Orange Pistachio Cookies for Christmas (The Best Pistachio Cookies)
These Orange Pistachio Cookies are a unique take on traditional crescent cookies. You need just 7 basic ingredients for this easy cookie recipe! These delicious cookies contain real pistachios with plenty of pistachio flavor.
Creating This Pistachio Cookie Recipe
I hope everyone had an enjoyable, delicious, fun-filled Thanksgiving. Now that we’ve gotten through that milestone of the holiday season, we can start talking about Christmas cookies!
One of our family’s favorite parts about December is baking and decorating Christmas cookies (and listening to Christmas music).
Because I like taking classic recipes and tweaking them with new flavors, I thought I’d do the same thing this year. I used a recipe I’ve made before for Swedish Crescent Cookies and added orange zest and pistachios to switch things up a bit.
Pistachios have always been one of my favorite nuts and I think they taste great with orange.
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Tools Needed to Make this Pistachio Cookie Recipe
I recommend having the following kitchen tools on hand for use when making this recipe for Pistachio Cookies:
- Measuring Cups and Spoons – to measure the ingredients.
- Food Processor – to finely chop the pistachio nuts
- Large Mixing Bowl – to combine the dry ingredients.
- Microplane – to zest the oranges.
- Stand Mixer with Bowl – to beat the butter, sugar, and eggs before adding the dry ingredients. Alternatively, use a handheld electric mixer with a large bowl.
- Parchment Paper – to line the cookie sheet.
- Cookie Sheet – to bake the cookies on.
- Wire Rack – to cool the baked, warm cookies on.
- Fine Mesh Sifter – to sprinkle the powder sugar on the tops of the cookies with.
Ingredients for Pistachio Christmas Cookies
To make the Christmas crescent cookies, you’ll need just seven simple ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Egg Yolk
- All-Purpose Flour
- Chopped Pistachios
- Orange Zest
For the complete ingredient list and full instructions to make these nutty cookies, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make these Christmas Pistachio Cookies
I love how easy these orange pistachio cookies are to make! They do require some patience, as the dough has to chill for 2 hours and each cookie has to be shaped into crescents. Otherwise it’s a very simple recipe!
- Preheat the oven and line a pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar tog
- Slowly stir in the flour, nuts, and zest.
- Form the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc shape. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove a heaping tablespoon of dough at a time, shaping into crescent shapes.
- Bake pistachio cookies on prepared baking sheet until cookies are lightly golden around the edges.
- Transfer to a cooling rack over a sheet of parchment paper.
- While still warm, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making Pistachio Christmas Cookies
- Use unsalted pistachios for best results.
- To measure the pistachios, chop them up and then measure them. You’ll need 1 1/3 cups chopped pistachios.
- Lemon zest will work in place of orange zest if you prefer or if you don’t have any oranges.
- Christmas crescent cookies are easily adaptable with whatever nuts you have on hand or enjoy the most.
- Do NOT skip chilling the dough. It needs those 2 hours in the fridge to firm up. If you don’t chill the dough, the cookies won’t hold their crescent shape and will flatten out in the oven.
- You can roll these pistachio cookies in cookie dough balls or form them in crescent shapes. Whatever you prefer!
- Bake the pistachio cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet so they don’t stick.
How to Store and Freeze Pistachio Cookies
The Christmas crescent cookies will last up to five days in an airtight container at room temperature. They can also be frozen for up to three months.
If possible, I recommend freezing the cookies without the powdered sugar on top. However, freezing them with the sugar on them won’t ruin them!
When ready to eat the frozen cookies, set at room temperature to thaw.
Give this Easy Pistachio Cookies a Try!
Next time you’re looking for the perfect cookie for someone who is a big fan of pistachios, give this Pistachio Cookies Recipe a try! Did you think they were one of the best Christmas cookies? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this holiday classic.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of these Christmas cookies with crunchy pistachios!
More Easy Christmas Cookies:
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are super festive with red and green funfetti sprinkles in the bars and crushed candy cane pieces on top!
Gingerbread Cookies are traditional this time of year, but these Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies offer a fun and unique twist on the classic.
A tasty ginger recipe that doesn’t require cut outs is this Caramel Pecan Gingersnap Thumbprints Recipe.
