Pistachio Shortbread Cookies with Raspberry Preserves

Mindy Segal

HotChocolate, Chicago

Mindy Segal is a self-professed cookie fiend. On any given day at her Chicago restaurant, Hot Chocolate, there are about a dozen different kinds on offer. "If I could just make cookies all day, I'd be so happy," she told us.

Yield

2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour, divided, plus extra for kneading
  • 1/2 cup raw shelled pistachios
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Heaping 1/3 cup raspberry preserves

Method

Grind 1/2 cup of the flour and the pistachios in a food processer until powdery. Add the remaining flour and salt; pulse to combine.

Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix for 30 seconds to break up the butter. Add the flour and pistachio mixture. Mix on low speed until the mixture comes together.

Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead it just enough to form a cohesive round. Shape the dough into a rectangle. Transfer to a piece of floured parchment paper, then roll it out to a rectangle that’s approximately 8 inches wide and 12 inches long. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then into 8 equal rectangles by cutting 4 times widthwise. Spread some raspberry preserves on 6 of the rectangles. Form 2 equal bundles by stacking 4 pieces together, placing the pieces with no preserves on top of each stack. Wrap each bundle in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Gently make vertical slices parallel to the short ends of each bundle, slicing each bundle into twelve 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place the cookies on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of space around them. Bake until golden on the edges, about 15 to 20 minutes.


https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/pistachio-shortbread-cookies-with-raspberry-preserves