Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Crispy and buttery, these Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies are loaded with fresh orange flavor and yummy Craisins in every bite! They're the perfect addition to your holiday cookie trays, or for a twist on the traditional shortbread for your cookie exchanges!
Servings: 18
Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- ½ cup Butter
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- 1⅓ cups All Purpose Flour 160g
- 1 tablespoon Orange Extract *or Orange Juice
- 1 Egg Yolk
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoons Orange Zest About ½ an orange zested
- ⅓ cup Dried Cranberries (Craisins) Finely Chopped
Orange Infused Sugar
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Zest About ½ an orange zested
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cream the softened Butter and Granulated Sugar in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure you're including all the ingredients.
- Add Orange Juice and Egg Yolk to the butter mixture and continue to cream for an additional 2–3 minutes. Gradually add the All-Purpose Flour, Salt, Dried Cranberries and Orange Zest to the butter mixture until combined.
- The shortbread dough will be thick. Work and roll into a log shape or a flat rectangle shape, as shown here.
- Cover it in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Optional: Roll the log into Coarse Sugar and Orange Zest before wrapping and chilling it. The extra sugar and zest give a bright flavor and crunchy texture to the cookies when baked!
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and slice it into ¼-inch slices.
- Place the slices of cookie dough on a prepared baking sheet, making sure there are at least 2 inches between the cookies to allow for spreading.
- Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional: Garnish with additional Orange Zest or drizzle a simple orange glaze on top.
Notes
Optional: Orange Icing Glaze
Combine 1 cup of Powdered Sugar with enough Orange Juice to make a thin glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies for an extra-special finish. Allow them to harden before storing them.
Storage:
- Store: Store your Cranberry Orange Cookies once they have completely cooled to room temperature in an airtight container on the counter. These cookies will stay fresh for up to a week but are best enjoyed within 3–4 days.
- Freeze: You can make these cookies ahead of time and freeze them for up to 3 months in a sealed container or freezer bag. Place parchment paper between the layers to prevent them from sticking. Alternatively, if you're preparing ahead for the busy holiday season, you can make the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it to bake a batch of fresh cookies just as you need them. Allow the cookie dough roll to thaw in the fridge overnight before slicing and baking the cookies, or freeze the cookie dough slices, then bake from frozen for an extended bake time of 10–12 minutes.
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