Pistachio crinkle cookies are tiny sweet works of art. Beautifully green and utterly delicious – although I must admit I’m not entirely objective, as pistachios are my favourite nuts ;). A little freshly grated lemon zest enhances the pistachio flavour and gives the biscuits a lovely lift. The key to perfect crinkle cookies is temperature control: the dough must be thoroughly chilled and the oven fully preheated. That contrast is what creates the signature crackled tops. They’re ideal as an edible gift or for the festive season, alongside other Christmas bakes.
Makes about 30 cookies.
Ingredients for the pistachio crinkle cookies:
- 80 g unsalted butter
- 90 g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- finely grated zest of ½ a small lemon
- 150 g plain flour
- 100 g unsalted pistachios, finely ground
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- a generous pinch of salt
Additionally:
- caster sugar
- icing sugar
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract and lemon zest, and beat until combined. Add the flour, ground pistachios, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
From the chilled dough, shape small balls (about 15 g each). Roll each one first in caster sugar, then generously in icing sugar. Place all the balls on a plate or tray and freeze for 60 minutes. Freezing is essential for achieving the characteristic cracks.
Remove half of the dough balls from the freezer, roll them once more in icing sugar, and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Bake the remaining batch in the same way.
Store the pistachio crinkle cookies in an airtight container or tin for up to 7 days.
Enjoy!
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