I've made this Pistachio and Almond Shortbread over and over in the last few months and let me tell you: the whole batch disappears in two days flat every single time. My husband loves them and the kids are big fans, too! They are so simple to put together in the food processor and they require no fussy rolling or spacing on a baking sheet. I love that they have a salty-sweet flavor and that they are loaded with pistachios.
This shortbread makes a great after-school snack. Try these Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats or Soft Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars next!
Ingredients and Preparation
Somehow these six ingredients come together for some kind of special kitchen alchemy. Granted one of those ingredients is butter, a heavy hitter if there ever was one. Almond and vanilla extracts also pack big punches, but it's the pistachios that make it for me. Their pretty green color and toasty and buttery flavor make them a favorite for snacking but they really shine in this shortbread.
Preheat the oven to 375o F and prepare your 8- or 9-inch pan by folding a piece of parchment paper until it is the width of your pan and long enough to hang over the sides. You've just made a parchment sling that will help you transfer the entire baked shortbread for cooling and cutting! You're a kitchen genious.
Next, Add the pistachios, flour, and powdered sugar to the food proecssor. Process for 10-15 seconds, until the nuts are well chopped. Doing this with the flour and the nuts together keeps the nuts from turning into nut butter (though that would be delicious). Add the butter and the extracts to the processor and process again for about 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process one last time until the dough comes together in a ball, about 15 more seconds.
You're basically all done! Transfer that dough to the prepared pan and press it down until it forms a nice even layer. I use the inside of the paper that wrapped the stick of butter to get it smooth-ish.
Bake the Pistachio and Almond Shortbread for 18-20 minutes on the center rack. You will see golden edges and the center of the shortbread won't be shiny any more. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Use that sling to transfer the whole shortbread to a cutting board and slice into 32 bars with a sharp knife. Now, if you can manage, allow the shortbread to cool completely.
Serving and Storage
This Pistachio and Almond Shortbread is the perfect companion to tea or coffee. I always snag a piece when it is right out of the oven (chef's prerogative), but once they are completely cool they are a bit softer and the texture of the chopped pistachios shines. I store these in an airtight container on the counter top and I couldn't tell you how long they last because we've never made it longer than two days!
Looking for some other sweet treats to enjoy? Try these Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies or Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies!
I hope you try this Pistachio and Almond Shortbread and enjoy the recipe as much as I do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Recipe
Pistachio and Almond Shortbread
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup pistachios (shelled, roasted and salted)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup salted butter (cut into cubes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F and line a 8- or 9-inch square pan with a parchment paper sling.
- In the bowl of a food prcocessor, combine the pistachios, powdered sugar, and flour and process for 10-15 seconds until the nuts are finely chopped.
- Add the butter and extracts and process again for 10 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl down and process once more until the dough comes together, about 15 seconds.
- Press the dough into the pan evenly, creating an even layer.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are a golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the whole batch to a cutting board with the parchment sling and slice into 32 bars.
- Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts caculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Nutrition Facts
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