Pistachio Wedding Cookies: A Step-By-Step Guide To Baking Perfection

Pistachio wedding cookies are a delightful twist on the traditional Mexican wedding cookies. They are soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies with a hint of pistachio and a lovely minty green colour. They are easy to make and require simple ingredients like butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, and of course, pistachios. The dough is usually chilled before baking, and the cookies are coated in powdered sugar for extra sweetness. These cookies are perfect for any occasion, especially weddings and holiday gatherings.

How to make the dough

To make the dough for pistachio wedding cookies, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Butter (salted or unsalted)
• Powdered/confectioners sugar
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Pistachio instant pudding mix
• Salt (optional)

Some recipes also include chopped pistachios, while others suggest adding orange zest, lemon zest, dried cranberries, cinnamon, cloves, or a combination of these ingredients.

To make the dough, follow these steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until smooth. You can use a stand or hand mixer for this step.
• Add in half a cup of powdered sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy.
• Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pudding mix, and salt (if using).
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. You can use a stand or hand mixer for this step, or mix by hand.
• If you're adding any additional ingredients, such as chopped pistachios or dried cranberries, stir them into the dough now.
• Divide the dough in half and form each half into a ball. Wrap the dough balls in plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Once the dough has chilled, you can preheat your oven and continue with the remaining steps to bake your pistachio wedding cookies!

How to shape the cookies

Shaping the cookies is a crucial step in making pistachio wedding cookies. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to achieve the perfect shape:

Start by dividing the dough in half and forming it into balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator for at least an hour. This step is important as it helps the dough firm up, making it easier to handle and shape.

Once the dough has chilled, it's time to portion it out. Use a teaspoon or a small cookie scoop to scoop out the dough and roll it into balls. The size of the balls will depend on your preference, but a standard size is usually around a teaspoon. Place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart to allow for spreading during baking.

Before baking, you can slightly flatten the dough balls with the back of a spoon or your palm. This will give the cookies a slightly flatter shape, similar to a traditional cookie shape. However, if you prefer a more rounded cookie, you can skip this step.

Bake the cookies according to your recipe instructions. Keep in mind that these cookies are meant to be soft, so avoid over-baking them. They should still be slightly soft when you remove them from the oven.

After baking, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This will help them retain their shape and prevent over-baking.

Once the cookies have cooled, it's time to add the finishing touch—a generous coating of powdered sugar! Place some powdered sugar in a bowl and gently roll each cookie in the sugar until it's evenly coated. This will give your pistachio wedding cookies a beautiful, snowy appearance.

And there you have it! Perfectly shaped pistachio wedding cookies that are ready to be served or packaged as gifts. Enjoy the melt-in-your-mouth goodness of these buttery, nutty treats!

How long to bake them for

Baking time for pistachio wedding cookies varies depending on the recipe you follow. Most recipes call for baking the cookies for around 9-10 minutes in an oven preheated to 350°F. However, some recipes suggest a shorter baking time of 6-9 minutes, while others recommend a longer baking time of up to 15 minutes.

It's important not to overbake pistachio wedding cookies, as they can dry out and become crumbly. The cookies are supposed to be soft, so don't worry if they still seem a little undercooked when you take them out of the oven. They will continue to cook for a few minutes as they cool on the baking sheet.

Once the cookies are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before rolling them in powdered sugar. This will give them a sweet coating and help to soak up some of the grease from the butter.

How to coat them in sugar

To coat your pistachio wedding cookies in sugar, you will need powdered or confectioners' sugar. This is sometimes referred to as 'snow sugar' or 'icing sugar'. You will need a generous amount of this to coat your cookies.

Once your cookies are baked and still warm, place a few at a time into a bowl of powdered sugar and gently turn them to coat them. You can also place the sugar in a plastic bag and shake the cookies inside to coat them. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack or sheet of waxed paper to cool completely.

Once the cookies are completely cool, you can roll them in the powdered sugar a second time for a thicker coating.

How to store them

Pistachio wedding cookies are a delicate, crumbly treat, so storing them correctly is important to ensure they don't lose their melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Firstly, it's important to let the cookies cool completely before storing them. If you're in a hurry, let them cool on the baking tray for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This process should take about 30 minutes in total.

Once the cookies are cool, you can roll them in powdered sugar for that extra sweetness and to give them a beautiful snowy appearance. This step is optional but will make your cookies extra special. Place the cookies on a plate or tray and sprinkle powdered sugar over them, then gently turn them to coat. You can also place the sugar in a bowl and gently toss the cookies, a few at a time, to coat them evenly.

For storage, choose an airtight container. Layer the cookies between sheets of waxed paper or baking parchment to prevent them from sticking together. The cookies will keep well at room temperature for up to 5 days.

If you want to make a large batch of cookies to enjoy later, you can freeze them. Place the cookies in a freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3-4 months. You can freeze the cookies either before or after rolling them in powdered sugar. If you choose to freeze them before, let them thaw at room temperature, then roll them in sugar after they have thawed. This will give them a fresh, snowy appearance.

Frequently asked questions