Buttery Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies Recipe (Slice & Bake)
Some cookies look plain until you cut into them. These cranberry orange shortbread cookies are the opposite. Every slice has pretty pink-red speckles, and the edges sparkle with sugar.
The secret is simple. You chop the dried cranberries together with a little sugar, so the color spreads through the whole dough. Then fresh orange zest adds that sunny, cozy smell. The result is buttery shortbread cookies with a tender, crumbly bite.
If you love the cranberry and pistachio mix, try my cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies too. And if you love the orange flavor, my cranberry orange bread is a great match. This shortbread cookies recipe is easy and very giftable.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Pink-speckled slices that look special with very little effort
- Fresh orange flavor with sweet-tart cranberries
- Slice-and-bake dough, so no rolling pin and no cutters
- Sparkly sugar edge for a pretty cookie tray
- Dough chills ahead for up to 3 days
- Makes 30 cookies and freezes well
Ingredients
- Dried cranberries: 1/2 cup (65g)
- Granulated sugar: 3/4 cup (150g), divided
- All-purpose flour: 2 1/2 cups (315g), spooned and leveled
- Cold unsalted butter: 1 cup (227g), cubed
- Almond extract: 1 tsp
- Orange zest: from 1 large orange (about 1 tbsp)
- Fresh orange juice: 1 to 2 tbsp, only if the dough is crumbly
- Extra granulated sugar: 1/2 cup (100g), for coating
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Butter: Use real butter, and keep it cold. Margarine will not work in this recipe.
- Flour: Spoon it into the cup and level it off. Scooping packs in too much and makes the cookies dry.
- Almond extract: This gives a bakery-style flavor. You can use vanilla extract instead.
- Orange zest: Use only the orange part of the peel. The white part is bitter.
- Cranberries: Craisins work well. Chop them with sugar so they do not clump.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Cranberry Sugar
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of the sugar to a food processor. Pulse until the cranberries are finely chopped and mixed into the sugar. Set it aside.
Step 2: Mix the Flour and Sugar
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar.
Step 3: Cut in the Butter
Add the cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like very fine crumbs.
Step 4: Add the Flavor
Stir in the almond extract, the cranberry sugar and the orange zest. Mix until everything is spread evenly.
Step 5: Knead and Shape
Knead the dough by hand until it forms a ball. If it stays crumbly, add the orange juice 1 tablespoon at a time. Shape the dough into a log about 2 inches wide. Wrap it in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
Step 6: Heat the Oven and Slice
Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Slice the chilled log into rounds about 1/4 inch thick.
Step 7: Coat and Bake
Press each slice into the extra sugar to coat the edges and tops. Place the slices on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, just until the cookies are set. Pull them out at 12 minutes if you want them extra tender.
Step 8: Cool
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. They are soft at first. Then move them to a wire rack to cool all the way.
Tips for the Best Results
- Keep the butter cold so the dough turns out crumbly and tender.
- Chop the cranberries with sugar so the color spreads evenly.
- Spoon and level the flour for soft, not dry, cookies.
- Do not overbake. Slightly underbaked cookies stay tender.
- Chill the log the full 2 hours so the slices cut cleanly.
- Store in an airtight container so the cookies stay fresh.
Variations and Add-ins
- Swap the almond extract for vanilla extract
- Add 1/4 cup finely chopped white chocolate to the dough
- Roll the log in coarse sparkling sugar for a bigger sparkle
- Dip half of each baked cookie in melted white chocolate
- Use dried cherries in place of the cranberries
- Add a little extra orange zest to the sugar coating
What to Serve With It
- A hot cup of tea or coffee
- Warm spiced apple cider
- Hot chocolate with marshmallows
- A holiday cookie tray with other favorites
- Creamy vanilla ice cream
- Fresh orange slices on the side
Easy Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pulse the dried cranberries with 1/4 cup of the sugar in a food processor until finely chopped. Set aside.
- Stir the flour and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar together in a large bowl.
- Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture forms very fine crumbs.
- Stir in the almond extract, cranberry sugar and orange zest.
- Knead the dough into a ball, adding orange juice 1 tablespoon at a time if it is crumbly.
- Shape the dough into a 2-inch log, wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
- Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Slice the log into 1/4-inch rounds and coat each in sugar.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, just until set.
- Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
- Freeze baked cookies or the dough log for up to 3 months.
- Pull the cookies at 12 minutes for the most tender texture.
That is all it takes to make bakery-style cranberry orange shortbread cookies at home. A little chopping, a little chilling, and you have a plate of pretty, buttery cookies.
These are perfect with a hot cup of tea on a slow afternoon. Set out a plate, pour something warm, and enjoy the sparkly sugar edges and fresh orange flavor.
For more cranberry orange recipes you will love:
