Pistachio Wreath Cookies Recipes

PISTACHIO COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil and confectioners' sugar until blended (mixture will clump together). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract and food coloring. , Combine the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, cream of tarter and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour., Shape into 1-in. balls; roll in colored sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 7-9 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

RASPBERRY PISTACHIO THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Add pistachios; mix well., Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with your thumb; fill each with 1/2 teaspoon jam., Bake until bottoms are light brown, 13-16 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. If desired, dust with additional confectioners' sugar.

PISTACHIO CRANBERRY COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, oil and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the cereal, oats, cranberries and pistachios., Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

EMBELLISHED WREATH COOKIES

Steps:

• Sugar Cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, orange zest, and brandy until well combined. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. On a lightly floured surface, shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes using a 3 1/2-inch fluted round. Use a 1-inch round cutter to cut out centers of cookies. Reroll scraps once (you should have about 16 cookies). Transfer both wreaths and cookie centers to prepared sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. Bake until set and golden around edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely.
• Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar, egg white, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until smooth. If necessary, add remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice to reach desired consistency. Glaze should be opaque but not too thick as to run down the edges of the cookie once dipped. If not using immediately, glaze can be stored at room temperature, with plastic wrap pressed directly on surface, up to 2 days, or in refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Working with one cookie at a time, dip cookie top-side down in glaze to coat surface, allowing excess glaze to drip back into bowl. If glaze runs down sides of cookie and is too transparent, add more confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. If glaze is too thick, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Transfer glazed cookies to a wire rack or baking sheet. Working quickly before glaze sets, decorate cookies with toppings, if desired. Let stand at room temperature until completely dry, at least 2 hours. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature overnight.

PISTACHIO WREATH COOKIES

Steps:

• In a food processor, process butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until smooth. Add flour and pulse until a dough forms. Stir in pistachios. Divide dough into 2 disks; wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Working with one disk at a time, roll out on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2-inch round fluted cutter, cut out wreaths. Using a 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out centers of wreaths. Reroll scraps. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze until firm, 15 minutes. Bake until cookies are set and barely golden at edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies on sheets to wire racks; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

KRANSEKAKE

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F.
• Add the almond flour and 1 pound of the confectioners' sugar to a food processor. Pulse about 10 times to combine. Add the egg whites and vanilla extract. Run the processor for about 20 seconds until the dough forms into a ball; it will be slightly sticky. Remove the dough from the food processor and form it into a disc. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Spray the kransekake molds with nonstick spray and sprinkle with semolina, tapping off any excess.
• Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, roll it out into a rope long enough to wrap into each mold. The width should be even and no thicker than 1/2 inch. (Keep the unused dough covered with plastic wrap.) Repeat the process until all the molds are filled. Transfer the molds to 2 baking sheets.
• Bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the molds. Carefully remove each ring from the molds onto cooling racks for 10 minutes.
• To make the royal icing, add the remaining 1/2 pound confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 4 tablespoons water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk until stiff peaks form. If desired, stir a few drops of food coloring into the icing with a rubber spatula. Put the royal icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe icing onto each ring and stack them, largest to smallest. Dust with confectioners' sugar right before serving.

PISTACHIO-SHORTBREAD SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• In a food processor, process butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until smooth. Add flour and pulse until a dough forms. Stir in pistachios. Shape dough into two 8-inch-long logs, tightly wrap in plastic, and freeze until firm, 30 minutes (or up to 1 month).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set and barely golden at edges, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
• Spread 1/2 teaspoon jam on bottoms of half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies. Store in airtight containers, up to 1 week.