These Almond Butter Cookies are the tastiest I’ve tried and make a great addition to your regular cooking baking. They’re the perfect alternative if you have a peanut allergy!
Classic chocolate chip cookies get a make over with white chocolate, coconut, macadamia nuts, and lemon. These White Chocolate Lemon Coconut Cookies are the perfect spring and summer cookie with a little tropical twist.
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Orange Pistachio Cookies
These Orange Pistachio Cookies are a unique take on traditional crescent cookies. You need just 7 basic ingredients for this easy cookie recipe! These delicious cookies contain real pistachios with plenty of pistachio flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus additional for coating
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/3 cups very finely chopped pistachios
- zest of one orange
Instructions
- In a bowl, beat the butter and 1/2 cup sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract, yolk. Beat until combined.
- Slowly stir in the flour, nuts, and zest.
- For the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc shape. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove a heaping tablespoon of dough at a time, shaping into crescent shapes. Arrange about 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake until cookies are lightly golden around the edges, about 15-20 minutes.
- While still warm, dust the cookies with confectioners sugar. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 2 cookiesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 228Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 44mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 4g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Corinne says
What the temperature 325°or350°?
Katie says
the printable recipe states 375 for baking temp
Rory says
Should we measure the pistachios before or after chopping them up?
Katie says
chop first, then measure
Patricia Scarpin says
Katie, these cookies look adorable! I’m a sucker for all things citrus and also happen to love pistachios – these are perfect for me!
Molly Jo says
These were my Dad’s favorite cookies at Christmas. I haven’t made them yet this year, so don’t have any photos for my blog. Again, operative word being yet.
These are like little mini fruitcakes that go great with coffee, tea, egg nog, milk, mulled wine, cider, hot chocolate… pretty much any holiday beverage you prefer.
They’re great to give as gifts, store well in cookie jars and air-tight canisters. They also travel/ship well for those out-of-town travelers and Care Packages.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup finely snipped dates
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
Halved candied cherries (to top cookies with)
DIRECTIONS:
Cream butter, sugar, and eggs until fluffy. Stir in sour cream.
Sift together flour, cinnamon, soda, salt, cloves. Stir into creamed mix.
Mix in oats, pecans, dates, raisins and chopped cherries.
Drop from spoon 2″ apart onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Top each with halved cherry.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
Cool on rack.
Makes approximately 5 dozen.
This recipe has been entered in the 2011 Holiday Recipe Exchange. “Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by OXO.”
http://franklymydearmojo.com/2011/11/17/recipe-yuletide-drops-cookies/
Molly Jo says
[This recipe has been posted on my blog, but I don’t have any photos with it so it won’t link above.]
Here’s another great Christmas cookie recipe from my mom. These were always my favorite; even now I still can never get enough.
I haven’t made them yet this year, so there’s no photos on the blog. But trust me. As soon as I make them, I’ll photograph their melty gooey yumminess for all to see.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2-1/2 cup sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup small gumdrops, sliced (don’t use black)
DIRECTIONS:
Thoroughly cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in egg.
Sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Gradually stir into creamed mixture; mix well.
Shape dough into roll 2″ in diameter x 12″ long. Wrap in wax paper, chill several hours or overnight.
Cut 1/4-inch thick slices. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate tops with gumdrop slices.
Bake at 350 for approximately 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cool slightly before removing from pan.
Makes approximately 4 dozen.
This recipe has been entered in the 2011 Holiday Recipe Exchange. “Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by OXO.”
http://franklymydearmojo.com/2011/11/17/recipe-gumdrop-gems-cookies/
Carmen says
Poor Man’s Cookies
This recipe has no butter, which is why it’s for the “poor man”.
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raisins, nuts, choc chips, or M & Ms (optional)
Mix all but baking soda and water. Mix baking soda and water separately, then combine with the rest of ingredients. Use your hands to roll into walnut-sized balls. Note: Wet hands to make ingredients stick together. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
Note: Over-baking will result in very hard cookies!
Makes 3 1/2 dozen.
Stephen Wesche says
I really enjoy Black Magic Chocolate Mint Cookies. You can find the recipe all over the internet 🙂
anne hill says
Christ-mint cookies:
2/3 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
Andes mints
2 packages (6 ounce ea) semi-sweet chocolates
Heat over to 375. Mix butter, sugar, egg, vanilla. Stir in all other ingredients excepts Andes mints.
