White Chocolate and Pistachios Cookies with Cranberries
Coming in hot just in time for the holiday season, these White Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies with Cranberries are the perfect red, white, and green festive treat. These cookies are so delicious, I think they’ve earned a permanent spot in my holiday cookie rotation.
How to Make White Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies with Cranberries
This recipe is a festive take on a classic chocolate chip cookie. These cookies can easily be made ahead of the busy holiday season and stored in the freezer to have as on-demand treats for friends, family, and yourself over the holidays.
White Chocolate and Pistachio Cookie Ingredients
To make these cookies, you will need the following ingredients:
- Light brown sugar
- White sugar
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Light spelt flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sea salt
- White chocolate
- Shelled pistachios
- Dried cranberries
* Continue scrolling for the full recipe with measurements.
What is Spelt Flour?
Spelt flour is relative of wheat, but with some notable differences. Unlike regular wheat flour, spelt flour has a lower gluten content, which makes it easier to digest than traditional flour. Additionally, spelt flour is high in fibre, proteins, and nutrients, making it a real powerhouse for baking.
I like to use spelt flour in my baking because I find it a lot easier on my stomach than traditional wheat flour. I also love the mildly nutty flavour it has.
Whole and light spelt flour are the two varieties to look out for. As the name suggests, whole spelt flour contains the whole spelt grain and acts more like a whole wheat flour in baking. Light spelt flour has had some of the outer fibre of the spelt grain sifted out, which makes it more similar to a white flour. This recipe calls for light spelt flour because of its more mild flavour and softer texture.
Recipe Substitutions
The light spelt flour in this recipe can be substituted one-to-one for unbleached all-purpose flour.
Using olive oil in cookies may seem a bit odd, but trust me when I tell you it gives the cookies the most amazing gooey texture with a nice crisp edge—AKA the best texture for a cookie! That being said, you can substitute the olive oil one-to-one for softened butter.
Make the Cookie Dough
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the olive oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, adding the eggs one at a time. Mix well until the mixture is glossy and smooth.
In a medium bowl, sift together the spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Whisk well to combine.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until only a few streaks of flour remain visible.
Fold in the White Chocolate, Pistachios, and Cranberries
Add the chopped white chocolate, pistachios, and dried craberries to the cookie dough. Use a baking spatula or wooden spoon to fold them into the dough until evenly distributed.
Chill the Cookie Dough
Use a 3 tablespoon cookie dough scoop to divide the dough into even portions. Roll each portion of dough gently between your palms to form a nice little ball. Place the balls of dough on a lined baking sheet, then transfer to the freezer to chill for 10 minutes before baking.
Letting the dough chill slightly before baking helps to delay the cookies from spreading too quickly, which results in cookies with a nice gooey center and crisp outer edge.
Bake the cookies and Enjoy!
Space the chilled dough about two inches apart on your prepared baking sheet, then transfer to the oven to bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time.
The cookies are ready when the edges are lightly golden brown and the middles look slightly underdone.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Enjoy immediately, or allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer for later use.
More Festive Treats!
If you enjoyed this White Chocolate and Pistachio Cookie recipe, be sure to try out these other festive holiday treats:
If these cookies make their way into your holiday baking rotation, be sure to leave a review and a comment. I love to hear from you! And don’t forget to tag me in any of your creations on Instagram.
Happy holidays and happy baking!
xx
Ashley
White Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies with Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1½ cups light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups light spelt flour*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup white chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a baking spatula until smooth. Add the olive oil. Mix well until incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until only a few streaks of flour can be seen.
- Fold the white chocolate, pistachios, and cranberries into the dough until evenly distributed and no streaks of flour remain.
- Use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to scoop the dough. Roll the scooped dough gently between your palms to ensure a nice round shape. Transfer the dough to a lined baking sheet. It doesn't matter how far apart the cookies are while they chill, so you can really pack them onto the baking sheet!
- Place the scooped cookies in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes, then transfer to the preheated oven to bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through the cooking time. Make sure to leave about 2 inches between the cookies while baking. I usually bake 8 cookies at a time to make sure there's lots of room.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy the cookies warm or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.