Pistachio Winks Recipes

PISTACHIO THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine flour and dry pudding mix; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips., Shape into 1-in. balls; roll in nuts. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets; make a thumbprint in center of cookie. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. , For filling, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Spoon into center of cooled cookies. , For glaze, if desired, melt chocolate chips and shortening; drizzle over cookies. Let stand until set.

PISTACHIO PINWHEELS

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Beat 6 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in 1 egg and the vanilla (don?t worry if the mixture looks separated). Reduce the mixer speed to low; mix in the flour mixture until combined. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap; shape into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Pulse the pistachios and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Mix in the remaining egg, 2 tablespoons butter, the almond extract, pinch of salt and food coloring. Process, scraping the bowl occasionally, until a thick paste forms. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Roll out the dough into a 10-by-11-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the pistachio filling over the dough almost all the way to the edges. Starting with a short side, roll up the dough into a tight spiral. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate, reshaping the log after 1 hour, until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Arrange the rounds 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared pans.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are firm and light golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

PISTACHIO WINKS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl. It'll take bout 90 seconds on high.
• Pour melted butter into a mixing bowl and add sugar. Mix well and let cool to room temperature.
• Mix in beaten eggs. Add the molasses and mix well.
• Add salt, baking soda and vanilla. Stir everything together and then mix in the finely chopped pistachios.
• Add the flour in 1 cup increments, mixing after each addition.
• Form the dough into 1" balls with your fingers and place them on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam (12 balls per cookie sheet).
• Spray the flat bottom of a water glass with Pam. Dip the glass in a bowl of sugar and flatten the balls on the cookie sheet. Dip the glass into sugar after each ball you flatten.
• Place a quarter cherry in the center of each cookie. Press the cherry down with the tip of your finger.
• Bake the cookies at 350 degreees for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies set up on the sheet for 1 mintues and then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling.