Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
User Reviews
5
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Description
This cookie recipe creams softened butter and confectioners sugar, blending in orange extract, zest, and fresh juice for a pronounced orange flavor in the dough. All-purpose flour and a pinch of salt bind the dough, while chopped dried cranberries add tart bursts contrasting the sweet, buttery base. The dough consistency should be firm but pliable, chilled to hold shape before slicing into cookies shaped from logs of dough.
After baking, the cookies gain a delicate, crumbly shortbread texture with hints of citrus and cranberry. Cane sugar sprinkling adds a slight crisp, while the orange glaze prepared from powdered sugar, milk, and fresh orange juice provides a glossy, sweet citrus finish enhancing the flavor complexity and moistness on top.
Best served as a festive or everyday cookie, these provide a balance of citrus brightness and sweet-tart cranberry notes with a classic buttery shortbread crumb. The recipe emphasizes chilling dough to prevent spreading and maintain cookie shape, highlighting the importance of temperature control.
Cookies store well in airtight containers in a cool, dry place or the refrigerator and can be frozen for up to three months, preserving texture and flavor for future enjoyment.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- ½ cup confectioners sugar 2 tbsp
- 2 tsp orange extract can substitute with almond extract
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 4 tsp orange juice ~ approx ½ orange, juiced, fresh, naval oranges
- salt pinch
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
- cane sugar for topping
Orange Glaze
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp orange juice fresh
Instructions
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, combine room temperature butter (cold butter won't work here!) and confectioner sugar. Beat together until completely creamed together (you may need to scrap the sides of the bowl a few times).
- Add in the orange extract, orange zest, and juiced orange. Beat again until smooth.
- Pour in the all purpose flour and salt. Mix again until dough forms.
- Fold in the chopped dried cranberries. Spin the mixer 4-6 times to disperse the cranberries, but be careful not to overmix.
- Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface. Remove the dough from the mixer. It should have enough form that it stays together in one lump, and it shouldn't be too sticky or crumbly (see FAQs if your dough doesn’t seem quite right).
- Use your hands to form dough into a log shape roughly 2-3” in diameter. **If you'd like to make 18-24 cookies, make the log more narrow. Note: this will effect bake time. Monitor closely.
- Fold the plastic wrap tightly around the log and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. After the dough is completely chilled, remove from the plastic wrap. Use a straight sharp knife to cut even cookies, roughly ¼” thick.
- Place cookie dough rounds on a cookie sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper and top with a sprinkle of cane sugar. Bake cookies for 9-12 minutes or until centers are firm (the shortbread cookie will change colors from a yellow to more of a white when baked. You will know they are done when there is any hint of golden brown on the baked cookies' bottom edges). Keep a close eye as bake time will vary from oven to oven.
- While the cookies are baking, make the glaze: Combine orange juice, milk, and powdered sugar in the stand mixer. Whisk together until a thick, citrus glaze is formed. Note: If the glaze seems too thick, add milk in 1 tsp increments until desired consistency is reached. Avoid adding too much liquid, because if it is too thin the glaze will not harden on the shortbread cookie.
- Once the cookies cool, use a spoon to add ½ tbsp of icing onto each cookie. You can also opt to drizzle the glaze if you wish. Garnish with fresh orange zest and/or more chopped cranberries.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed orange juice rather than store-bought for stronger citrus flavor.
- Chill the dough thoroughly before baking to help cookies hold their shape.
- Store finished cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or refrigerate.
- You can freeze the cookies for up to 3 months to maintain freshness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 222 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cookie | |
| Calories | 222kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 37g | 12% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 20mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 75mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 10mg | 0% |
| Sugar | 28g | 56% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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