Cranberry Orange Pistachio Tea Cookies

What do you do when you’re all-pumpkined-out, but there’s still a week of holiday food to go?  Pivot to cranberry, of course.  And since I’m from Florida, I figured a little citrus made sense too… sunshine state and all…  So today, I’d like to introduce you to Cranberry Orange Pistachio Tea Cookies…  

Ingredients for cranberry pistachio orange tea cookies:

I’d like to say that these cookies would be perfect for gifting, but they aren’t – they’re way-too-good to give away.  Make those refrigerated sugar cookies for the folks at the office, but keep these babies all to yourself.    

I’m sorry if that sounds uncharitable, but I’m just being realistic.  I don’t want you feeling all philanthropic as your whipping up a batch of these only to realize that there’s NO FREAKIN’ WAY you’re going to share.  So let’s “dispense with the bull”.  

What makes these cookies so stellar, aside from the butter and sugar, nuts, cranberries and freshly zested oranges?  Cornmeal.  It adds a rubbly texture, making them more substantial and rugged.  They’re sweet, but not cloying and with bits of dried cranberry and crunchy pistachios, they practically scream holidays!  

Add a drizzle of glaze to finish them off — because really who doesn’t like to be drizzled in glaze.  Oh, is that just me?

Perfect for dunking.  Or nibbling unbidden in a dark corner under an afghan where no-one can see you and steal your stash.   

More Christmas cookie recipes:

• Cranberry Pistachio Tea Cookies
• Apricot and Strawberry Rugelach
• Coconut Cashew Tuiles
• Thin and Crispy Rosemary Shortbread
• Chewy Coconut Macaroons
• Chocolate Almond Florentines

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5 from 2 votes

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Tea Cookies

These yummy cookies are a cross between shortbread and cornbread dotted with pistachios and dried cranberries and a hint of orange.

Author: Lisa

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dried cranberries, orange

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 32

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter 4 ounces, cut into 1/2″ pieces
• ½ cup plump dried cranberries
• ½ cup pistachios
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 orange zested
• 1 teaspoon orange or vanilla extract
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 3-4 teaspoons orange juice or cream

Instructions

• Position oven rack to middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the cubes of butter and work with a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in the cranberries and pistachios.
• Whisk together the egg, egg yolk, orange zest and extract. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to stir them together. The dough will be dry and crumbly, but it should stick together when pinched between your fingers.
• Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough in the center. Knead the dough 4-5 times until it comes together and is smooth. Cut the dough in half and set one aside. Roll the other ball of dough into a 12″ log. Flatten it slightly with the palm of your hand and cut the log on a diagonal in 1″ slices. Transfer to a cookie sheet. Repeat with the second ball of dough.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly browned and puffed. Cool on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile mix the powdered sugar and orange juice or cream and stir until there are no lumps.
• Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and let the glaze harden for 10-15 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 63mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.5mg

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