Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
These buttery shortbread cookies feature the festive combination of tart dried cranberries and fresh orange zest. With their melt-in-your-mouth texture and beautiful appearance, they’re perfect for holiday gifting, cookie exchanges, or enjoying with afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest from approximately 1 large orange
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
- Optional: 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t rush this step—proper creaming creates the perfect texture.
- Add orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until well combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled, but don’t worry—that’s normal.
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a separate bowl, then gradually add to the butter mixture on low speed until just incorporated. Over-mixing will develop the gluten and make tough cookies.
- Fold in the chopped cranberries by hand using a rubber spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape the dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter. If using turbinado sugar, spread it on a clean surface and roll the log in the sugar to coat the exterior.
- Wrap the dough log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. This chilling time is crucial for the flavors to meld and the texture to develop.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the chilled dough into rounds about 1/4-inch thick using a sharp knife. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. The centers will still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator overnight before slicing and baking.
- For extra orange flavor, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of orange extract along with the vanilla.
- Make sure your butter is truly at room temperature—not melted or too cold. It should yield slightly when pressed with a finger.
- Chopping the cranberries helps distribute them more evenly throughout the dough.
- For a festive touch, you can dip half of each baked and cooled cookie in melted white chocolate.