Pistachio Cherry Cookies

Pistachio Cherry Cookies bring together buttery, almond-scented dough, sweet maraschino cherries, and toasted pistachios in a no-chill holiday cookie that goes from mixing bowl to tray in 25 minutes.

These Pistachio Cherry Cookies started as my take on the classic snowball cookie, with the specific goal of making a version that looked as festive as it tasted. Toasted pistachios and maraschino cherries do exactly that.

They are especially easy and delicious, and their flavor improves as they sit. We all need a Christmas cookie lay-up, amiright? That unquestionably leaves more time for the high-maintenance ones like traditional speculoos cookies! Or for another lay-up, make these Christmas crinkle cookies!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Unsalted Butter
• Confectioners’ sugar (in dough): Powdered sugar sweetens the dough while producing the dense, sandy crumb that defines a snowball cookie. The cornstarch it contains inhibits gluten development, which is exactly what keeps these cookies tender.
• Almond Extract: Almond extract ties the cherry and pistachio flavors together and gives the cookies a distinctly nutty aroma. Measure carefully, because too many tips can quickly turn from pleasant to bitter.
• Vanilla Extract
• All-Purpose Flour
• Pistachios: Use shelled, unsalted pistachios to control the salt in the finished cookie. Toasting them before chopping intensifies their flavor and drives off moisture so they stay crisp in the baked cookie. Chop them well enough to distribute through the dough for a little crunch in every bite.
• Maraschino Cherries: These add pockets of sweetness, bright color, and a soft, slightly chewy texture that contrasts beautifully with the buttery crumb. Standard maraschino cherries, which are what I use for their vivid red color, work perfectly here. If you find yourself with extras after making these, they are perfect for a batch of cherry chocolate chip cookies or these cherry cookies next.
• Confectioners’ Sugar (for rolling): This coating creates the signature snowball look and a melt-on-contact sweetness around the exterior. Roll the cookies while still warm so the first layer adheres, then let cool, then roll again for full, even coverage.
• Red Sanding Sugar or Edible Glitter: Red sanding sugar has slightly larger crystals than granulated sugar. Use it mixed with or applied over the powdered sugar coating so it decorates without creating an overly crunchy exterior.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations on This Cherry Pistachio Snowballs

• Different Extract. Swap the almond extract for orange or lemon extract to shift the flavor profile in a complementary direction, or use all vanilla extract if almond is not your preference.
• Luxury Cherries or Dried Cherries. High-quality maraschino cherries like Rex Brand have a richer flavor and no artificial coloring, or use an equal amount of finely chopped dried cherries for a less sweet, more concentrated cherry flavor.
• Gluten-Free. Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour. Cup4Cup is my preference because it produces a texture closest to the original, while blends with a higher rice flour content yield something closer to a shortbread crumb.
• Colorful Holiday Variations. Swap the red sanding sugar for green or gold to shift the look toward St. Patrick’s Day or Mardi Gras season, or blue for Hanukkah. Can even use pink for Valentine’s Day!

Professional Tips

• Pat the cherries completely dry before chopping. Excess syrup from maraschino cherries introduces moisture directly into the dough, which throws off the texture and can make the cookies spread or turn dense. Press them between several layers of paper towels and blot firmly.
• Stop mixing the moment the flour disappears. Overworking the dough after the flour goes in develops gluten and turns a tender snowball into a tough one. Fold the mix-ins in by hand if needed to keep control over the dough at this stage.
• Roll the cookies in the sugar coating while still warm. The exterior needs a little heat to grip the first layer of powdered sugar. Once cooled, roll them a second time for full, even coverage that actually stays on.

How to Make Cherry Pistachio Snowballs

The dough comes together quickly in a stand mixer, and the mix-ins go in last so every ball has a little cherry and crunch in every bite.

Step 1: Prep the cherries and preheat. Set your oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drain the maraschino cherries, then spread them on a paper towel and pat them as dry as you can.

Excess syrup will make the dough sticky and can prevent the cookies from holding their shape, so take an extra minute here.

Step 2: Cream the butter, sugar, and extracts. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and extracts together until the mixture is light and fluffy. The powdered sugar is what gives these cookies their distinctly tender, crumbly texture.

Step 3: Add the flour. Reduce the mixer to low and add the flour slowly. Watch for the moment it fully disappears into the dough, and stop right there. The mixture will look shaggy at first, then pull together into a soft dough that just holds its shape when pressed.

Step 4: Fold in the pistachios and cherries. With the mixer still on low, add the chopped pistachios and patted-dry cherries. The dough will be soft and slightly tacky, which is completely normal.

Chopping the pistachios distributes them evenly so you get a little crunch in every cookie rather than a concentrated bite in one and none in another.

Step 5: Roll the dough into balls. Scoop the dough and roll it between your palms into 1-inch balls. They should feel smooth and hold their round shape without cracking. Place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Step 6: Bake until golden and cracked. Bake at 325°F (conventional no fan) for about 10 minutes, though the exact time will depend on how large you rolled them. You are looking for a golden brown base and visible cracks across the tops. That cracked surface is the cue that the dough has set through and the cookies are done. Start checking at the 8-minute mark, so you do not overshoot.

Step 7: Cool on a wire rack. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely before rolling.

I like to roll the cookies in the sugar while they are slightly warm, then roll them again when they cool completely.

Step 8: Roll in the sugar coating. Mix the edible glitter with the confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll each cooled cookie through the mixture until fully coated, pressing gently so the sugar adheres. The red sanding sugar crystals are just slightly larger than granulated sugar and catch the light in a way that makes these cookies look festive without any extra effort!

Recipe FAQs

Before You Go

These cherry pistachio snowballs are the kind of cookie I keep coming back to, with their buttery crumb, bright pops of dried cherry, and that signature dusting of powdered sugar. If you want to keep exploring, browse all my Cookie Recipes or head over to these 25 easy Christmas cookies!