Indulge in a delicious treat with Baily Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread Cookies—buttery, crumbly, and packed with flavor! The shortbread is delicately sweet with a hint of nuttiness, and the rich Baileys-infused chocolate icing takes these shortbread cookies to the next level.
Topped with crunchy pistachios, this shortbread offers an irresistible combination of textures and flavors. Whether you're making them for a St. Patrick's Day gathering, a homemade gift, or just a cozy indulgence, they are sure to impress.
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Ingredients for Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Making the Dough for the Pistachio Shortbread - Step-by-Step
- I started by using my food processor with a steel blade to grind the pistachios with several tablespoons of granulated sugar.
- Next, I beat room-temperature butter with confectioners' sugar, the remaining granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. This took about a minute.
- Then, I added the ground pistachios and beat the mixture on high until well combined. This took about a minute.
- After scraping down the sides of the bowl, I added the flour. I beat the mixture on low just until the flour was combined.
- I transferred the pistachio shortbread dough to a gallon-size freezer Ziploc bag. I rolled the dough to an even thickness, secured the bag, and placed it in the freezer for at least two hours to allow the dough to harden.
That's it for making the dough!
Baking the Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
- I removed the Ziploc bag with the dough from the freezer, carefully cut away the Ziploc bag, and placed the dough on a parchment-lined cutting board.
- I first cut the dough into 2-inch strips using a crinkle cutter. Then, I cut each strip into 1-inch pieces.
- I placed the 1-inch x 2-inch cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and baked them in a 325°F oven for around 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, the shortbread was a light golden brown around the edges and perfectly cooked. I removed the cookies from the oven and transferred the shortbread to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dipping the Shortbread in the Baileys Chocolate Icing
Initially, I planned to use Baileys-infused chocolate ganache to dip the shortbread. However, I was concerned that the ganache wouldn't harden enough without refrigeration. Therefore, I decided to make a chocolate icing that knew would harden.
For the icing, I used water, Baileys Irish Cream, corn syrup, unsalted butter, confectioners' sugar, and unsweetened cocoa, I also used chopped pistachios to garnish the cookies after I had dipped them.
- I started by adding the water, Baileys, corn syrup, and butter to a microwave-safe measuring cup. Then, I heated the mixture at 50% power in 30-second increments until the butter had melted.
- I whisked together the confectioners' sugar and unsweetened cocoa in a small to medium bowl. Then, I added the hot water/Baileys mixture.
- I beat the icing mixture on high until it was smooth.
- I dipped the end of each shortbread cookie diagonally in the Baileys chocolate icing, allowing the excess to drip off.
- I placed the dipped shortbread on a piece of parchment paper, and sprinkled some chopped pistachios on the icing before it hardened.
I ended up with four dozen amazingly delicious Baileys Chocolate Dipped Shortbread cookies.
Baileys Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread Cookies are the ultimate indulgence—rich, buttery, and dipped in smooth Baileys-infused chocolate.
Whether you’re serving them at a St. Patrick's Day party or enjoying them with a cup of coffee, they’re sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
I used Karo light corn syrup, which the bottle clearly states contains 0 grams of high fructose sugar. Corn syrup is important in icing because it helps it harden.
This icing sets very quickly. The liquid's heat helps keep the icing liquid long enough for the dipping.
One of the beauties about this recipe is that once the shortbread dough has been added to the Ziploc bag, it can be frozen for several months before use.
Feel free to substitute Kahlúa, Amaretto, or Grand Marnier for the Baileys, for a unique twist. Also, if you prefer alcohol-free, substitute heavy cream or milk for the Baileys.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- It's important to grind the pistachios with granulated sugar to prevent the oil from turning the nuts into a butter.
- I've been using the Ziploc trick to make shortbread cookies for a number of years. Rolling the dough in a Ziploc bag ensures uniform thickness, which helps the cookies bake evenly. However, be sure to keep the track of the Ziploc bag clear when rolling the dough to allow for complete closure.
- Initially, I tried using a fluted pastry cutter to cut the shortbread dough. However, that made more of a mess than anything else. Switching to the crinkle cutter resulted in much better-formed cookies.
- If the Baileys chocolate icing is too thick, add a teaspoon of warm water to thin it out. If the icing starts to harden too quickly, warm it in the microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. Also, keep the bowl covered with a damp paper towel to minimize the hardening.
Other Shortbread Recipes
Shortbread cookies are one of my favorites. Here are some more delicious shortbread recipes.
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Recipe
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Baileys Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread
Equipment
- Food Processor with Steel Blade
- Electric Mixer
- half-sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Silicone Spatula
- Gallon freezer Ziploc bag
- Crinkle cutter
Ingredients
Pistachio Shortbread
- ½ cup (2.25 ounces, 64 grams) plus one Tablespoon of shelled, roasted, and salted pistachios, divided (See Tip 1)
- ¼ cup (1.75 ounces, 50 grams) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup (8 ounces, 2 sticks, 227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature (See Tip 2)
- ½ cup (2 ounces, 57 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (0.5 ounce, 15 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (10 ounces, 284 grams) all-purpose flour
Baileys Chocolate Icing
- 1 Tablespoon (.5 ounces, 15 ml) water
- 1 Tablespoon (.5 ounces, 15 ml) Baileys Irish Cream (See Tip 3)
- 2 teaspoons (1 ounce, 28 grams) light corn syrup
- 1 Tablespoon (0.5 ounces, 14 grams)) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (4 ounces 113 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (0.375 ounces, 11 grams) unsweetened cocoa (See Tip 4)
Instructions
Pistachio Shortbread
- Process ½ cup of pistachios with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Set aside. (See Tip 5)
- Beat butter, remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl on high until creamy, about one minute. (See Tip 6)
- Add the ground pistachios; beat on high until combined. Add the flour; beat on low just until combined.
- Transfer the dough to a gallon-size freezer Ziploc bag. Put the bag on a flat surface. Leaving the top open, roll the dough into a ¼-inch thick rectangle that completely fills the bag. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so that it doesn't cause creases. Seal the bag, and place it in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 2 hours, up to 2 days in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a large half-sheet baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- Remove the Ziploc bag from the freezer, put it on a cutting board, and slit it open. Discard the bag and turn the firm dough onto a parchment-lined board or counter. Using a ruler as a guide and a crinkle cutter, cut the dough into 1-inch x 2-inch rectangles. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a light golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Baileys Chocolate Icing
- Add water, Baileys Irish Cream, corn syrup, and butter to a microwave-safe measuring cup. Heat in the microwave on 50% power in 30 second increments until the butter is melted.
- Whisk the confectioners' sugar and unsweetened cocoa together in a small bowl. Add the hot liquid; beat on high with an electric mixer until smooth. (See Tips 7)
- Diagonally dip the end of each pistachio shortbread in the icing, allowing the excess to drip off. Place on a piece of parchment paper; sprinkle chopped pistachios on the chocolate before it hardens.
- Yield: 48 Baileys Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread (See Tip 8)
Video
Tips/Notes
- If using unsalted pistachios in this recipe, add ¼ teaspoon of table salt to the shortbread dough.
- Since I made this shortbread for St. Patrick's Day, I used Irish unsalted butter. However, regular unsalted butter works fine in this recipe.
- May substitute Kahlúa, Amaretto, or Grand Marnier for the Baileys Irish Cream. If you prefer to omit the alcohol, substitute heavy cream or milk for the Baileys.
- I used regular unsweetened cocoa, but you could also use Dutch-processed cocoa.
- When grinding the pistachios, or any nuts for that matter, it's important to add some granulated sugar to prevent the oils in the nuts from forming a nut butter.
- Only beat the butter and sugar until creamy. You don't want to introduce a lot of air to the batter because this will cause the shortbread to expand and then sink.
- If the icing is too thick, add a teaspoon of hot water to achieve the proper consistency. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel to prevent the icing from becoming too thick. If the icing does start to harden, heat it on 50% power in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Once the icing hardens, store the shortbread in an airtight container for up to three days.
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