Name: Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 60 g caster sugar; 1 orange (zest); 125 g unsalted butter (room temperature); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 180 g plain flour (all-purpose); 75 g dried cranberries (finely chopped); 120 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar); 30 ml orange juice; 1 tsp unsalted butter (melted)

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introduction

This Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies recipe makes crisp, buttery cookies with bright orange flavor and chewy dried cranberries. The cookies look simple, taste fresh, and work well for a snack, a small gift, or a holiday tray. Read through the whole recipe so you know each step, and you will find it easy to make at home. For another fruit-based dessert idea, try the Apple Cranberry Crumble Pie recipe for a cozy, similar flavor pairing.

Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

You will love these cookies for many simple reasons. They are buttery and crumbly, with a clear orange scent from the zest and juice. The dried cranberries add a chewy burst and a sweet-tart contrast that balances the shortbread. The glaze gives a little shine and extra orange flavor. These cookies keep well and make a good cookie plate for guests. The steps are straightforward, and most home bakers will find the dough easy to form and cut. The cookie shapes hold up when you chill the dough, so you get neat edges and a pretty finish.

Why Make This Recipe

This shortbread recipe is worth making because it uses easy ingredients and gives a fresh, festive flavor. It is not too sweet, so the orange and cranberry show through. You can make the dough ahead and chill it for a day, or freeze cut cookies for later baking. The recipe is flexible — you can stamp simple rounds or use a seasonal cutter. It is a good choice if you want treats for a party, a small gift, or a quiet afternoon with tea.

What You Need for Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

You need a few tools and bowls. Have a stand mixer or a hand mixer, a bowl, a spatula, a rolling pin, cookie cutters, baking trays, parchment paper, and a wire rack. Keep the butter at room temperature so it creams well. Have a small grater for the orange zest and a measuring scale or cups for the ingredients. A bowl to mix the glaze is helpful, and a spoon or small whisk to stir it smooth. A fridge space for chilling the cut cookies will make a big difference in keeping good shapes.

How to Make Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Below are the exact ingredients and the full directions. Read them first, then follow step by step.

Ingredients:
60 g caster sugar, 1 orange (zest), 125 g unsalted butter (room temperature), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 180 g plain flour (all-purpose), 75 g dried cranberries (finely chopped), 120 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar), 30 ml orange juice, 1 tsp unsalted butter (melted)

Directions:
Rub sugar and orange zest together. Add the orange zest into the bowl with the sugar and using your fingertips, massage/rub the zest into the sugar granules. This releases the natural oils and will intensify the orange flavour in the cookie. The sugar will become orange stained and will feel wet. This is perfect.

Cream together the butter, orange sugar and vanilla extract. Line one or two baking trays with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and orange sugar and cream on medium speed until pale and lightened. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add in the vanilla extract and mix again.

Add in flour and cranberries and beat them together. Add the flour and cranberries into the creamed butter, and, at low speed, mix them all on low speed until they are combined. The dough will look quite raggedy.

Form a dough and roll out. With your hands, squeeze the cookie dough together making a ball. Press it into a rough disc. Then on a lightly floured surface roll it out to a ½ cm thick. Note: if the dough is too soft at this point then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or longer until it firms up slightly and makes it easier to roll out. Keep an eye on it as if the dough is too hard, it will crack when you try to roll it out.

Cut out cookie shapes and chill. Once the dough is rolled out, use a cookie cutter (I used a leaf shape) to stamp out the cookies. Lay them onto the prepared baking tray. Bring together any scraps, re-roll and stamp out more cookies. And then, do it again if needs be. Just be aware that every time you re-form the dough, it will pull in the flour from the benchtop and hence may dry out the dough. Add a couple of drops of water to the dough if this happens. Now refrigerate the stamped cookies for 30 minutes minimum or until the cutouts have hardened. This means the butter has resolidified and will give you the best possible chance of the cookies retaining their shape in the oven.

Bake. Preheat the oven to 170°C (335°F). Remove the cookies from the fridge, then bake for 12-15 mins or until golden around the edges. Cool on the tray for ten minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mix ingredients together. Add the icing sugar, orange juice, and butter to a medium-sized bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth. If the glaze is too thin, then add a tablespoon at a time of icing sugar until it reaches the right consistency. If it’s too thick, add a teaspoon of orange juice until the correct consistency is reached.

Dip cookies into glaze. Dip the face of the cookies into the glaze and gently lift, letting the excess glaze drip off and place on a wire rack and wait for them to set. Serve and enjoy!

Best Ways to Serve Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Serve these cookies on a plate for tea or coffee. They pair well with a warm drink like black tea, chai, or a mild coffee. For a holiday table, arrange them on a platter with other cookies and small candies. You can stack them in a box lined with tissue paper for a gift. If you make them for a party, place the cookies on a tiered stand to show off the shapes and glaze. Warm them a little in the oven for a minute if you prefer the butter to be softer before serving, but they are best at room temperature.

How to Store Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. If you stack them, place a sheet of parchment between layers so the glaze does not stick. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies in one layer on a tray, then pack them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature when ready to eat. You can also freeze unbaked stamped cookies: lay the cutouts on a tray, freeze until firm, then pack them in a bag and bake from frozen adding a minute or two to the bake time.

Easy Tips to Make Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Zest the orange before juicing it so you do not lose the zest. Use a fine grater or microplane for best flavor release.
Keep your butter at room temperature but not too soft. If it is oily, chill briefly before creaming.
Chill the cut cookies well. This helps them keep shape and look neat.
If dough dries while re-rolling, add one or two drops of water and knead lightly to bring it back together.
Use evenly sized cookie cutters so all pieces bake the same time.
Let the glaze set fully before stacking cookies to avoid smudges.

Try These Variations of Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

You can change small parts to make new flavors:

Add a little orange extract instead of vanilla for more orange punch.
Swap dried cranberries for chopped dried cherries, raisins, or small chopped pistachios for color and texture.
Use lemon zest and lemon juice instead of orange for a lemon-cranberry version.
Add a small pinch of ground ginger or cinnamon for a warm spice note.
For a richer glaze, mix in a little melted white chocolate with the icing sugar and orange juice.
For a ginger-spiced cookie idea that fits the holiday cookie tray, see the best gingerbread cookies recipe to pair with these shortbreads.

Common Questions About Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Q: Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried?
A: Fresh cranberries have too much water and will change the dough texture. If you want fresh cranberry flavor, cook them first to remove some water, dry them, or use dried cranberries.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?
A: Yes. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill up to 24 hours. You can also freeze the dough for a month. Thaw in the fridge before rolling and cutting.

Q: Why did my cookies spread too much?
A: If the butter was too soft or the dough too warm, cookies may spread. Chill the cut cookies well before baking and make sure the oven is at the right temperature.

Q: How do I fix a glaze that is too runny?
A: Add a bit more icing sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until it thickens. If it is too thick, add a teaspoon of orange juice at a time.

Q: Can I make these without a mixer?
A: Yes. Use a bowl and a sturdy spoon or a pastry cutter to work the butter and sugar. It will take more effort, but the result is the same.

Final Thoughts

These Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies are a nice mix of buttery shortbread and bright citrus with chewy cranberries. They are simple to make, keep well, and dress up a cookie plate. With a little chilling time they keep their shape and look neat with the glaze. Try the small tips and variations to match your taste or event.

Ready to Give It a Try?

Gather your ingredients, chill the dough, and enjoy making these fresh, crisp cookies. They are friendly for bakers at all levels and make a pleasant treat any time.

Conclusion

For a version of this recipe and more notes, you can compare with the original source at Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies – Mom On Timeout.