Hi Everyone,
Today I have a fun recipe for you. I received a box of Glutino Sugar Cookie Mix and my Husbands Friends Matt, gave me some pistachios, so what does one do when you get this combination together? Make Pistachio and Cranberry Sugar Cookie Bars! Yummy!!
This recipe really blew my mind! I was originally going to make basic sugar cookies with the mix, but then the idea of bars came to mind. But lets just change-up sugar cookies and throw in a little pistachios? I like crunch to my cookies!! Besides I love pistachios!! I tend to forget how much I like them, until I have one.
After I took the bars out of the oven, I was kind of lost. The bars were kind of boring looking. So I thought frosting! After all who doesn’t love frosting on a sugar cookie? I originally made vanilla frosting, but when I mixed it together it had an ugly brown color. That would not look appealing on cookies or bars, so I changed it up and added lemon juice instead. Oh boy! The zip from the lemon juice was exactly what these bars needed. As I was frosting my bars I decided to add a the remaining pistachios and why not throw some dried cranberries on top too? Now these bars are festive looking and perfect for the holidays. Look at the pretty colors.
The bars were so easy to make, it really only took me minutes to whip together and the frosting is a breeze. The cookie bars came out fat, fluffy, soft and has the perfect sweetness. Like I said they really did blow my mind! As for the topping, the pistachios added some crunch and saltiness and the cranberries with the lemon frosting add a pinch of zip. The combination together goes quite well. Actually these cookies/bars were more like a cake! We all like cake! 
I tend to bias to recipes I bake, so I had my Husband take them to work to see how his friends would like them. He came home and said everyone enjoyed them. He said a couple of the Guys wouldn’t stop eating them! Yah!!! I told him they were gluten-free. He said, you told me there wasn’t any weird stuff in it. I said gluten-free means no wheat, silly. That made him happy. Men!!
If you’re at all interested in making this ever so simple Pistachio and Cranberry Sugar Cookie Bars, check out Glutino’s mix. Really it is so easy, just takes a couple of eggs, butter and vanilla extract. You can find Glutino in the health food section of your grocery store. Oh and here is a coupon. I know I will be making these cookies again for my work Christmas party.
- Serves: 36 bars
- Serving size: 1 Bar
- 1 15 oz box Glutino Sugar Cookie Mix
- 6 tbsp butter softened (I used Earth Balance)
- ½ cup egg substitute or two eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole pistachios
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 11/2 tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ cup cranberries, dried
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with aluminum foil, be sure the foil hangs over the sides. Spray with cooking spray; set a side.
- Finely chop your pistachios, and divide in half. (I used my mini food processor to chop the nuts)
- In a mixing bowl, sugar cookie mix, butter and beat until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract, beat until combined. Fold in ½ of the pistachios and reserve the other half for the topping.
- With a spatula, evenly spread the cookie dough into prepared. The dough is the consistency of frosting.
- Bake in oven for 15 - 17 minutes until lightly browned and the edges pull away from the pan. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes.
- In a bowl, add powdered sugar and lemon juice. Mix until it is a consistency you like and no lumps remain. Spread frosting over cookies. Sprinkle remaining pistachios and cranberries over the frosting.
- Use the foil to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into 6 x 6 rows, making 36 cookies. Once frosting completely hardens, store in an airtight container.
- Note: I had a little frosting left over, use your best judgement. You just want a nice thin layer.
I want to give a BIG thank you to my Husbands friend Matt for giving me a bag of yummy pistachios! They are locally grown at Andrew farms in Madera, CA. Thanks Matt! They will come in good use this holiday season!!! I can just in-vision all of the pistachio recipes I’ll be making this month!! Plus Pistachios are the skinniest nut with the lowest calories per serving. You have to love that!!! I know I do! After talking about it, think I’m going to have a few nuts right now!!
Well that’s it for today! Time to get my baking groove on!!
Have a super fabulous sweet day!
Toodles,
Jennifer
These are totally Christmas-y and festive with the pistachios and dried cranberries on top! so fun!
Joanne recently posted…Let’s Drink To That: Budweiser Project 12 #BrewForYou
These look so festive! What a great idea for the sugar cookie mix. I love pistachios; haven’t had them in forever.
Ashley @ Snow Cream and Syrup recently posted…Most Affordable December and Holiday Skiing in New England
Thank you! I wanted to change it up and I am I am so glad I did! This is such a great cookie bar and was a huge hit with everyone!!!
Oh these sound and look so good! I love pistachios!! These would definitely be gobbled up at any holiday party!
I am soooooooo loving pistachios right now! I swear I can put them on everything!