Description

Delightfully crisp and subtly sweet, these Sparkling Pistachio Cookies feature a buttery dough infused with vanilla and almond flavors, studded with finely chopped pistachios, and coated with a sparkling sugar and pistachio mixture for a festive crunch. Perfect for special occasions or an elegant treat, they bake to a delicate golden brown, offering a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a nutty finish.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

16 tablespoons (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (75g) confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon almond emulsion or almond extract
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (120g) pistachios, raw, unsalted, shelled, very finely chopped
2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour

Coating Ingredients

6 tablespoons (86g) coarse sparkling sugar
3 tablespoons (23g) pistachios, raw, unsalted, shelled, very finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position racks in the upper and lower thirds. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or lightly greasing them to prevent sticking.
Mix Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater attachment or a large bowl with a dough whisk or flexible spatula, beat together the room temperature butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, almond emulsion, and salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined, creating a creamy base for the dough.
Add Pistachios and Flour: Stir in the finely chopped pistachios until evenly distributed. Then gradually incorporate the flour, mixing gently until there are no dry streaks of flour visible, forming a soft and cohesive dough.
Portion the Dough: Using a spoon or tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls approximately 1 1/4 inches in diameter (about 24g each). Roll each portion into neat, smooth balls for even baking.
Prepare Coating: In a small bowl, combine the coarse sparkling sugar and finely chopped pistachios, creating the signature sparkling coating for the cookies.
Coat Dough Balls: Roll each dough ball thoroughly in the sparkling sugar and pistachio mixture, ensuring they are fully covered for a beautiful, crunchy exterior.
Arrange for Baking: Place the coated dough balls evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets, approximately 15 cookies per pan, allowing room for slight spreading during baking.
Bake the Cookies: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans front to back and swapping top to bottom halfway through to ensure even baking. Bake until the cookies are slightly puffed and just beginning to turn a very light golden brown around the edges.
Cool Completely: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheets. This resting time helps the cookies set properly and develop a tender texture.
Storage: Store the cooled pistachio cookies airtight at room temperature for several days. For longer storage, freeze the cookies to maintain their freshness and crunch.

Notes

For the best flavor, use fresh unsalted raw pistachios that are finely chopped.
You can substitute King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour with a gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend to make the cookies gluten-free.
The almond emulsion enhances flavor but can be substituted with almond extract if needed.
Make sure the butter is at room temperature to ensure proper creaming with sugar.
Adjust baking time slightly if using convection ovens or different-sized cookies.
Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain crispness.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Category: Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: pistachio cookies, sparkling sugar cookies, almond extract cookies, gluten-free pistachio cookies, buttery cookies, festive cookies, nutty cookies