Pistachio & Cranberry Cookies are a beautiful balance of nutty crunch, sweet-tart cranberries, and buttery soft cookie dough. These cookies are perfect for holidays, tea time, or everyday baking for your food blog. The green pistachios and red cranberries also make them visually stunning — great for social media and high-CTR recipe posts.
⏱️ Prep Time
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Prep: 15 minutes
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Chill (optional but recommended): 30 minutes
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Bake: 12–14 minutes
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Total Time: about 1 hour
🧰 Equipment Needed
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Mixing bowls (large + medium)
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Electric mixer or whisk
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Measuring cups & spoons
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Baking tray
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Parchment paper
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Cooling rack
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Cookie scoop (recommended for even size)
🥜 Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
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2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
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½ tsp baking soda
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½ tsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
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¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
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¾ cup granulated sugar
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½ cup brown sugar
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2 large eggs
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1 tsp vanilla extract
Mix-ins
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¾ cup shelled pistachios (roughly chopped)
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¾ cup dried cranberries
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½ cup white chocolate chips (optional but highly recommended)
📝 Ingredient Notes (Important for Perfect Cookies)
✅ Butter must be soft, not melted – melted butter makes cookies spread too much.
✅ Use unsalted pistachios to control salt level.
✅ Dried cranberries work best — fresh cranberries add too much moisture.
✅ Brown sugar keeps cookies soft and chewy for days.
✅ White chocolate adds bakery-style richness but can be skipped.
👩🍳 Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Step 1 — Prepare Oven
Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
Line baking tray with parchment paper.
Step 2 — Mix Dry Ingredients
In a bowl, whisk together:
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flour
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baking soda
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baking powder
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salt
Set aside.
Step 3 — Cream Butter & Sugar
In a large bowl, beat:
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softened butter
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granulated sugar
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brown sugar
Mix for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 4 — Add Eggs & Vanilla
Beat in eggs one at a time.
Add vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
Step 5 — Combine Dry + Wet
Gradually add dry ingredients into wet mixture.
Mix just until combined (do NOT overmix).
Step 6 — Add Mix-ins
Fold in:
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pistachios
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cranberries
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white chocolate chips
Step 7 — Chill Dough (Recommended)
Refrigerate dough 30 minutes.
👉 This prevents spreading and improves texture.
Step 8 — Shape Cookies
Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon balls.
Place on tray leaving space between cookies.
Step 9 — Bake
Bake for 12–14 minutes
Edges should be lightly golden, centers soft.
Step 10 — Cool
Let cookies sit on tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
They will firm up while cooling.
🥗 Nutrition Facts (Approx per cookie)
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Calories: 190
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Carbs: 24g
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Fat: 9g
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Protein: 3g
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Sugar: 13g
(Values depend on size and white chocolate use.)