Drop dough onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 min or until golden brown. In the last minute, place an Andes mint on top of each cookie & gently press in. Allow to melt about 1 min. Remove & let cool a little before removing from cookie sheet.
Megan says
This recipe has been handed down a couple generations in my family. They are super yummy and easy to make! The sour cream gives them a wonderful texture.
LEMON KNOTS
5 cups flour and more if needed
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs beaten
1 cup sour cream
2 sticks butter
3/4 tsp. vanilla
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, mix sour cream into flour with hands,then add rest of ingrediants slowly. Keep adding more flour until youhave a smooth not sticky dough.(it may take 1 or 2 more cups of flouror more). I put dough into fridge for a few hours or up to 2 days.Roll into knots or balls.
Bake 350 oven for 15 or 20 min., bottom of cookies will be brown.
cool cookies. ______________________________________________________
Frosting
1cup powdered sugar
1 or 2 tsp. lemon extract. (I use 1)
few drops of water
Mix until medium thick consistancy. Dip just top ofcookie into mixture. Let them dry very well and then store in fridge until your ready to serve.
Should make about 100 cookies if small enough.
megancrose at gmail dot com
Erin says
I made these cookies today. They are absolutely delicious! However, I found the instructions a bit… odd. Form the dough into a ball, then flatten and chill. I figured the next step would be, ‘Cut out cookies with cookie cutter,’ but then you say to scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough. Did you mean to flatten and cut with forms, or leave in a ball and scoop? The dough was far too hard to just scoop; it probably would have been fine without chilling (if scooping). I used a cookie cutter, but I am still unclear on the original instructions. These cookies hold their form very well!
Katie says
The recipe was adapted from the cookbook and that is what the instructions said. I’m guessing that the flattening it was so the dough would chill faster rather than being in one large, thick hunk. I was impatient with my first batch a while ago and did not chill them. The cookies didn’t hold their shape well because the dough was to soft, so I found the chilling essential.
Heavenly Houswife says
Well, its a very simple cookie, but I think it is amazing anyway:
http://www.donutstodelirium.com/2009/06/save-the-drama-for-your-mama-vanilla-sugar-cookies/
Louise Hyson says
no blog- recipe intead
Anise Cakes
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
4 cups sifted all purpose flour (sift before measuring)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons anise seeds
Beat eggs and sugar at high speed for 1/2 hour. Add flour, salt and baking powder (sifted together). Add anise seeds. Roll out 1/2 inch thick on lightly floured board; cut with cookie cutters (stars, hearts and bells or your choice). Let stand 12 hours or overnight. Cakes will get hard crust while standing. Do not cover. Bake in 350F oven 12 minutes. Makes 3 dozen 3-inch cookies or 6 dozen 2-inch cookies.
Liz says
I make almond cookies with chocolate icing. YUM!
1 cup Butter
⅔ cups Granulated Sugar
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Almond Extract
Cream together the butter with the granulated sugar. Mix in flour and extract. Scoop out a spoonful of the mixture and shape into 1-inch balls. (The mixture will just barely come together.) Put each ball onto a cookie sheet and press your thumb into each one to make an indention. Bake 14-18 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.
Jamie S says
These have been a new family tradition for a few years. Be prepared to make them a few times since they go fast and also are best if eaten within a few days of being made. Super easy, they cook while you sleep and are ready when you wake up!!!! 🙂
MINT CHOCOLATE MERINGUES
-Preheat oven to 350
-Combine & beat until foamy 2 egg whites
-Add gradually while beating 2/3 c sugar & Green food coloring – a drop or two
-Continue beating until firm then fold in by hand
1 pkg. mint chocolate chips
(mini chips are best & there are tiny green & chocolate
squares available some places. If you can’t find those finely chopped Andes mints work as well.)
-Drop onto cookie sheet (with parchment paper if available)
-Put into preheated oven then turn oven off & leave 4-5 hours or overnight.
(If cookies are still moist heat oven to warm then turn off for a little longer.)
Variation – use a drop of red food coloring, a drop of peppermint extract, & fold in crushed candy canes