Delicious toasted pistachio shortbread cookies filled with raspberry jam and finished off with a heavenly white chocolate drizzle. These little gems are the perfect Holiday Cookie!

I have a weakness for any cookie filled with jam…especially if it’s raspberry jam! That raspberry jam resembles sparkling rubies! I’m instantly drawn in, like a moth to light, and before ya know it…cookie crumbs are rapidly falling from my lips!

What makes this holiday cookie special? It’s the little extra touches…toasted pistachios, beautiful jams and jellies, melted white chocolate and a scrumptious buttery shortbread.

What makes this cookie stand out from other thumbprint cookies? It’s all those toasty chopped pistachio. They supply a scrumptious rustic charm to an already amazing cookie.

How to Make Pistachio Holiday Thumbprint Cookies

First off a bit of advice… when it comes to the jam you select to use in this recipe. You can use a seedless jam…or a regular raspberry jam with seeds. Either works…most recipes suggest seedless. I prefer to pick seeds out of my teeth for several hours…it allows the flavor to linger! (I’m kidding…about the flavor lingering… I really do prefer full-bodied jams, seeds and all.)

It’s a matter of preference. If you’re not a raspberry fan you can use apricot or cherry jam. Whatever flavor you like will work well with this recipe.

Preheat oven to 325°. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set baking sheets aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, combine 1 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar.

Butter and confectioners sugar in bowl of mixer

Cream together until light & fluffy. Add vanilla, beat until mixture is light and creamy.

butter and sugar creamed together with vanilla added in

In another bowl whisk 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

TIP: Whisking breaks up any lumps in the flour and incorporates the ingredients before blending with the wet ingredients.

Gradually, with the mixer on low speed, beat the dry ingredients into creamed mixture. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios. Reserving the other half of the finely chopped pistachios for rolling the cookie dough balls in.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll dough ball in the other 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios. Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Press a deep indentation in center of each with your thumb…(I’m thinking this is where the “Thumbprint” part of this cookie got its name! Just sayin’…lol. )

Pistachio Cookies on a cookie sheet with thumbprint

How To Fill Thumbprint Cookies

Fill each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Be careful you not to over fill the cookies, or the jam will bubble over the cookie.

TIP: To easily fill each thumbprint…fill a sandwich bag with 1/2 a cup of jam, snip off one corner, zip lock the bag shut after slowly releasing as much air as possible. The bag can now be used to fill each thumbprint indentation by gently squeezing the desired amount into each indentation.

Place the baking sheets with filled cookies into preheated oven. Bake until bottoms are light brown around the bottom edges. About 13–16 minutes. Check during baking to be sure the pistachios aren’t getting too toasty. You want them light brown…but not burnt.

Notice the jam settles during baking…becoming one with the shortbread.

Quickly transfer cookies to cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Thumbprint cookies cooling on baking rack

At this point you can either dust the cookies with powder sugar or drizzle them with melted white chocolate.

White Chocolate Drizzle

To prepare the white chocolate drizzle, place 1/4 cup White chocolate chips in microwave safe dish. Add 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil. Place bowl in center of the microwave. Set power to 50% and heat for 1 minute 30 seconds. Remove bowl with pot holders, and stir until chips are melted and smooth. Use a spoon and drizzle melted chocolate over the top of each cookie.

Allow chocolate to set, about 5 minutes.

Raspberry Pistachio Cookie close up with white chocolate drizzle

The chocolate drizzle really adds to the festive appearance of this cookie…and adds a creamy flavor to this cookie! These are such a delicious little buttery treat with the joy of a sweet fruity center.

Raspberry thumbprint cookies may be the new kid on the Holiday baking list at this Nest…but this newbie has earned its spot. The beauty of being the “baker” of the Holiday cookies is that you get to pick and choose those that stay…and those that won’t be visiting our thighs at Christmas that year.

If you enjoyed this cookie recipe…you may also enjoy these other Holiday Cookie Recipes

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting with me today. I hope these delicious Raspberry Pistachio Cookies make it to your Holiday Cookie Hit Parade Baking List. They’re sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Happy Nesting and Happy Holidays!

Yield: 24 cookies

Raspberry Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies

Name: Raspberry Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened; 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup finely chopped pistachios, divided in half; 1/2 cup raspberry jam; Additional confectioners sugar, optional; 1/4 cup white chocolate chips; 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Delicious toasted pistachio shortbread cookies filled with raspberry jam and finished off with a heavenly white chocolate drizzle. These little gems are the perfect Holiday Cookie!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped pistachios, divided in half
1/2 cup raspberry jam
Additional confectioners sugar, optional

White Chocolate Drizzle

1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Cream softened butter & confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl whisk flour and salt; gradually beat into cream mixture. Add 1/2 cup of pistachios; mix well.
Shape into 1-inch balls. Place other 1/2 cup of finely chopped pistachios in a small ball. Roll each cookie dough ball in finely chopped pistachios. Place 1 inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet. Press a deep indentation in center of each dough ball with your thumb; fill each cookie indentation with 1/2 teaspoon of jam.
Bake until bottoms are light brown, about 13-16 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely. If desired dust with additional confectioners sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate.

White Chocolate Drizzle

In a microwave safe bowl, add 1/4 cup white chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Place in microwave. Set power to 50% for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Carefully remove from microwave and stir until chips are completely melted and smooth. Using a teaspoon drizzle white chocolate over the top of each cookie. Allow to set for 5 minutes.

Notes

Cookies can be frozen up to one month in air tight container.

Raspberry Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

White Chocolate Drizzle

Instructions

Notes

Recommended Products

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size: