Cherry Pistachio Cookies
Cherry Pistachio Cookies are a festive cookie that brings both color and flavor to your holiday trays and dessert tables. Made from scratch, a box of pudding keeps these cookies soft, and the candied cherries add bright pops of red. Whether you’re baking for friends, a cookie exchange, or holiday cookie trays, this recipe will get compliments.
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Adding pudding to cookies adds flavor and keeps them soft. They almost melt in your mouth. My Mounds Cake has pudding in it, as do vanilla pudding cookies.
Why you’ll love this recipe
My taste testers are not big fans of pistachios, the nut, but when they tried this cherry pistachio cookie, they were hooked! They did not last long.
- The festive red and green colors are perfect for Christmas.
- They are soft with great texture and flavor.
- The pistachio pudding keeps these cookies tender.
- Candied cherries add a touch of sweetness and bright color.
- An easy from-scratch cookie made with pantry ingredients.
Ingredients for Cherry Pistachio Cookies
As I mentioned above, these cookies are made with pantry ingredients that are all readily available.
- Butter
- Confectioners’ Sugar (Powdered Sugar)
- Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix
- All-Purpose Flour
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Candied Cherries
- Mix the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using a cookie scoop, place dough balls on a baking sheet.
- Gently flatten the dough balls with your hand or a flat-bottomed glass.
- Bake, cool, and enjoy!
Tips and Suggestions
- Chop the candied cherries into uniform pieces for even distribution.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough.
- Add 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips if desired. Don’t use regular size chocolate chips because they will take over the cookie.
- Use a cookie scoop for consistent sizing and even baking.
- Let cookies cool completely before storing to avoid moisture buildup.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How do you store cookies with candied cherries?
Store cherry pistachio cookies, or these fruitcake cookies, in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If stacking the cookies, place a piece of parchment between the cookies.
Can I use maraschino cherries instead of candied cherries?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. Maraschino chopped cherries are very wet, and even if you dry them well with a paper towel, they will bleed into the dough more than candied cherries.
Do the cookies stay green after baking?
You can see from the photos that the cookies are a pale green. If you want a more vibrant green, add a drop, no more than 2, of food coloring to the dough and mix it inside before adding the cherries.
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Cherry Pistachio Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 3.4 ounce package instant pistachio pudding
- 1⅔ cups flour
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup red candied cherries, chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer until fluffy. At least 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and pistachio pudding mix until combined.1 cup butter, softened, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 3.4 ounce package instant pistachio pudding, 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Carefully add in the flour and mix just until combined.1⅔ cups flour
- Gently mix in the chopped red cherries by hand to keep the color from bleeding. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for at least an hour.½ cup red candied cherries, chopped
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Using a #40 scoop, scoop cookie dough and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a clean flat object, such as a glass or measuring cup (or your clean hand), gently press the cookie dough ball to flatten it slightly. Not too thin.
- Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes or until the center is set and the edges begin to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
