PISTACHIO WREATH COOKIES

My pistachio wreath cookies are a play on a traditional linzer cookie, but with a few twists.

Instead of putting nuts in the dough, I decided to put them on top of the cookie and just used a classic sugar cookie dough.

I spread the cooked cookie base with strawberry jam for the nice red color.

The wreath part of the wreath cookies is made with chopped pistachios.

I love the bags of shelled pistachios from Diamond – they are absolutely perfect for recipes.

The fresh flavor is incredible, and the nice green color make them a perfect choice for all your Christmas recipes.

I pressed some pistachios into the tops of each cookie before baking them, and that created the lid for my sandwich cookie.

The pistachios get nice and toasted in the oven, which brings out their flavor even more.

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 large egg yolk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

• 3/4 cup pistachios, chopped

• 1/2 cup jam, strawberry or raspberry

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg, and then the yolk, mixing well after each addition.

Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour mixture, and stir until just combined.

• Divide the dough into two pieces, and form each into a flat disc. Wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm - overnight is best.

• Take dough out to soften a bit and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness.

Using a linzer cookie cutter (like this one) cut out an even number of round bottom cookies and the matching tops.

Place the dough on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the cookie tops with chopped pistachios, and gently press so that they stick into the dough.

Bake for about 8 minutes, until pale golden brown around the edges.

Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Roll out the remaining dough and repeat.

• Once the cookies are cool, spread the bottom of each cookie with about a teaspoon or so of jam.

Place a pistachio studded lid on top of each cookie.