Pistachio Shortbread Trees

Well, today was our Christmas Program at church. My mom made these cookies and brought them for the Soup Supper. They seemed to be very well enjoyed! Personally, I am not keen on Pistachios, but everyone who had one really seemed to enjoy it! I know that Hunter loves them. Enjoy!!

PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD TREES

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup finely chopped pistachios
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
16 pretzel spindles or sticks, broken in half

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 3 Tbsp. Milk

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Reserve 2 Tbsp. 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 degrees 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 Tbsp. 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. Makes 32 cookies.