Slice-and-Bake Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

The full recipe with precise measurements appears in the recipe card below. Here is a quick overview of the ingredients and why each one matters.

• Shelled ground pistachios. Finely grinding pistachios releases their oils and intensifies the nutty flavor in the cookie. Toasted pistachios with skins on give the most pronounced pistachio taste, but raw or lightly salted shelled pistachios work well too (avoid flavored nuts).
• All-purpose flour and granulated sugar. This is a classic shortbread base: flour provides structure and the crumbly texture, while sugar contributes sweetness and a touch of crispness.
• Cold unsalted butter. Cold butter is key to a tender, flaky shortbread. Cutting cold butter into the flour and sugar coats the dry ingredients with fat and prevents gluten overdevelopment, keeping the cookies pleasantly melt-in-your-mouth.
• Vanilla extract. Optional, but a teaspoon of vanilla enriches the overall flavor without masking the pistachios.

Make it

This recipe uses the reverse method: instead of creaming sugar with butter and then adding flour, you cut cold butter into the flour and sugar. That preserves flaky pockets of fat and prevents the dough from becoming chewy. Read the tips and follow the steps for reliable results every time.

• Do not over-process the pistachios in the food processor; otherwise they will turn pasty and make the dough too oily. To reduce that risk, process the nuts with a tablespoon of the flour before adding the remaining dry ingredients.
• After adding the butter, process just until the dough comes together into a soft, slightly crumbly mass that holds when pressed. Depending on your food processor this can take anywhere from 20 seconds to about a minute.
• Form the dough into a 10-inch cylinder. Place it on a large sheet of parchment paper and roll from one end to the other, using the parchment to smooth and compress the log; as you roll it will stretch to about 12 inches.
• Chill the dough until firm enough to slice—at least 45 minutes to one hour, and up to three days if refrigerated. You can also freeze the dough for longer storage.
• Rolling the log in chopped pistachios before slicing is optional but adds texture and visual appeal.
• For an extra tender cookie, you can stir 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder into the flour. When baking, leave about 1-inch space between each cookie for even baking.

Yields and Storage

Yield: about 24 cookies, each approximately 2 inches in diameter.

Store baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week, or freeze them for up to 8 weeks. The unbaked dough (rolled and wrapped) can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for longer storage; slice and bake straight from the refrigerator or allow thawed slices a few minutes to firm up before baking.

Slice and Bake All-Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup (75 g) shelled pistachios
• 1 1/2 Cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 Cup + 2 teaspoons (60 g) granulated sugar
• 10 Tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 egg white (or water) for brushing the dough — if using water, shake off any excess before brushing
• 1/2 Cup (75 g) chopped pistachios for coating (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the first amount of pistachios into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. To reduce the risk of the nuts turning pasty, add a tablespoon of the flour to the nuts while processing.
2. Add the remaining flour and the sugar to the processor and pulse a few times to combine.
3. Add the cold, diced butter and pulse until the mixture comes together into a soft dough that holds when pressed. It should not be overly sticky; stop processing once you can squeeze the mixture into a cohesive mass.
4. Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment and use your hands to shape it into a 10-inch cylinder. Place the cylinder on a large sheet of parchment paper and roll from one end to the other, smoothing the log as you go; the log will stretch to about 12 inches.
5. Wrap the dough log tightly in parchment or plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes to one hour, or up to three days, until firm enough to slice.
6. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Remove the log from the refrigerator. Lightly brush the exterior with the egg white or a bit of water, then roll the log in the chopped pistachios if using. Slice the log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.
8. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet with about 1 inch between cookies. Bake in the center of the oven for 15–18 minutes, until set and lightly golden around the edges.
9. Remove the pan from the oven. The cookies will be very soft immediately after baking—allow them to cool and firm on the pan for at least 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This resting time helps them set without breaking.