Cherry Pistachio Cookies Recipe

CHERRY PISTACHIO COOKIES RECIPE

Dried cherries, crunchy nuts, bits of orange, white chocolate—there's a lot to love in this cookie! It's very different from any I've had before. —Kathy Harding, Richmond, Missouri

MAKES: 44 servings

TOTAL TIME:
Prep: 25 min. + chilling
Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling

INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 large egg
4 teaspoons grated orange peel
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1-1/2 cups chopped dried cherries or cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
8 ounces white baking chocolate, melted

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and orange peel. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in cherries and pistachios.

Divide dough in half ; shape each into an 11-in.-long roll. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm.

Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/2-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost cookies with melted white chocolate; let stand until set.
To Make Ahead: Dough can be made 2 days in advance. Wrap in plastic and place in a resealable bag. Store in the refrigerator.

Freeze option: Place wrapped rolls in a resealable plastic freezer bag and freeze. To use, unwrap frozen logs and cut into slices. If necessary, let dough stand 15 minutes at room temperature before cutting. Bake as directed, increasing time by 1-2 minutes. Decorate as directed. Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.

Originally published as Cherry Pistachio Cookies in Taste of Home Christmas Annual Annual 2016, p158