I found these Pistachio Cherry Meltaway Cookies floating around on the internet and thought they would be so pretty for Christmas plates. Plus, I like anything with cherries in it – dried, fresh or maraschino!
These soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookies have become a favorite on my Christmas cookie platters. Thanks to The Girl That Ate Everything for posting the original recipe.
They turn out as pretty as the photo, although I made a few technique changes from the original.
Don’t forget the neat trick of cutting the cardboard roll from paper towels lengthwise and putting your rolled cookie dough into it to keep the cookies round while they’re being refrigerated.
Pistachio Cherry Meltaway Cookies are easy to make and the almond flavoring really make the cookies great. I make sure and have these on my neighbor’s Christmas plate, as these are her favorite!
It seems like almost all of the cookie and candy recipes I post have been brown, beige, or tan. Tasty, but not exciting to look at.
These lovely light green cookies dotted with bright red maraschino cherries bring a splash of color to the table. I sometimes add a drop or two or green food coloring to make them even more festive.
I know you’ll love these delicate little cookies. They’re a Christmas cookie staple around here now!
Pistachio Cherry Meltaway Cookies
Awesome tender, melt-in-your mouth colorful cookies. Adapted slightly from The Girl Who Ate Everything
Ingredients
- 1 C butter, , softened
- 1/2 C powdered sugar
- 1 (3.4 oz.) pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1 2/3 C all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
- (optional) green food coloring
- 1/2 C maraschino cherries, , chopped finely
Instructions
- Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, pudding mix, and flour. Mix and continue beating until combined. Add the almond extract along with a couple of drops of green food coloring (optional if you want the cookies be a brighter green color).
- Finely chop the maraschino cherries and pat them very dry - removing all of the juice and excess liquid. If you think they're dry, pat them one more time or the red juice may turn your cookies a weird and non-appetizing color. Stir in the chopped cherries.
- Roll the dough into a log (about 2" in diameter), wrap in plastic wrap* and place in the freezer for 30-45 minutes or until firm.
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut dough into about 1/2" slices and place on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake 9-11 minutes. They won't brown much - don't over bake them.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5-6 minutes. Once cooled, move to a rack and sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar. (If you don't let them cool on the cookie sheet a few minutes, they're so delicate that they may fall apart when you move them.)
- Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container.
Notes
Tips and Stuff:
Dry the chopped cherries very, very, very well with a paper towel. If you think you have them dry, put another paper towel over them and gently squeeze. Yes, your fingers will all be red, but it's Christmas, it's OK!
I put 5 drops of green food coloring and they came out a lovely color of green.
*To keep the dough log round, don't forget to cut the cardboard roll from a paper towel roll long-ways down the middle and slide the log in before refrigerating!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 97Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 54mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g