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pistachio cheesecake shortbread bites

Pistachio Cheesecake Bite Shortbread Cookies

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 9 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing bowl
  • 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 Whisk
  • 2 sheet pan
  • 2 silicone baking mat or parchment sheet
  • 1 Cookie scoop 1.5-tablespoon
  • 1 Wire rack
  • 1 Small saucepan
  • 1 piping bag or zip-top bag
  • 1 microplane or zester
  • 1 Measuring cups set
  • 1 Measuring spoons set

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup pistachios finely chopped
  • 8 ounce cream cheese softened
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/3 cup pistachio paste smooth
  • 2 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoon pistachios coarsely chopped, for topping
  • 2 ounce white chocolate optional, for drizzle

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two sheet pans with silicone mats or parchment.
  • Cream butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl until light and smooth, then beat in vanilla and almond extracts.
  • Whisk flour and salt together, add to the butter mixture, and mix on low just until a soft dough forms.
  • Fold in finely chopped pistachios with a spatula until evenly distributed.
  • Chill the dough 20 minutes to firm slightly for easier scooping.
  • Scoop 24 level portions with a 1.5-tablespoon scoop, roll into balls, and arrange on prepared sheets spaced 2 inches apart.
  • Use your thumb or the back of a rounded teaspoon to make a deep well in the center of each dough ball without cracking the edges.
  • Bake the shortbread bases for 12 to 14 minutes until set and just barely golden at the edges, then cool on a rack.
  • While cookies cool, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until creamy, then beat in egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt.
  • Warm pistachio paste with heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat until loosened and smooth, then cool 2 minutes.
  • Beat the loosened pistachio paste into the cream cheese mixture until silky and pipeable.
  • Transfer filling to a piping bag and pipe a generous dollop into each cookie well, slightly mounding it above the rim.
  • Refrigerate filled cookies for 1 to 1.5 hours until the cheesecake centers are set and slice-clean.
  • If using, melt white chocolate, drizzle over set cookies, and sprinkle with coarsely chopped pistachios.
  • Keep cookies chilled until serving and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes for best texture.

Notes

Use room-temperature butter and cream cheese to avoid a lumpy dough or filling, and avoid overmixing the shortbread to keep it tender and crumbly. If the dough cracks when making wells, smooth edges with slightly damp fingertips. For the neatest look, chill the scooped dough balls 10 minutes before pressing the wells. Pistachio paste varies in sweetness—taste the filling and add 1 to 2 teaspoons extra sugar if your paste is very bitter, or a pinch more salt if it’s sweet. The filling sets best when the cookies are fully cool before piping; if your kitchen is warm, chill the filling 10 minutes to firm. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze un-drizzled cookies up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.
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