Pistachio Cardamom Shortbread Drops

These holidays cookies combine the light texture of whipped shortbread with ground pistachios and the sweet fragrance of cardamom. They are made entirely with whole spelt flour (though whole wheat can also be used), which gives these cookies a nutty wholesomeness. But don't worry, they don't have that "healthy cookie" taste, they are sweet buttery shortbread through and through.

Cookies are sacred at Christmas. My grandmother always had a few much-loved classics that she would make year after year. But each December, when we would have our annual Christmas cookie-baking marathon weekend together, she would also encourage me to find one or two entirely new and adventurous recipes to try out for the first time. That seemed to embody her overall philosophy in life: to value and cherish traditions yet always keep an open mind and open heart to new ideas. Whenever I bake holiday cookies, I think of this.

These cookies are a bit of a mix of old and new since they are loosely-based on my grandmother's holiday classic: whipped shortbread. With the addition of one of my all-time favorite flavor combination, cardamom and pistachios, they take on a whole new persona.

What are your Christmas cookie classics?

Aube is a passionate organic gardener and home cook who likes to share the stories of how food gets to our dinner plates. Her work has been shown on television and at international film festivals. Her web series was nominated for a 2014 James Beard Award. In 2012, she was the recipient of Saveur Magazine's Best Food Blog award in the video category.