White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Bars
These buttery shortbread bars are studded with creamy white chocolate, tart dried cranberries, and crunchy pistachios for a festive, crowd-pleasing holiday dessert. Easy to make and endlessly adaptable, they’re perfect for parties, cookie exchanges, or cozy afternoons at home.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free blend)
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
- 1/2 cup (90g) white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup (90g) dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup (95g) pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped (toast for extra flavor)
- Coarse sea salt, for topping (optional)
- Melted white chocolate, for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Line an 8×8-inch (20x20cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy lifting.
- Optional: Toast chopped pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden. Cool before using.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Beat in vanilla extract and salt until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add flour, mixing at low speed or by hand until just combined. The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed.
- Gently fold in white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and toasted pistachios with a spatula.
- Press dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Optional: Chill the pan in the fridge for 15-20 minutes for neater slices and a tender texture.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Bake for 25-30 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and center is set.
- Cool bars in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out using parchment and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.
- Cut into 16 squares (or 12 larger bars). Drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
Notes
For best results, use room temperature butter and avoid overmixing the dough. Toasting pistachios enhances their flavor and crunch. Chill the dough for cleaner slices, but you can skip this step if short on time. Bars freeze well and taste even better after a day or two. Swap mix-ins as desired—almonds, pecans, dried cherries, or apricots all work. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 baking blend; for dairy-free, use vegan butter and white chocolate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/16 of recipe)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 40
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
Keywords: shortbread bars, white chocolate, cranberry, pistachio, holiday dessert, easy baking, Christmas cookies, cookie exchange, festive bars, nutty shortbread