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Pistachio Shortbread Trees

Betty Crocker Kitchens
Updated Sep 24, 2015
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Blend pistachios into basic shortbread, then add clever decorations to create charming holiday mini-trees.

Pistachio Shortbread Trees

  • Prep Time 1 hr 15 min
  • Total 0 min
  • Servings 32
  • Ingredients 8
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Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
  • 2 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 16 pretzel spindles or sticks, broken in half

Icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons milk
Make With
Gold Medal Flour

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine butter and sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pistachios. Add remaining pistachios, flour and vanilla; mix well. Dough will be stiff.
  • Step 
    2
    Divide dough evenly into 4 pieces; shape into balls. On lightly floured surface, pat each to form 6-inch round. Place rounds on sprayed cookie sheets. With table knife, lightly make indentations on surface of dough, dividing each round into 8 wedges. In outside edge of each wedge, insert 1 pretzel half for tree trunk.
  • Step 
    3
    Bake at 325°F. for 16 to 21 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cut each round into 8 wedges; place on wire racks. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.
  • Step 
    4
    Very finely chop reserved 2 tablespoons pistachios. In small bowl, blend icing ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing in zigzag design over each cookie. Before icing sets, sprinkle cookies with reserved pistachios.

Nutrition

125 Calories
7g Total Fat
1g Protein
15g Total Carbohydrate
7g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Cookie
Calories
125
Calories from Fat
65
Total Fat
7g
11%
Saturated Fat
4g
20%
Cholesterol
15mg
5%
Sodium
50mg
2%
Total Carbohydrate
15g
5%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
7g
Protein
1g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
4%
4%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
2%
2%
Exchanges:
1 Other Carbohydrate; 1 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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