Cranberry Pistachio Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

These Christmas thumbprint cookies are all decked out in red and green!  Rich cream cheese dough is coated in crunchy pistachios and crowned with a jammy dollop of tangy cranberry compote.

Is your holiday baking in full swing?

For me, baking is a year-round affair (obvs), but I’m really doing my bestest to step up my cookie game for the high season 😉

I’ve been invited to a pajama party/cookie exchange at the end of this week.  How fun does that sound???  I really want to go.  Hopefully I can manage to squeeze in an extra 5 dozen (!) cookies by Friday, in addition to all the other bloggy baking I have scheduled for this, the most baketastic week of the whole year.

It’s dizzy and busy but I truly love it.  Cookies are my favorite thing to bake, and I wish they were better represented on this blog.  Over the next few days, I’ll be baking up a few more of my favorite recipes, and these in particular have been a holiday staple in my kitchen for years.  They trickled down to me from my mom’s best friend, around 2 decades ago.  I wonder if she remembers gifting a few dozen of these to my family, so long ago…?  They made a big impression on me, and I’ve been making them ever since.

This year I decided to put my own spin on Jackie’s classic recipe (which was originally done with raspberry preserves, and without nuts), and give them a festive red and green look, with cranberries and pistachio.

I’m telling you, when it comes to cookies I am usually ALL about the chocolate.  It takes something preeeeeetty special to turn my head, when chocolate is not involved.  This is IT!

The cream cheese cookie dough is so unbelievably rich and dense, and it literally melts in your mouth.  It’s almost like a cross between cheesecake and cookie.  Could there be anything better than that???

The ground pistachio nuts add even more richness, along with a nice salty/crunchy contrast.  And the tart cranberries are so fruity, sweet, and festive!

These Cranberry Pistachio Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies are a terrific addition to your Christmas cookie plate!  Your friends will love all the pretty red and green.  😀

Stay tuned for a few more awesome cookie recipes, as we count down to the final days before Christmas!

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Cranberry Pistachio Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

Servings: 42

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Chill Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 37 minutes mins

These Christmas thumbprint cookies are all decked out in red and green! Rich cream cheese dough is coated in crunchy pistachios and crowned with a jammy dollop of tangy cranberry compote.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 12 ounces (340.2 g) fresh cranberries
• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup (236.59 ml) water
• ▢ 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, (2 sticks)
• ▢ 6 ounces (170.1 g) cream cheese, (I used reduced fat)
• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 egg white, (large)
• ▢ 1 cup (123 g) finely chopped pistachios

Instructions

 

• Simmer the cranberries, sugar, and water in a small pot for 15 minutes, or until the berries have burst and the sauce is slightly thickened.
• Cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium speed until completely combined.
• Mix in the flour and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 1 hour.
• Scoop the chilled dough into 1 tablespoon balls, and roll between your palms.
• Dredge the balls in the egg white, and roll in chopped pistachios to coat.
• Place on parchment lined baking sheets and use a ¼ teaspoon measure to press a deep well into the center of each ball.
• Fill the well with a small amount of the cooled cranberry mixture, and bake for 12 minutes.

Calories: 132kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 43mg, Potassium: 51mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 206IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert, Snack

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