Cherry Pistachio Slice & Bake Cookies

Submitted by HeatherFeather

"Adapted from Yankee magazine. I think these cookies are just lovely and am hoping to make them this year. The pistachios provide lovely green specks of color, so although they would still taste nice with a different nut, you would lose the green-red holiday effect if you substitute. Sanding sugar is the coarse, sparkly sugar that is used to decorate cookies - unlike ordinary sugar, the crystals will stay whole and look like clear sparkly sprinkles on the cookie edges (you can also use red or green). Plan ahead as the dough must chill overnight."

 

• Ready In: 24hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 4 dozen
• Serves: 48

ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 sticks)
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄4 - 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, separated
• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup pistachio nut, roughly chopped
• 1 cup candied red cherries, chopped
• 1⁄3 cup white sparkly sanding sugar

directions

1. Cream butter, granulated sugar, and salt using a mixer.
2. Add egg yolk (cover and chill your egg white for later in the recipe) and beat well.
3. Add flour and nuts and stir with a wooden spoon (the mixer would toughen the dough) until blended.
4. Using your hands or wooden spoon, blend in the cherries- the dough will be firm and this will be tricky, which is why your clean hands might be best for this.
5. Divide dough into halves, roll each into a log and wrap in wax paper, sealing ends; chill overnight or at least 8 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 350 F, line cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly.
7. Lay out a pan big enough to roll your cookie logs around in and sprinkle the sanding sugar in the pan.
8. Open up one of your dough logs and lightly brush with egg white, then roll the log in the sugar to coat.
9. Place on a cutting board and slice into 1/2" rounds.
10. Bake cookies 12-15 minutes per batch, cooling on racks when done.