Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
User Reviews
4.9
Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
Description
Cranberry Shortbread Cookies combine classic shortbread ingredients with the addition of fresh cranberries and orange zest. The dough incorporates room-temperature unsalted butter creamed with sugar and orange zest, then combined with vanilla and flour to create a crumbly mixture. Adding roughly chopped fresh cranberries and folding them gently into the dough preserves their texture and tartness. The dough is shaped into a log and chilled to firm up before slicing into uniform rounds. Baking at 350°F creates cookies with tender centers and lightly crisp edges. The softened tartness of cranberries contrasts with the buttery, sweet base, further brightened by orange zest.
These cookies work well as a festive dessert or snack, pairing nicely with hot beverages. Handling the dough gently avoids crushing the berries and helps maintain even distribution. Chilling the dough log overnight is recommended for best shape and texture, and dried cranberries can be used as an alternative, adjusting the quantity to ½ to ⅔ cup without chopping.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter unsalted, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- orange zest of one orange or tangerine, just the orange part not bitter white pith
- 1 cranberries fresh, heaping cup
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract pure
Instructions
- Rough chop the cranberries and set aside.
- Cream the butter, sugar, and zest together until well combined. I do this in my food procesor.
- Add the flour and extract, and pulse about 10 times, then run the machine briefly, just until the dough comes together into a lump or lumps.
- Add the cranberries and pulse just until they are distributed, but don't process too much.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and bring together with your hands. Work it just until it is no longer crumbly.
- Form the dough into a 10-12 inch log. The longer your log the smaller your cookies will be. Wrap the log in plastic, using the plastic to smooth out the dough and help form your log. Twist the ends tight to seal.
- Chill the dough for at least 3 hours, or overnight. I like to wrap up my log in a folded towel ~ this helps keep it round as it chills.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough into 1/3 inch slices and place on the cookie sheet, two inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or slightly longer if you like your cookies crisper. They will be pale on top and just turning golden on the bottom. Note: if your cookies are smaller or thinner than mine, they may take less time to cook.
- Let them cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheets and then tranfer them to a cooling rack. Be careful, the cookies are soft and delicate when hot and will firm up as they cool.
Notes
- For best texture, avoid frozen cranberries; dried cranberries can be used instead, but reduce to ½–⅔ cup and no chopping is needed.
- Chilling the dough log at least 3 hours or overnight helps maintain the cookies' shape when sliced and baked.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 18cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 163 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 163kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 27mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 90mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 18mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 315IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 5mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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