This recipe was contributed by chef Lana Petfield of Lana's Custom Desserts, who also happens to be an adjunct pastry-arts instructor at J. Sargeant Reynolds. She calls it "a favorite among students in our ‘Principles of Baking' course. Many of them have made this recipe a holiday tradition, winning rave reviews from family and friends."
Ingredients:
- 7.8 ounces of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 5 ounces of pistachios, chopped
- 5 ounces of dried cranberries, chopped
- 2 ounces of vegetable oil
- 6 ounces of granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
- 2 eggs
Directions:
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, and set the mixture aside. Chop the pistachios and cranberries, and toss them with the dry ingredients. Combine the oil, sugar, extracts and eggs in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment and mix them on low speed just until they're blended. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix just until the dough is blended.
Form the dough into two logs on the lined sheet pan. Space them at least four inches apart. If the dough is sticky, wet your fingers with a little water for easier handling. Bake the logs at 350 degrees until they are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the logs cool for 10 minutes, then slice them on an angle into 1/2-inch thick slices and return them to the sheet pan. Bake the resulting cookies at 325 degrees until they are dry to the touch. Flip them over and bake them until the other side is dry. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack immediately. Yields about two dozen cookies
Note: The cookies may be stored airtight for up to a month. For a decorative touch, dip one half of each cookie in melted white chocolate.
