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    Home » Recipes

    Fresh Cranberry Pistachio Cookies - Made with Boxed Cake Mix

    December 7, 2018 by Patti Estep 13 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    These fresh cranberry pistachio cookies are very easy to make and are the perfect festive treat for your Christmas dessert tray.

    Fresh cranberry and pistachio cake cookies

    Fresh cranberries are so delicious. Every year I make cranberry shortbread cookies and this holiday season I thought I'd try to make cake cookies. 

    Have you heard of these? They are cookies that you make with a box cake mix.

    Fresh cranberry pistachio cookie dough

    Since cranberries are in season and they look so festive I made cranberry pistachio cookies. They are not only tasty but they have a great red and green festive holiday look.

    Fresh cranberry pistachio cookies on drying rack.

    One of the things I like about these cookies is that they stay small when you bake them. Just the right size to pop in your mouth. 

    The cream cheese keeps them moist for days and though I haven't done it yet, my guess is that they would freeze well. And, the recipe makes four dozen which can easily be doubled for your Christmas cookie swap.

    Fresh cranberry pistachio cake cookies stacked

    Once again, just like the shortbread cookies, using fresh cranberries gave these cookies a nice tart flavor. You definitely don't need to use dried cranberries that are full of extra sugar.

    However, if that's all you have I believe that you probably could substitute the fresh with dried cranberries.

    Trio of fresh cranberry pistachio cookies

    It was fun using cake mix to make the fresh cranberry pistachio cookies. I wonder what other combinations I could make next time.

    Patti signature

    More Great Cranberry Recipes

    • Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
    • Cranberry Oatmeal Bars
    • Cranberry Dump Cake
    Fresh cranberry and pistachio cake cookies

    Fresh Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

    This recipe for cranberry pistachio cake cookies is easy to make and gives you 4 dozen festive looking cookies for the holidays.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 55 mins
    Course Cookies
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 dozen
    Calories 49 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • White Cake Mix
    • 1/2 cup butter softened
    • 4 oz cream cheese softened
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 egg
    • 1 cup fresh cranberries chopped finely
    • 1/2 cup pistachio nuts chopped finely

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
    • Chop cranberries and pistachios in a food processor.
    • In a large bowl cream butter and cream cheese together.
    • Add vanilla and egg. Mix well
    • Add cake mix and mix well.
    • Hand stir the cranberries and nuts into batter.
    • Scoop out teaspoon sized balls of dough onto a cookies sheet.
    • Bake for 6-7 minutes and then switch trays, moving the top tray to the bottom rack and the bottom tray to the top. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes more or until the cookies start to get a little golden brown on the top.
    • Remove and let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet.
    • Remove from cooking sheet onto a backing rack or towel to finish cooling.
    • Once cooled wrap and store or serve.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 49kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 42mgSugar: 1g

    Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

     

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    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pam Jaworski

      December 17, 2018 at 1:53 pm

      Oops!
      I see the answers to my questions as I read your article once more!
      Merry Christmas!

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        December 17, 2018 at 2:18 pm

        Glad you figured it out Pam. Merry Christmas!

        Reply
    2. Pam Jaworski

      December 17, 2018 at 1:50 pm

      Hi Ptti,
      I made your cranberry pistachio cookies with success! How long do they stay fresh?
      It is a week before serving. Do they freeze well?

      Reply
    3. meegan

      December 12, 2018 at 10:29 pm

      Thanks for the delicious recipe, Patti. My grands are coming over Sunday for a little Christmas party. They will love these.

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        December 13, 2018 at 7:00 am

        Thank you Meegan. I hope they love them.

        Reply
    4. Karly

      December 09, 2018 at 10:08 am

      Super easy cookies! I've got to try these!

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        December 09, 2018 at 12:04 pm

        Thanks Karly, I hope you love them as much as we did.

        Reply
    5. lauren // laurenalforddesign.com

      December 07, 2018 at 10:51 am

      these look delicious and festive, but naturally beautiful. yum!

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        December 07, 2018 at 10:55 am

        Thanks Lauren. That was the idea. I hope you get a chance to make some. Happy Holidays.

        Reply
    6. Carole West

      December 07, 2018 at 8:50 am

      These look so tasty and that pop of red with the cranberries is perfect. Neat list of ingredients and I bet it's a cookie where you would just keep eating because the flavor is so comforting.

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        December 07, 2018 at 10:34 am

        Thank Carole, I love the tart flavor of fresh cranberries and I think it works well with the sweetness of a cookie. I'll have to try a different kind of cake mix another time. Maybe chocolate?

        Reply
    7. Cd Loken

      December 07, 2018 at 7:14 am

      Oh yum!! Your cookies look divine, Patti!! I have never made cookies using cake mix but what a time saver right?? All your dry ingredients in one box!! ❤️It!!

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        December 07, 2018 at 7:51 am

        Thanks CD. I've been wanting to try it for a while now and it was fun. The taste is light from the cake mix but also creamy from the cream cheese.

        Reply

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