Baileys Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread

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Baileys Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread

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 it to the next level.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Freezing Shortbread Dough2

Total Time2 50

Course: Cookies, St. Patrick's Day

Cuisine: American

Servings: Cookies

Calories: 84kcal

Author: Chula King

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

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.

Nutrition