Roasted Pistachio Shortbread
These soft and flaky classic shortbread cookies are loaded with roasted pistachio nuts and dipped in chocolate! Our's are PERFECT for your St. Patricks Day Celebration, but make them any shape you like!
Equipment
- 1 Cookie Mold Optional
- 1 Cookie Cutter Optional
Ingredients
- 228 grams Unalted Butter (Room Temp) 1 Cup
- 70 grams Powdered Sugar 2/3 Cup
- 20 grams Cornstarch 2 Tablespoons
- 250 grams AP Flour 2 Cups minus 2 Tablespoons
- ¼ to ⅓ Cup Finely Chopped Raw Pistachio Nuts (Roasted) Unsalted
- 4 oz Bittersweet Chocolate Bar 66% Cacao
Instructions
Shortbread
- Preheat Oven to 350℉
- Roast Pistachios: Chop and roast Pistachios on parchment paper at 350℉ for approx 8 minutes. Remove and cool. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and cornstarch and set aside.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter approx 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Mix in powdered sugar, and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
- Take bowl off of the stand mixer if you are using one, and add the flour and cornstarch mixture all at once, using a spoon to combine. When the flour mixture is almost combined, add in the the pistachio's. Work together to bring to a solid ball of dough, being careful not to over mix. Over mixed shortbread dough will develop gluten and make the finished product tough, not tender. (If the dough doesn't come together, you can add up to a tablespoon of water)
- Divide dough into 2 disks and wrap in cling wrap. I chill in the fridge for at least 20 min.
- Dust surface with powdered sugar and roll out dough to about 1/2 inch.
If using a Cookie Mold
- Dust your cookie mold and rolling pin with powdered sugar, then turn upside down and press into your dough. With your index fingers on both sides, slowly rock the mold a bit, side by side on the edges while pressing down. Slowly pull up to release the mold. (This can take a bit of practice, so no worries if you don't get it on the first try).
- Take a knife or bench scraper, and cut around your cookies. Transfer them to a parchment lined cookie sheet. I like to chill my cookies for 1 hour before baking, but chill for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 325℉
- Take the cookies from the refrigerator, and before baking, score them on the bottom. To do this, I usually don't use a fork, because they can break. I CAREFULLY use a small knife! Turn them over in your palm, and with the knife, score them a few times on the bottom. Them put them right side up again on your cookie sheet. Scoring them helps to allow steam to release during the baking process, which in turn minimizes puffing and cracking.
If using a Cookie Cutter
- Dust your cookie cutter with powdered sugar, and cut your cookie shapes out. In between re-roll outs, handle the dough as less as possible, because your hands will warm up the butter in the dough. Transfer them to a parchment lined cookie sheet. (You can score them on the bottom now or after chilling. Use a fork if you do it before chilling. Use a small knife if doing it afterward, being careful not to break them while doing it. I like to chill my cookies for 1 hour before baking, but chill for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
Baking
- Bake at 325℉ for 10- 12 minutes. Mine are perfect at 12.
- Allow them to cool for a good 15 minutes.
Dipping in Chocolate
- Chop your bar of bittersweet chocolate into small slivers. Try and keep them approx the same size. Microwave in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring between each time until all melted. Don't over heat it. This can burn your chocolate and burnt chocolate has a terrible flavor. (Be sure you use a bowl that will be big enough to dip your cookies into).
- Dip each cookie into the chocolate, lowering them just so you cover the bottom with chocolate. Once dipped I use a small silicone spatula to make sure it’s covered and to remove access chocolate, and it works GREAT!
- After dipping, lay the cookies, chocolate side down, on clean parchment paper. Leave them until the chocolate dries.
- These cookies can be put in the fridge to solidify the chocolate, but make sure the cookies are completely cooled from baking. The heat can create a bit of steam and they might get a bit soggy!
Video
Notes
The two most common mistakes to avoid when making shortbread cookies.
- Don't over work the dough. Over mixed shortbread dough will develop gluten and make the finished product tough, not tender.
- Incorporating too much flour. That's why I use Powdered sugar when dusting. I use just what I need, and not an excess. The powdered sugar will be dissolved into the cookies.
- You can sub any nuts you want, or leave them out. Recipe will be the same, just omit the nuts.
- You can leave the chocolate off if you want to cut calories, or simply just want shortbread.
- I score the bottom of the cookies with a small sharp knife. Just be careful not to break them, as they will be cold and not flex much from being chilled.