Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies studded with tart dried cranberries and bright orange zest. Just seven simple ingredients, one hour of chill time, and 15 minutes in the oven for a cookie that tastes absolutely elegant.
- Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield24 cookies 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together room-temperature butter and powdered sugar until light, fluffy, and almost white, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add Flavorings: Mix in vanilla extract and orange zest until well combined and fragrant.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in Cranberries: Gently fold in chopped dried cranberries until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape and Chill: Roll dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
- Slice and Bake: Slice chilled dough into ¼-inch thick rounds. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Butter must be truly room temperature for proper creaming. Chop cranberries smaller than you think for even distribution. Do not over-mix once flour is added. Dough log can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months — slice and bake straight from the freezer, adding 1–2 minutes to bake time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cookies, Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 130
- Sodium: 25
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 20
