Apricot and Pistachio Cookies

Soft and moist Apricot and Pistachio Cookies are a great addition to any holiday cookie platter! Prepared with a quick and easy cookie dough, these are packed with the chewiness of chopped dried apricots and the crunchiness of shelled pistachios!

I have never been a fan of apricots – fresh or dried! My mom and my dad would eat dried apricots like they were candy. I remember them both making dried apricot jam, and of course, I remember dried apricots being the star of many cakes, biscuits, and cookies. Now though, I love them – especially baked into a cookie like these Apricot and Pistachio Cookies!

To tell the truth, I’m not sure when I started to like them, but I do know that it was after my divorce. I know this because my ex-wife and her mom both used to prepare this Apricot Raisin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake, and I would pick the raisins and apricots out religiously. Now, I can’t get enough of apricots – and raisins too!

I will often eat them as a snack. I love dried apricots with a few almonds, a slice of cheese, and a few crackers. Place those on a plate and hand me a hot coffee and I have what I would call a delicious snack or a small lunch! I often bake chopped dried apricots into scones or tea biscuits too.

I’m going to tell you all about this cookie recipe and how you can make it in your home this holiday season, but first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. I know we’re getting closer to the big day, so it’s time to get to the cookie recipes! Before I get into today’s recipe, let me make mention of the three previous holiday confection countdowns that I just finished up this year.

Back in October, I kicked off the holiday season with a holiday recipe series called Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Trifle Series and followed that up with a second series called Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Breads and Loaves. Next was my 12 Squares and Bars Series, which was Volume 2 of that particular series.  

And now, I’m starting on this new series, which is the seventh annual instalment! I cannot believe that this is the seventh year in a row that I’ve shared Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas! But, before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for today’s recipe, let me tell you about this series and more!

LORD BYRON’S 24 COOKIES OF CHRISTMAS SERIES

Another holiday series, Lord Byron? Yes – why not!? Welcome, Dear Reader, to the fourth of my annual holiday recipe series for this season! This one is called Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas – Volume 7! I will try to keep the recipes in this series quick and easy, just like in previous years. Even if a recipe looks complex, I promise you that it is not! My goal, as always, is to share recipes with you that are not too complex to whip up as a holiday treat for your family. 

Like every other holiday series I’ve shared over the years, this series will share a new recipe every day for the next 24 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday recipes year after year?

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas series! Even though this is the fourth series for this holiday season, you can always look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature!
• Sugar
• Eggs – Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!
• Almond Extract – You can substitute this with vanilla extract.
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Baking Soda
• Dried Apricots
• Pistachios – Use unsalted pistachios.
• Confectioner’s Sugar and Milk – To prepare the optional glaze.

HOW TO MAKE APRICOT AND PISTACHIO COOKIES

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, almond extract, and salt. Beat into the butter mixture. Add the flour and baking soda. Beat until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. Fold in the apricots and pistachios.

Use a cookie scoop, about 1 1/2 tablespoons in size, to scoop the cookie dough into even portions and place them on the prepared baking sheet leaving 2 inches of space between each mound. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately transfer to a wire cooling rack to completely cool.

The glaze you see in the photographs is completely optional. If you choose to implement the glaze, measure the confectioner’s sugar into a bowl along with the milk and whisk to combine until smooth. You can add more or less milk to get the desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled cookies and allow the glaze to firm and harden before packing the cookies into a cookie jar or food-safe container.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for a long time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze your Apricot and Pistachio Cookies, you certainly can! Pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer-friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!  

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!