Pistachio-orange-cardamom shortbread bars

I know that everyone is trying to eat better now that the holidays are over... And, while I am trying to do the same, I do miss having cookies. I marked the pistachio shortbread in Cook This Now (one of my Christmas gifts) the day after Christmas and then wondered how long I would need to wait to make them... I waited a few weeks and then figured that my birthday week is as good as any other! Plus, I've been buying up so much beautiful citrus lately and I really wanted to incorporate orange into these cookies.

These cookies come together in a snap. They are so buttery and flaky and have an exotic scent and spice to them. I was inspired by the recipe in the book, but swapped out the orange water blossom water for orange juice and zest. Oh, and I also added the cardamom, reduced the sugar, and replaced some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour. I think they turned out great and I'm inspired to try all kinds of shortbread now. I always make my rosemary one at the holidays, I've tried one with matcha tea, and I think next up is a savory lemon and thyme shortbread. One note is that your food processor needs to be pretty large to use it for this recipe. It just fit in mine. If it won't fit, use it for the first step and then transfer it to a large bowl and cut in the butter and orange juice.

Pistachio-orange-cardamom shortbread bars
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup superfine/fine unbleached granulated sugar
1/2 cup pistachios
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed orange juice
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1-2 teaspoons coarse turbinado sugar, optional

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Add the flour, sugar, pistachios, salt, cardamom, and orange zest into a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are finely chopped. Pulse in the orange juice and butter until the dough starts to come together and begins forming a ball.

Press the dough evenly and firmly into a 7x11-inch baking dish. Prick it all over with a fork. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar, if using. Bake until it just begins to turn golden, about 35-40 minutes.

Let cool for about 10 minutes and then slice into squares while it is still warm. Store in an airtight container.

What was I cooking one year ago?: cashew chicken korma
Two years ago?: French onion soup