Pistachio & Dried Cherry Tree Cookies
-courtesy Cake & Loaf Bakery, Hamilton/cakeandloaf.ca
These shortbreads can be shaped as you prefer, but we love the whimsy of a miniature evergreen tree, dusted with a fresh coating of powdered “snow.” Makes 3 ½ dozen.
2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup icing sugar plus more for coating
2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
5 cups sifted all purpose flour
PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
LINE three heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups butter and 1 cup powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy.
BEAT in vanilla and salt. Add pistachios and cherries and mix until combined. Using spatula, stir in all flour (do not overmix dough).
SHAPE dough by heaping tablespoonfuls into tree shaped cones. Be sure the cones are centred and balanced so they don't sag in the oven. Place on prepared sheets – they will not spread much in the oven.
BAKE cookies until bottoms and tips are light brown, about 17 minutes.
COOL cookies for 10 minutes before coating. Place roughly 2 cups of icing sugar into medium bowl. Working with 3 or 4 warm cookies at a time, add cookies to bowl of sugar; gently turn to coat thickly. Transfer cookies to sheet of parchment paper. Repeat to coat cookies with sugar again; cool completely. Store airtight at room temperature.