Pistachio Crusted Chocolate Shortbread Slice and Bake Cookies
These chocolate shortbread cookies are the perfect combination of chocolatey flavor, with crisp and buttery texture and just a hint of orange and a pistachio exterior.
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“Slice and bake” cookies are great during the holiday season since the dough can be made and chilled ahead of time and even frozen until you need it. Simply take out, slice and bake for any last minute entertaining (or to make just enough cookies for one!).
Pistachio Crusted Chocolate Shortbread Slice and Bake Cookies
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Pistachios – Pistachios are actually the seed of a plant belonging to the cashew family rather than a nut. They come in shells which are easily peeled away to reveal mild, slightly soft and sweet meat.
- Orange zest – The orange zest is the grated outer skin from the orange. Use a zester or microplane to remove the zest. If you don’t have a zester use a paring knife or vegetable peeler to remove the rind and finely chop it.
- Cocoa powder – Look for high quality cocoa powder. It’s made from the dried and ground cocoa solids. A little goes a long way when using this concentrated powder!
How to Make these Pistachio Crusted Chocolate Shortbread Slice and Bake Cookies
- Beat the butter and sugar. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In another medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, orange zest and salt together until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until evenly combined.
- Wrap the dough. Place an 18-inch piece of plastic wrap on a clean workspace. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios then turn the dough out onto the plastic and use your hands to shape it into a 12-inch log with the pistachios on the outside like a crust.
- Chill the dough. Wrap the dough tightly in the plastic wrap, pressing the pistachios in place and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Slice the cookies. When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 325ºF. Unwrap the cookie dough and slice into ½-inch slices. Arrange on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spaced 2-inches apart.
- Bake, Bake until crisp, about 16 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool and store in an airtight container.
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Pistachio Crusted Chocolate Shortbread Slice and Bake Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shelled, chopped pistachios
Instructions:
- Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- In another medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, orange zest and salt together until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until evenly combined.
- Place an 18-inch piece of plastic wrap on a clean workspace. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios then turn the dough out onto the plastic and use your hands to shape it into a 12-inch log with the pistachios on the outside like a crust.
- Wrap the dough tightly in the plastic wrap, pressing the pistachios in place and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 325ºF (170ºC). Unwrap the cookie dough and slice into ½-inch slices. Arrange on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spaced 2-inches apart.
- Bake until crisp, about 16 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool and store in an airtight container.
DID YOU MAKE THIS?
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My family and I loved these cookies. They barely lasted a day in my house. The chocolate and pistachio with a subtle hint of orange was delicious. The best shortbread cookie I’ve ever baked. Highly recommend especially for the holidays!
I’m so happy they were a hit Jamie! Thank you for sharing!!
Unfortunately this cookie did not taste very good. I am unsure what I could have done wrong but the coco powder gave it a very dry and bitter taste. It was overwhelming.
I’m so sorry you did not enjoy this cookie recipe Pamela. Unfortunately it may come down to preference as I did retest the recipe after receiving your comment and still found it enjoyable. This is a shortbread cookie recipe so the dough is meant to be more crumbly.
I am extremely in love with this cookie recipe! It was so easy to follow the recipe and it was a great way to make use of the pistachios that I had lying around. Highly recommend making these cookies as a little holiday present or to have around in your socially distanced, masked holiday gathering! Just kidding, don’t have a gathering; just eat them by yourself! They’re that addicting.