Pistachio Butter Cookies
These pistachio butter cookies with raspberry jam centers are the ultimate holiday cookie recipe! Featuring a buttery pistachio-infused dough, crunchy pistachio coating, and sweet raspberry jam filling, these bakery-quality thumbprint cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie exchanges, Hanukkah celebrations, New Year’s parties, or any festive occasion. Frankie the Baker from Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace shares his professional technique that makes these gourmet cookies surprisingly easy to recreate at home.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
✓ Bakery-quality results at home
✓ Perfect for holiday cookie platters and gift giving
✓ Beautiful presentation with vibrant colors
✓ Rich pistachio flavor with sweet-tart raspberry contrast
✓ Makes a large batch perfect for entertaining
✓ Freezer-friendly for make-ahead baking
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
5 lbs butter cookie mix (or homemade butter cookie dough)
8 oz (1 cup) pistachio cream (pistachio spread or paste)
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup almond paste
½ cup vegetable shortening
⅓ cup eggs (about 2-3 large eggs, beaten)
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla)
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp butter flavoring
1 tsp orange extract
1 tsp lemon extract
For Assembly:
2 cups pistachio nuts, finely crushed (for coating)
2 cups raspberry jam (or seedless raspberry preserves)
Instructions
1. Make the Pistachio Cookie Dough: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter, vegetable shortening, sugar, and almond paste until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add the beaten eggs and all the extracts (vanilla, almond, butter, orange, and lemon), mixing until well combined. Add the pistachio cream and blend on medium speed until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and evenly colored. Gradually mix in the flour on low speed until just combined. The dough should be soft but manageable.
2. Prepare the Pistachio Coating: Crush 2 cups of pistachio nuts until finely ground but still slightly textured. Spread the crushed pistachios evenly onto a large sheet pan or shallow baking dish. Set aside for coating.
3. Shape the Cookies: Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a cookie scoop), pipe out round cookie dough portions in a 6×8 grid pattern on each sheet pan, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
4. Coat with Pistachios: Take each piped cookie and gently press it into the crushed pistachio mixture, coating the bottom and sides. Place back onto the prepared baking sheet, pistachio-side up.
5. Create Thumbprint Indentation: Using your thumb (or the back of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon), gently press down into the center of each cookie to create a deep well for the jam filling.
6. Fill with Raspberry Jam: Spoon or pipe approximately ½ to 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam into the center indentation of each cookie. Don’t overfill, as the jam may bubble over during baking.
7. Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 320°F (160°C). Bake the cookies for 18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies are set. The centers should still look soft. Avoid overbaking to maintain the tender, buttery texture.
8. Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before serving or storing. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
Recipe Notes & Tips
Pistachio Cream: Look for pistachio cream or pistachio butter in specialty stores, Italian markets, or online. Brands like Nutella’s pistachio version or Sicilian pistachio cream work beautifully.
Bakery Shortcut: Professional bakers often use pre-made butter cookie mix for consistency and speed. At home, making from scratch gives you control over quality and flavor.
Texture Tip: For extra crunch, use coarsely crushed pistachios. For a smoother coating, pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground.
Jam Options: Try apricot preserves, fig jam, cherry preserves, or Nutella for delicious variations.
Make-Ahead: Dough can be prepared 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before piping for easier handling.
Freezing: Unbaked cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes.
Storage Instructions
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container, layered between parchment paper, for up to 1 week.
Refrigerator: Keep fresh for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container.
Freezer: Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
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