These delicious vegan cranberry pistachio cookies are an amazing treat year-round, but the red cranberries and green pistachios make them a particularly perfect addition to your Christmas dessert platter. They're buttery, crumbly, and melt right in your mouth. Plus, the recipe is so easy, and these “slice-and-bake cookies” make a super cute, personalized addition to your holiday gift boxes. ❤️💚
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
So delicious (an understatement, by the way!). I baked half a batch of these cranberry pistachio cookies, which was definitely a mistake. Because I enjoyed the last one for breakfast this morning, and I could really go for two more right about now. Oaty, nutty, chewy… warmly spiced and slightly sweet… it’s exactly the type of cookie that’s perfect for breakfast but would taste equally good as a 2 PM snack. If only… 😭
A healthy treat, well, yeah, minus the sugar. The pistachios are a great source of plant-based protein, and the cranberries bring antioxidants + a little fiber to every bite.
Perfect for gifting. You know those pretty little cookie boxes people put together for Christmas? These holiday shortbread cookies were made for them! The red and green look so festive, and you don't even need to decorate them. Just tie a ribbon around the box, and you're good to go.
Easy to make ahead. The dough needs some time in the fridge anyway, so why not prepare it a day or two before? When you're ready for cookies, just slice and bake. No rolling pins, cookie cutters, or flour-covered countertops to deal with.
No fancy ingredients. Nothing on the ingredient list requires a trip to a specialty store, and no, there's no egg substitute to figure out either.
Ingredients for Vegan Shortbread Cookies
- Vegan butter. We're using vegan butter instead of coconut oil because it gives shortbread a more traditional flavor & texture. Go for a firm, block-style vegan butter rather than a soft, spreadable tub variety. Tip: Butter for cookies should be softened, not melted, if you want a beautiful rise. Melted butter = flat cookies.
- Powdered sugar. Unlike granulated sugar, powdered sugar blends much more easily into the butter. You also don’t need to sift it.
- Vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract is my first choice, but vanilla essence works if that's what you have. Tip: If you're using vanilla bean paste instead, you can substitute it 1:1. You'll also get those lovely little vanilla specks in your cranberry pistachio cookies.
- Orange zest. Only grate the orange part of the peel. The white layer underneath (called the pith) is bitter. Also, zest the orange directly over the mixing bowl to catch the fragrant oils, and do it before cutting the orange because it’s much easier that way.
- All-purpose flour. Regular plain flour is all you need. Don't use self-rising flour, since shortbread doesn't need any raising agents.
- Kosher salt. The recipe calls for Morton kosher salt, which has a different crystal size from other salts. If you're using fine table salt, start with about ¼ teaspoon instead.
- Dried cranberries. Sweet, slightly tart, and responsible for those pretty little red bits in every cookie. Chop them finely so you get some in every bite.
- Pistachios. Either raw or roasted, but should be unsalted. Don't chop the pistachios too finely, though, because you want visible green pieces in your dairy-free shortbread, especially if you're making it for Christmas 😋
How to Make Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
Guys, I promise vegan holiday baking couldn’t be easier (and yummier!). Here’s all you have to do (there’s only 5 to 10 minutes of hands-on work):
Prepare the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened vegan butter and powdered sugar together for 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract and orange zest.
Add the flour and salt, mixing on low speed just until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Fold in the chopped cranberries and pistachios until evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing.
Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a log approximately 1½–2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until firm.
Bake Your Vegan Christmas Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the chilled dough into rounds approximately ¼-inch thick. Arrange them about 1 inch apart.
Bake for 14–17 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn lightly golden. The centers should remain pale. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They'll firm up as they cool.
Enjoy 🍪
Munch on your vegan shortbread cookies right from the baking tray, or pair ‘em with…
Storage Tips
To store leftover cranberry pistachio shortbread, let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. It will stay fresh at room temperature for 5–7 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. If you need more information on storing cookies, we have a resource in that link.
To store unbaked batter, wrap the cookie dough logs tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, let the frozen logs soften slightly in the fridge until they're easy to slice. Then bake as directed, adding a minute or two if needed.
Tips & Tricks
- I know, waiting an hour for cookies isn't fun. But chilling helps the butter firm up, so your cookies hold their shape instead of spreading all over the baking tray.
- Those little cranberry and pistachio pieces can make slicing tricky, so use a sharp, thin knife and cut straight down rather than sawing back and forth.
- If you want perfectly round shortbread, give the logs a quarter turn every 15–20 minutes during the first hour of chilling. This prevents the bottoms from flattening against the fridge shelf.
- Unlike chocolate chip cookies, vegan shortbread cookies should stay fairly pale. Take them out when the edges are just beginning to turn golden. If you wait for the tops to brown, you've probably baked them too long!
FAQs
The best recipe for vegan cranberry pistachio cookies uses the 321 shortbread rule:
3 parts flour (by weight)
2 parts butter (by weight)
1 part sugar (by weight)
Note: You must measure using a kitchen scale rather than measuring cups, because flour and butter weigh differently.
I wouldn't recommend it! Fresh cranberries have much more moisture, which can affect the texture of your shortbread. Stick with dried cranberries for those little chewy, tart bites.
Here’s what NOT to do:
1. Overmixing the dough
2. Over-creaming the butter and sugar (beating it into a fluffy state
3. Using melted butter
4. Rolling the dough too thin/too thick
5. Skipping the chill step
6. Baking at too high a temperature
10 tips on making the perfect cookie.
More Holiday Cookie recipes
- Chocolate peppermint cookies
- Vegan sugar cookies
- Eggnog thumbprint cookies
- Triple chocolate pistachio cookies
- Chocolate peppermint cupcakes
Vegan Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup 226 g vegan butter, softened
- ⅔ cup 80 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- 2 cups 250 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ cup dried cranberries finely chopped
- ½ cup shelled pistachios roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened vegan butter and powdered sugar together for 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract and orange zest.
- Add the flour and salt, mixing on low speed just until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Fold in the chopped cranberries and pistachios until evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a log approximately 1½–2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the chilled dough into rounds approximately ¼-inch thick. Arrange them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 14–17 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn lightly golden. The centers should remain pale.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They'll firm up as they cool
Notes
- Vegan butter: Use a firm, stick-style vegan butter rather than a soft tub spread. Different brands have different moisture contents, which can affect how well the cookies hold their shape.
- Pistachios: Unsalted pistachios are ideal. Lightly roasted pistachios provide a deeper flavor, while raw pistachios often retain a brighter green color.
- Cranberries: Dried cranberries work best. Chop them small enough that the dough can be sliced cleanly without dragging large pieces through the cookies.
- Storage: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage.
Hi, we’re Shayne and Kristina! I’m the chef and editor here at My Darling Vegan, and Kristina is the photographer and writer. Together we’re carrying on this space with the same focus on easy, flavorful vegan recipes that anyone can enjoy at home. Check out our
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