pistachios pairs perfectly with the chewy, sweet-tart bite of dried cranberries.
Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Melted butter and eggs.
Here’s a quick primer on how to make these colorful Cranberry-Pistachio Cookies. Follow the recipe below for all the specifics!
Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper so the cookies bake evenly and release effortlessly without sticking.
In a large bowl, stir together the cookie mix, pudding mix, and flour. Stir in the melted butter and eggs until a soft, uniform dough forms with no dry pockets remaining.
Gently stir in the chopped pistachios and dried cranberries until they are evenly distributed throughout the green dough.
Drop rounded dough portions 2 inches apart on the lined sheet. If you prefer a flatter cookie, press slightly with your fingers to flatten. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are a very light golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
This recipe makes a generous batch of festive cookies. Here is how to store and enjoy the leftovers safely.
Once the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you are stacking them, place a sheet of parchment paper between the layers to keep them looking pristine.
For longer storage, place the baked cookies in a freezer-safe airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To serve, remove the cookies from the freezer and let them thaw uncovered on a plate at room temperature for about 20 minutes. It is not recommended to reheat these cookies in the microwave or oven, as it can dry out the cookie base and make the dried cranberries tough and rubbery.
Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In large bowl, stir together cookie mix, pudding mix, and flour. Stir in melted butter and eggs until soft dough forms.
Add pistachios and cranberries; mix well.
Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on lined cookie sheet.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
Place food directly on parchment paper and bake as directed. Treats will bake evenly and release from paper with ease. Plus, because you're baking right on the paper, clean-up is a breeze.
For even baking, it’s recommended to use a cookie scoop to ensure cookies are of the same shape and size.
You can find shelled pistachios in the nuts-for-snacking section of your grocery store.
| Food Component / Nutrient | Amount | % , Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 4&½g | 7% |
| Saturated Fat | 1&½g | 8% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | % Value Not Available |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Omega-3 | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Cholesterol | 15mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 85mg | 4% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 12g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | 0% |
| Soluble Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Insoluble Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Sugars | 7g | % Value Not Available |
| Protein | 1g | % Value Not Available |
| Vitamin D | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Calcium | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Iron | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Potassium | 35mg | 1% |
| Vitamin A | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Vitamin C | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Vitamin E | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Thiamin | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Riboflavin | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Niacin | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Vitamin B6 | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Folic Acid | Value Not Available | 2% |
| Vitamin B12 | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Pantothenic Acid | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Phosphorus | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Magnesium | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Zinc | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Manganese | Value Not Available | 2% |
| Selenium | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Copper | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Beta-Carotene | Value Not Available | % Value Not Available |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | ||
