cherry pistachio cookies

Recipe by
Garrison Wayne
La Quinta, CA

The combination of dried cherries, pistachios, and lemon zest are an absoluteley divine medley of flavors. These cookies are mostly mixed by using your hands. This makes for a completely homogenous dough. The cookies are baked in a slow oven, similar to shortbread. These are soft textured and adequately sweet. You will notice that less sugar is used here. The cherries natural sugar will compensate for that. This is a very special cookie, indeed!......and really quite easy.

yield 28 good sized cookies
prep time 20 Min
cook time 1 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For cherry pistachio cookies

  • 1/4 c
    all purpose flour
  • 1/4 c
    pistachios, no salt, roasted
  • 1/3 c
    dried cherries, unsweetened, chopped
  • 2/3 c
    sugar
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp
    kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp
    baking soda
  • 2 stick
    butter, unsalted
  • 1 3/4 c
    flour
  • 1 lg
    egg
  • 1/3 c
    pistachios, unsalted, roasted

How To Make cherry pistachio cookies

  • 1
    Grind the 1/4 cup flour with the 1/4 cup pistachios in a mini chopper or a clean coffee grinder until a coarse meal is achieved. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • 2
    Chop the cherries and add to bowl. Mix and separate the cherry pieces. I do this with clean hands.
  • 3
    Add the sugar and zest. Rub into the mix with fingertips to infuse all the flavors.
  • 4
    Stir in the salt and soda with a fork.
  • 5
    Knead in, by hand, the flour, butter, egg, and remaining pistachios.
  • 6
    Form 1 1/2 inch balls of dough and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Leave room for spreading out. Flatten each ball with the tines of a fork.
  • 7
    Bake in a 325 degree oven for 18 minutes or until slightly browned and set. Rest 2 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Store airtight. Makes 28 cookies.
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