Pistachio Butterballs

A Nutty Spin on Butterballs

Pistachios seem to be almost everyone's favorite nut. Maybe there's just something about that subtle green hue that makes people love them. They have a unique flavor that compliments anything sweet.

I remember when I was a kid, when we went out for ice cream, my parents would always order pistachio. At the time I couldn't understand why anyone would want to eat green ice cream. I thought there were so many other cool and delicious flavors to choose from, like pink bubble gum, rocky road, cookie dough, double chocolate and my personal favorite good ol' chocolate chip with jimmies of course. Sometimes I would get it with cowlick on it. In case you have never heard of it, cowlick is a chocolate and nut dip that would harden on the ice cream. I still love it!

But back to the pistachio, I really thought that only the old fogies liked it, along with maple walnut. Once I tried it, however, it was all too clear. That luscious salty and sweet combination of creamy goodness with little nut crunches really did it for me. Yuuuuummmm.

This recipe is based on one important ingredient: pistachio paste. It is very similar to almond paste. I had never used it before this recipe, but I saw it in the store one day and it sounded so delicious, I just had to try it. When I began making these cookies, in particular, creaming the pistachio paste, butter and sugar together, I was already drooling. I made the mistake of tasting the creamy mixture and I almost couldn't stop myself from eating the entire bowl. I would definately use this mixture as a frosting for a cake or brownies or cookies or cupcakes or toast or cardboard. Seriously, it is that good.

So for all you pistachio lovers out there, this recipe is for you...


Pistachio Butterballs
by Love'nBake - 4 dozen small cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup Love'n Bake™ Pistachio Nut Paste
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup chopped, toasted, and salted pistachios
confectioner's sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 325° and prepare parchment or foil lined cookie sheets. Cream the butter, pistachio paste, and sugar. Blend in the vanilla and milk. Mix in the flour and baking powder until the dough is smooth and stiff. Blend in the nuts. Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into 1" balls. Place on cookie sheets and bake for 18-25 minutes, until a light golden brown. When cool, roll in confectioner's sugar. Store in an air-tight container for up to three weeks. To freshen, roll again in confectioner's sugar. Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

In Search of The Best Light Coconut Macaroon...

These Coconut Macaroons Were Good, But I'm Still Searching For Better!

This was a new recipe for me this Christmas. I had a coconut macaroon recipe in my files that I really liked but I lost it. It was before the days of my blog. I really like using unsweetened minimally processed coconut, which poses some problems.

First, there are not a lot of good recipes for coconut macaroons using unsweetened coconut. Secondly, if you don't have the correct measurements or just the right ingredients, they always come out dry and tasteless. Just plain bad!

So you ask, why bother with unsweetened coconut? And I say because it's my thing. You know, "healthier cooking". Minimal "processed" ingredients. Lower fat alternatives that still taste great.

So if you have that perfect recipe let me know. Thanks for listening (hehe)! In the meanwhile you can try this one. It's pretty good, just not perfect!

Light Coconut Macaroons
by Mixed Salad Annie
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
14 ounces fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on high speed until they form medium-firm peaks. To the coconut mixture, carefully fold in the egg whites.

Drop cookies onto parchment lined cookie sheets, using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool, serve or store in an airtight container.

Butter Cookies

Christmas Cookies in May? Sure, Why Not...

I love making cookies and freezing some of them. Sometimes I forget about cookies that I had made and froze, then when I'm foraging through my freezer, I find a sweet surprise!

These butter cookies are just that. I made these 2 days before Christmas and had a few extra, so I wrapped them really well and froze them. I forgot about them until the other day when I was looking for something else in the freezer. After almost 5 months in the freezer, they still tasted fabulous. I love that!

Since I never posted them during the holidays, I figured now is as good a time as ever.

Butter Cookies/ Thumbprint Cookies

3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
Confectioners sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease cookie sheets.
2. Cream butter.
3. Add eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix well.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients. Stir until well blended.
5. Roll tablespoons of dough into palm of hand until round. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
6. Bake at 400 degrees switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until bottoms are browned, about 10-12 minutes total.
7. Let cool and roll in confectioners sugar.

*Store cookies in an airtight container, layered between sheets of waxed paper or parchment, at room temperature for upto 1 week.
They also freeze really well. Wrap in foil and place in freezer bag for upto 4 months.

This cookie dough recipe can also be used to make
Thumb Print Cookies
Use the same dough as above.
In step 5 make an indentation with your thumb or the back of a 1/2 teaspoon.
Place 2 almond slices on the top of the cookie on the side of the indentation.
Bake same as above.
Let cool and add 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam in the indentation.
Mix a tablespoon of confectioners sugar and about 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Coat the top of the cookies with confectioners sugar glaze.