Description

These gluten free cranberry pistachio slice and bake cookies are soft and tender with a subtle chewiness around the edges. Sweet white chocolate, tart dried cranberries, and orange zest yield a delicious balance of festive flavors while a coating of finely chopped pistachios on the outside adds a delicate nuttiness. The make-ahead dough and slice and bake method makes these gluten free cookies perfect for holiday baking!

Ingredients

Scale

¾ cup raw pistachios
½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons orange zest, from 1 medium orange
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 ¼ cups (270 grams) gluten free measure for measure flour, plus a little extra for tossing with the dried cranberries
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅔ cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
⅔ cup white chocolate chips

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Instructions

Add the pistachios to a food processor. Process until very finely chopped, then set aside for now.
Add the butter, sugar, and orange zest to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium low for 2-3 minutes until creamy. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and paddle then add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix on low until combined and creamy.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a separate bowl. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Toss the chopped cranberries and white chocolate chips with 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of the gluten free flour until they are coated. Once the cookie dough is mostly combined, add the chopped cranberries and white chocolate chips. Mix until evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
Divide the cookie dough into two equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then form and shape it into a log that is about 7 1/2 inches long. Place the finely chopped pistachios on a small sheet pan or large plate. Roll each log in the finely chopped pistachios until evenly coated. Wrap each log in plastic or parchment and chill for at least two hours, or up to 3 days.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice off and discard the very ends of each log, then use a sharp knife to cut the logs into ¼-inch thick slices. Place the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets at least one inch apart.
Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes until they are just turning golden around the edges and the tops of the cookies are no longer shiny. Avoid overbaking as it will make these dry and crumbly!
Cool the baked cookies for 15 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

You don’t have to worry about overmixing the cookie dough since we’re working with gluten free flour.

I HIGHLY recommend measuring the flour with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff up the gluten free flour with a spoon, then spoon it into your measuring cups, overfilling past the top. Use something flat to level off the flour, scraping the excess back into the bag.

Both the King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour and the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour yield delicious and reliable results. If you use a different blend, make sure it contains xanthan gum.

Tip for chopping the cranberries – spray the blade of your knife lightly with cooking spray. It will help keep the cranberries from sticking as much while chopping

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
Category: Dessert