PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD TREES

Pistachio Shortbread Trees image

Blend pistachios into basic shortbread, then add clever decorations to create charming holiday mini-trees.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories Dessert

Yield 32

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
16 pretzel spindles or sticks, broken in half
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 3 tablespoons milk

Steps:

Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine butter and sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pistachios. Add remaining pistachios, flour and vanilla; mix well. Dough will be stiff.
Divide dough evenly into 4 pieces; shape into balls. On lightly floured surface, pat each to form 6-inch round. Place rounds on sprayed cookie sheets. With table knife, lightly make indentations on surface of dough, dividing each round into 8 wedges. In outside edge of each wedge, insert 1 pretzel half for tree trunk.
Bake at 325°F. for 16 to 21 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cut each round into 8 wedges; place on wire racks. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.
Very finely chop reserved 2 tablespoons pistachios. In small bowl, blend icing ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing in zigzag design over each cookie. Before icing sets, sprinkle cookies with reserved pistachios.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 125, Carbohydrate 15 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, ServingSize 1 Cookie, Sodium 50 mg, Sugar 7 g