Cranberry Pistachio Slice-and-Bake Cookie Recipe

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The festive sugar cookie you’ve been dreaming of: Cranberry Pistachio Slice and Bake Cookies. They’re easy to make, perfect for holiday baking, and naturally red-and-green without extra colored candies. This small-batch recipe uses a hand mixer, freezes quickly, and bakes in about 8–10 minutes per tray. Each cookie is lightly sweet with a bright tartness from dried cranberries and a gentle nuttiness from chopped pistachios — crisp on the outside and tender in the center. They’re ideal for gifting, adding to a cookie platter, or enjoying with a warm cup of tea during the season.

About The Recipe

These cookies are a classic December treat: easy, reliable, and festive. The slice-and-bake method delivers a consistent shape and lets the colorful ingredients show through the cross section of each cookie. The dough is forgiving to work with, and since it’s chilled before slicing, the cookies hold their shape and develop a lovely texture when baked.

The idea began as a family experiment: early batches that were dropped or pressed did not show the red and green contrast well. Turning the dough into a log and slicing it after chilling solved the problem — every slice revealed a beautiful pattern of cranberries and pistachios, and the cookies kept a pleasing thickness after baking. The slice-and-bake approach is both practical and attractive, especially when you want uniform cookies for a holiday platter or gift box.

The final cookies are crisp around the edges, soft in the center, and perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. Chopped pistachios add texture and a subtle savory note that keeps the flavor from being cloying. These bite-sized slices are an elegant and simple addition to any holiday cookie tray.

What Are Slice and Bake Cookies?

Slice-and-bake cookies are formed into a log, chilled until firm, and then thinly sliced into individual rounds before baking. This method produces uniform cookies with even distribution of mix-ins and minimal shaping work.

Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

• Simple technique — perfect for beginners
• Requires common pantry ingredients
• Hand-mixer friendly
• No colored candies needed to achieve holiday hues
• Great for cookie boxes and gifting
• Kid-friendly to assemble and slice
• Delicious balance of sweet, tart, and nutty flavors

Equipment You May Need

• Mixing bowls
• Hand mixer
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet pans
• Sharp serrated knife

Ingredients To Make The BEST Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

Full ingredient amounts are included in the recipe card below.

• All-purpose flour — for structure and perfect texture
• Baking soda — for light lift
• Salt — enhances flavor
• Unsalted butter — use room temperature for easy creaming
• Granulated sugar — sweetness and slight browning
• Large egg — adds richness and helps bind the dough
• Vanilla extract — deepens flavor
• Dried cranberries — bright, tart pops of flavor
• Unsalted shelled pistachios — chopped for crunch and color

How To Make Cranberry Pistachio Cookies (Step-by-Step!)

Step 1: Prepare the cookie dough

Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until incorporated, then fold in the dried cranberries and chopped pistachios.

Step 2: Shape and refrigerate

Turn the dough out onto parchment paper and shape it into a firm log. Wrap the log tightly in parchment and plastic wrap and refrigerate until solid, at least 2 hours. Chilling is essential — it firms the dough so you can slice neat rounds.

Step 3: Slice and bake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Using a serrated knife, slice the chilled log into approximately 1/4-inch rounds. Arrange the slices on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space for a small amount of spread. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to color. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet to set.

How To Get A Perfectly Round Cookie

Shape the dough carefully on the parchment, smoothing the log with your hands before wrapping. Rolling the dough inside the parchment helps create a uniform, round log that slices cleanly.

Roasted Pistachios or Plain?

Use plain, unsalted pistachios for this recipe. Roasted or salted nuts introduce flavor variations that can overpower the delicate balance of these cookies. Plain shelled pistachios provide the best texture and color without extra seasoning.

How To Store

Once cooled, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag for up to two months. You can also freeze unbaked dough logs for later slicing and baking.

Expert Tips

• Do not skip chilling — the dough must be firm to slice neatly.
• Remove cookies from the oven as soon as the edges begin to color; they continue to set as they cool.
• Avoid over-mixing once you add the flour to keep the texture tender.
• Cookies taste best after they’ve fully cooled and the flavors settle.
• Confirm your pistachios are plain, shelled, and unsalted for the intended flavor profile.

If you make these Cranberry Pistachio Slice and Bake Cookies, leave a comment below and tag us on social media with the hashtag #BakersTable — we love seeing your holiday baking!

– Still Hungry? –

Try these other seasonal cookie ideas: Valentine’s Day Peanut Butter Heart Cookies, Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies, BOO! Brownies.