Pistachio Shortbread

Pistachio Shortbread is one of my favorite shortbread cookies. This shortbread recipe calls for unsalted pistachios but I've use salted and roasted with excellent results. Just leave out the salt.

The lemon zest adds a little extra flavor and compliments the pistachios.

Pistachio Shortbread Recipe

3/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1/2 medium lemon)

Preheat your oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking dish or cake pan.

Toast the pistachios in a large frying pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are aromatic and slightly golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the nuts from the pan and allow them to cool at least 10 minutes before proceeding.

Combine 1/2 cup of the pistachios, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, and kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse about 20 times or until the pistachios are ground and mixture resembles sand.

Add the all-purpose flour and pulse again to combine.

Add cold unsalted butter and the lemon zest and pulse again until the dough is just blended and comes together. Add the remaining whole pistachios, and pulse so they are just broken up, 5 to 10 times.

With the base of a measuring cup or a glass press the dough mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Use a fork to prick the shortbread all over its surface.

Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar over the top.

Bake until the shortbread is lightly golden and dry to the touch, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove the shortbread from the oven and cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.

Remove from the pan by inverting the shortbread onto a cutting board. Flip over again and cut hot shortbread into 1-by-2-inch rectangles with a serrated knife.

Place the shortbread rectangles on a cooling rack and allow them to finish cooling before serving.

Baking in a pan and cutting the cookies after baking is probably a more traditional way of making shortbread. Personally I like to roll out the dough and cutout different shapes with cookie cutters.

If you like pistachio nuts you'll love this pistachio shortbread.

You Might Need:

• Kitchen Supply Aluminum Half Size Sheet Pan 18-inch by 13-inch

• Calphalon 12-by-17-Inch Rectangular Nonstick Cooling Rack

• Silpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat

• Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop