“White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies”

CALLING ALL FELLOW BAKERS! Welcome to Cookie Week 2017. Last year at this time I gave you my first cookie week filled with family favorites. So I thought I’d share with you another holiday season of delicious, irresistible cookies. This is the time of year when everyone is gathering family and friends to bake their best of the best and favorites cookies. For me, baking cookies is filled with memories from childhood in the kitchen with my Mom. Without further delay, White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies are cookie number one. Starting Sunday I will be posting a new cookie recipe for the next seven days. I promise you’ll find one that will have you racing to the kitchen.

White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies

Twelve years ago I started a tradition at work of creating what everyone calls, “Michelle’s Cookie Extravaganza.” I have no shortage of cookie recipes to share with you. I seriously think I bake more and more each year and its never enough. I believe that’s a good thing. Smiles…!!! Rather than bake the same cookies each year, I do create new variations of old favorites. However, I do have tried and true recipes I dare not leave at home. So my recipe for White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies is an absolute winner.

White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies

First, I always start with unsalted butter as I do when baking. Butter is browned and cooled before continuing the recipe. This cookie is filled with a hint of ground cardamom added during the brown butter process. I find this toasts the cardamom.  A little goes a long way due to this spice’s peppery flavor. Then chopped pistachios are added to the buttery cookie dough. Once dough is mixed, roll dough into 1 1/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch logs on parchment paper. If dough is too soft to roll, sprinkle dough lightly with flour to keep dough from sticking to your hands and to help roll logs. Place logs in refrigerator overnight. When ready, just slice and bake.

White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies

I made rectangle shape logs instead of round for a different shape because I decided to dip the ends of these cookies in white chocolate and sprinkle with silver and gold sprinkles for a festive flair. White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies do not need to be dipped in chocolate if desired. They are fabulous without any extras. Hey, it’s a festive time of year and the spirit moved me. What can I say! So you be the judge. I say live a little and add that special touch this holiday season.

White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies

I love this cookie because it is not too sweet. I suggest these White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies as the perfect holiday addition to your after dinner dessert table served with coffee. A positively heavenly combination. Nothing casts the spell of the holidays like home-baked treats. Everyone has a favorite from their childhood yet introducing new favorites to be shared time and time again, passed down from generation to generation. Sharing your recipes in holiday cookie bakes or just baking for yourself reminds us all of how fortunate and blessed we are this time a year. So, grab your recipe box, magazines or wherever your recipes are stored and start baking up some scrumptious treats to share with your loved ones. From my family to yours, we wish you a healthy, happy holiday season. Happy Baking!

White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies

White Chocolate Cardamom Pistachio Butter Cookies

2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups) unsalted butter

1 t. ground cardamom

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. baking powder

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup chopped roasted and salted pistachios

White Chocolate Candy Coating or Bark, for dipping

Silver and Gold Sprinkles, for sprinkling

In a medium saucepan, melt butter with cardamom over medium heat, cooking until butter is fragrant and golden brown. This takes about 6 – 7 minutes. Stir occasionally so butter does not burn. Pour browned butter into a bowl and place in freezer for about 10 minutes or until firm.

While butter is in freezer, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.

To mix cookie dough, place butter and sugar in bowl of stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until fluffy and pale. Add in eggs, beating until combined, scraping down sides as needed. Spoon in dry ingredients and pistachios, beating on low-speed just until combined.

Remove cookie dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into four balls. Place each ball onto a sheet of parchment paper. Shape each ball into 1 – 1 ½ inch diameter logs. Wrap and place each parchment-wrapped log on a small cookie sheet. Chill cookie dough for at least 2 hours to overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand about 10 minutes. Slice into ¼-inch thick slices and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets about 2-inches apart. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Let cookies cool 5 minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely. If cookies are moved to racks too soon, the cookies will crumble.

Once cookies have cooled completely, melt white chocolate. Dip the end of each cookie into chocolate and sprinkle with silver and gold sprinkles. Let chocolate set before storing in airtight containers.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.