Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Cranberry orange shortbread cookies are the perfect holiday cookie recipe. These melt-in-your-mouth, buttery shortbread cookies have a crisp texture, delicious orange flavor, and are packed with cranberries. Add these to your Christmas cookie list!
Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar/icing sugar.
- Salt – To enhance the flavor of the cookies.
- Fresh orange juice & zest – Be sure to zest the orange before juicing.
- All-purpose flour
- Dried cranberries – Dried cranberries add a tart and sweet flavor.
- Granulated sugar – Prevents the dried cranberries from sticking together when pulsing with a food processor.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- Make the cookie dough: Cream the butter, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the orange zest and juice and mix to combine. Add the all-purpose flour and mix until the dough is crumbly. Pulse the dried cranberries and granulated sugar in a food processor. Add the dried cranberries to the cookie dough and mix until the dough comes together.
- Shape and chill the cookie dough: Use a parchment paper sheet to form the dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
- Prep and preheat: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line baking sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies: Slice the cookie dough into 1/3 inch thick and place the cookie dough slices on the prepared baking pan. Bake the cookies for 11 to 13 minutes. Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Pulse the dried cranberries with granulated sugar before adding it to the cookie dough. This breaks up the cranberries and makes the cookie dough easier to slice and spreads the cranberries more evenly throughout the cookie dough.
- Be sure to use fresh orange zest and juice for the brightest citrus flavor.
- Use a sheet of parchment paper to help you shape the cookie dough. You can also split the cookie dough in half to make 2 logs. Roll the cookie dough in the parchment paper with your hands to create a smooth cookie dough log.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the cookies?
- Store the cookies in an airtight container or resealable storage bag at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
- Yes! After you form the cookie dough into a log, wrap the log in parchment paper and then plastic wrap. Store it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. When you are ready to bake, simply slice and bake as directed.
- You can also store the cookie dough logs in the freezer for up to 1 month. To use, thaw the dough slightly, slice and bake!
Other Cookie Recipes You Will Love
- Almond shortbread cutout cookies
- Cherry almond shortbread cookies
- Cherry pistachio snowball cookies
- Chocolate snowball cookies
- Pecan snowball cookies
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Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Yield: 24 cookies
Cranberry orange shortbread cookies are the perfect holiday cookie recipe. These melt-in-your-mouth, buttery shortbread cookies have a crisp texture, delicious orange flavor, and are packed with cranberries. Add these to your Christmas cookie list!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt
- 1 tbsp (17 g) orange juice fresh squeezed
- 1 tbsp (6 g) orange zest
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (61 g) dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and salt on medium speed until smooth. Add in the orange zest and orange juice and mix to combine. Add in the all-purpose flour and mix on low speed until the dough becomes crumbly.
- Pulse the dried cranberries and granulated sugar in a food processor to break the cranberries into smaller pieces. Add the dried cranberries to the crumbly dough and mix on low speed until the cookie dough comes together.
- Place the cookie dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Form the dough using your hands and the parchment paper into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Chill the dough log for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line baking sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Slice the cookie dough log into ⅓ inch slices. Place the cookie dough slices on the pan. Bake the cookies for 11 to 13 minutes until the edges are a slight golden-brown color. Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container or a resealable storage bag at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
Can you freeze the mixture before cooking?
Hi Juliet! Yes, the cookie dough can be frozen. You can either freeze it as a log or slice the cookie dough and freeze it that way.
I would assume that using a cookie cutter world be ok?
Hi Barb! Yes, if you prefer, you could roll out the cookie dough and use a cookie cutter. The cranberry bits might make it a little difficult to get a clean cut, but if they are small enough, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
Hi, is it possible to use fresh cranberries?
Hi Kelly! I haven’t tested this recipe using fresh cranberries. My inclination is that it might not work because it would add a lot of extra moisture into the cookies. If you decide to try it using fresh cranberries, I would recommend roughly chopping the cranberries before adding it to the cookie dough! Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!
Hi can you freeze these delicious left over baked cookies?
Hi Antoinette! Yes, you can freeze the cookies!
Very good! I love cranberry and orange. However, I miss the rich, buttery taste of shortbread in this recipe.
Yes, the cranberry and orange are the stars of the show in this recipe. It sounds like you may be more interested in a plain butter shortbread cookie! 🙂