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Pistachio Pudding Cookies with Maraschino Cherries Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 3.9 from 38 reviews
  • Author: Bara
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 13 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 21 minutes
  • Yield: 12 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These Pistachio Pudding Cookies are soft, moist, and packed with the unique flavor of instant pistachio pudding mix. Enhanced with chopped dried maraschino cherries and a subtle hint of almond extract, these cookies offer a delightful balance of sweetness and a vibrant green color thanks to added food coloring. Perfect for a festive treat or anytime you want a quick batch of flavorful, eye-catching cookies.

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

  • 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 5 drops green food coloring
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped and dried (about 10-12 cherries)

For Rolling

  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Mix Butter, Cream Cheese and Sugar: Place softened butter, cream cheese, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat together until light and fluffy using an electric mixer on HIGH speed for about 2 minutes.
  2. Add Flavorings and Eggs: Add almond extract, green food coloring, the large egg, and egg yolk to the bowl. Beat again until fully combined and smooth.
  3. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, instant pistachio pudding mix, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Beat everything until thoroughly mixed, being careful not to over-mix to maintain a tender texture.
  4. Chill the Dough: Cover the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes. This step is essential to make the dough easier to handle and to enhance the cookie texture.
  5. Prepare Cherries: While the dough chills, drain your maraschino cherries and chop them into small pieces. Place the chopped cherries on paper towels and blot them dry to remove excess moisture.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 350° F (175° C). Place the powdered sugar in a small shallow bowl for rolling the cookies.
  7. Mix in Cherries and Form Dough Balls: Remove the dough from the fridge and gently stir in the prepared cherries. Alternatively, you may press 3 to 5 pieces of cherry into each dough ball instead of mixing them throughout.
  8. Roll and Bake: Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll each ball in the powdered sugar to coat completely. Place the cookies evenly spaced on a cookie sheet.
  9. Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn lightly golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve after cooling to avoid crumbly texture when warm.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is crucial for easy handling and prevents cookies from spreading too much during baking.
  • Drying the cherries before adding prevents excess moisture from making the dough too wet.
  • Pressing cherries onto the outside of the dough balls instead of mixing them throughout can give a more vibrant cherry pop in each cookie.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container once completely cool to maintain freshness.
  • If you prefer, omit the green food coloring for a more natural pistachio green shade.

Find it online: https://yumbara.com/pistachio-pudding-cookies-with-maraschino-cherries-recipe/