Festive Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies Recipe for the Holidays

Crisp autumn days call for a delightful cranberry orange shortbread cookies magic that transforms simple ingredients into something extraordinary.

My grandmother’s Scottish heritage always shines through when baking these buttery treats.

Delicate crumbles melt across your tongue with bright citrus notes dancing alongside tart cranberry pieces.

Rich, golden edges hint at the perfect balance between sweet and tangy flavors.

Each carefully crafted cookie tells a story of tradition and innovation.

Subtle orange zest whispers warmth into every tender bite.

You’ll find these cookies irresistible and impossible to stop at just one.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies: Worth Every Bite

• Tangy orange zest and sweet cranberries create a vibrant, unexpected twist on classic shortbread, elevating a traditional treat with bright, refreshing notes.
• Simple ingredients and easy preparation make these cookies an excellent project for baking with kids, encouraging fun family time in the kitchen.
• Gorgeous holiday colors and elegant flavor profile make these cookies ideal for Christmas gatherings, cookie exchanges, or winter celebrations.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies: What You’ll Need

• Butter: Provides rich, creamy flavor and tender texture for shortbread, best when softened at room temperature.
• Powdered Sugar: Creates a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth sweetness and helps achieve a smooth cookie texture.

• Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, classic bakery flavor to complement the citrus and cranberry notes.
• Orange Zest: Brings bright, fresh citrus aroma and intense orange flavor to the cookies.

• Dried Cranberries: Offers tart, sweet bursts of flavor and chewy texture throughout the shortbread, adds visual interest with ruby-red color.

Baking Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies Made Simple

Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar

Mix softened butter and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the ingredients until they become super fluffy and light, creating a creamy base for your cookies. The mixture should look smooth and airy, with no lumps visible.

Step 2: Add Flavor Boosters

• Vanilla extract
• Fresh orange zest

Blend these ingredients thoroughly until they’re completely incorporated into the butter-sugar mixture. The orange zest will create a bright, citrusy aroma that makes these cookies extraordinary.

Step 3: Create Cookie Dough

• All-purpose flour
• Salt

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix until a soft, crumbly dough forms. The texture should be slightly crumbly but able to hold together when pressed.

Step 4: Fold in Cranberry Gems

Sprinkle chopped dried cranberries into the dough. Gently mix them throughout, ensuring an even distribution of the tart, ruby-red fruit pieces.

Step 5: Shape Cookie Log

Transfer the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a tight log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the log completely in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to seal.

Step 6: Chill the Dough

Refrigerate the wrapped dough log for at least 2 hours. This helps the cookies maintain their shape and develops deeper flavors.

Step 7: Prepare for Baking

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 8: Slice and Arrange

Remove the chilled dough log from the refrigerator. Unwrap and slice into thin rounds, about 1/4 inch thick. Place the cookie slices on the prepared baking sheet, leaving small spaces between each cookie.

Step 9: Bake to Golden Perfection

Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, watching carefully. The edges should turn a delicate golden brown, indicating they’re perfectly done.

Step 10: Cool and Enjoy

Remove the cookies from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Once completely cooled, these tangy-sweet shortbread cookies are ready to be devoured!

Helpful Tips for Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

• Zest Wisely: Use fresh oranges and grate only the bright orange part of the peel, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath for the most vibrant citrus flavor.
• Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling and cutting to prevent spreading and maintain the cookies' crisp shape.
• Chop Cranberries Finely: Dice dried cranberries into small pieces to distribute evenly throughout the shortbread, ensuring a burst of tangy flavor in every bite.
• Bake Perfectly Golden: Watch cookies closely in the final minutes of baking, removing them when edges are just lightly golden to maintain a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Store Smartly: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

How to Keep Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies Fresh

• Store cookies in an airtight container, layered between parchment paper, for up to 5 days in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and prevent crumbling.
• Wrap cookies tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag, where they'll keep perfectly for 2-3 months without losing flavor or texture.
• Remove frozen cookies from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving, allowing them to softly return to their original delicious state.
• Warm cookies briefly in a preheated oven at 300°F for 3-4 minutes to restore their crisp edges and rich buttery taste, creating an almost-fresh-from-the-oven experience.

Perfect Sips and Sides for Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

• Pair these cranberry orange shortbread cookies with a crisp Prosecco to complement the bright, zesty orange notes and balance the buttery cookie texture.
• Serve alongside a warm chamomile tea, which softens the cookie's richness and enhances the delicate cranberry and orange flavors with its gentle floral undertones.
• Match these cookies with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, allowing the creamy coldness to contrast with the cookie's crumbly texture while amplifying the orange and cranberry essence.
• Pour a small glass of Moscato d'Asti, a sweet Italian white wine that echoes the cookie's fruity profile and provides a luxurious dessert experience.

Fun Takes on Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

• Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Shortbread: Replace all-purpose flour with almond flour or gluten-free flour blend to create a celiac-friendly version that maintains the same tender texture.
• Vegan Shortbread Alternative: Swap butter with coconut oil or vegan margarine, and use plant-based powdered sugar to craft a dairy-free cookie that still delivers rich, buttery flavor.
• Low-Sugar Holiday Cookie: Substitute powdered sugar with monk fruit sweetener or stevia blend to reduce overall sugar content while preserving the classic shortbread taste and texture.
• Chocolate-Dipped Cranberry Orange Cookies: Melt dark chocolate and partially dip baked cookies for an elegant upgrade that adds a decadent layer of richness to the original recipe.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies Recipe

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• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 24 1x

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Description

Festive cranberry orange shortbread cookies blend zesty citrus with sweet-tart berries in a melt-in-your-mouth delight. Holiday bakers will find pure joy in this simple yet elegant Scottish-inspired treat that connects warmth and tradition.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped

Flavoring Ingredients:

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 orange

Finishing Ingredients:

• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (optional, for coating the cookies)

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Instructions

1. Cream butter and powdered sugar in a spacious mixing vessel, whipping vigorously until the mixture transforms into a pale, airy texture with soft peaks forming.
2. Incorporate fragrant vanilla extract and vibrant orange zest, gently folding to evenly distribute the citrusy and aromatic components throughout the creamy base.
3. Sift together flour and salt in a separate bowl, creating a fine, even powder that will ensure a delicate cookie texture.
4. Gradually introduce the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula until a cohesive dough forms without overmixing.
5. Fold chopped cranberries into the dough, distributing them evenly to create bursts of tangy flavor throughout each cookie.
6. Shape the dough into a compact log on a sheet of parchment paper, carefully rolling and smoothing to create a uniform cylindrical shape.
7. Wrap the dough log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to meld and dough to firm up.
8. Preheat the oven and line baking sheets with parchment paper, preparing a clean workspace for cookie preparation.
9. Remove chilled dough from refrigerator and slice into uniform rounds, approximately quarter-inch thick, ensuring consistent baking.
10. Arrange cookie slices on prepared baking sheets, leaving modest space between each to allow for slight spreading during baking.
11. Bake until edges turn a delicate golden brown, signaling the perfect crisp and tender shortbread texture.
12. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack, enabling them to set and develop their signature crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth consistency.

Notes

• Zest oranges right before mixing to capture the brightest, most vibrant citrus flavor and maximize aromatic oils.
• Chop dried cranberries finely to distribute evenly throughout the cookie dough, preventing large chunky clusters.
• Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling and cutting to help cookies maintain their shape and prevent spreading during baking.
• For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a high-quality gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum for better texture and structure.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 24
• Calories: 150
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 50 mg
• Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 30 mg