Delicious Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

These cranberry orange shortbread cookies are the perfect holiday treat! With a buttery texture, zesty orange flavor, and sweet-tart cranberries, they’re festive, delicious, and ideal for gifting or sharing at holiday gatherings.

cranberry orange cookies — Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

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About This Recipe

Cranberry orange shortbread cookies are a true celebration of festive flavors and textures. The bright zest of fresh oranges perfectly complements the sweet-tart burst of dried cranberries, creating a combination that feels quintessentially holiday. Each bite of these cookies offers a delicate crunch that melts into a rich, buttery softness, making them irresistibly satisfying.

Their signature buttery texture sets shortbread cookies apart, achieved through a simple ratio of flour, sugar, and butter. This classic combination creates a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth cookie that’s both tender and rich. The addition of orange zest infuses a subtle citrus aroma, while the cranberries add vibrant flavor and color, making these cookies as visually appealing as they are delicious.

Perfect for holiday gifting, cookie platters, or enjoying a warm cup of tea, these cookies embody the warmth and joy of the season. Their balanced flavors and easy preparation make them a go-to for festive baking, ensuring they’ll be a hit with friends and family alike!

What You Need To Make Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a tender texture. You can use powdered sugar for a slightly softer, melt-in-your-mouth cookie.

All-purpose flour: Provides structure to the cookies and contributes to their signature crumbly texture.

Unsalted butter: The key to shortbread’s rich, buttery texture and flavor. Salted butter can be used, but reduce or omit additional salt in the recipe.

Salt: A small pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor of the cookies and balances the sweetness. It’s an essential ingredient for bringing out the buttery richness.

Fresh orange zest: Infuses the cookies with a bright, citrusy flavor. Lemon zest can be used for a different citrus twist, or add a small amount of orange extract if fresh zest isn’t available.

Dried cranberries: Provide sweet-tart bursts of flavor and add texture to the cookies. Swap with dried cherries or raisins for a similar chewy element, or use candied orange peel for extra citrus notes.

How To Make Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Step 1: Prepare the dough: Cream the butter, sugar, and orange zest until creamy and fluffy. Next, add in the dry ingredients along with chopped dried cranberries and fold until combined, the dough will look dry and crumbly.

Step 2: Transfer the mixture onto a clean surface and use your hands to bring the dough together.

Step 3: Roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter to cut as many cookies as you can. Bring the leftovers together, roll the dough again, and cut out more cookies.

Step 4: Place the cookie cut-outs onto a lined baking sheet and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. This will ensure the cookies keep their shape. Once chilled bake at 160 °C / 320 °F for 17-20 minutes. Don’t overbake your cookies! We do not want brown edges on our cookies!

Step 5: Once baked, let the cookies cool on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

How To Store Shortbread Cookies

To keep your cranberry orange shortbread cookies fresh and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before storing them to prevent any moisture buildup, which could affect their texture.

For longer storage, these cookies freeze beautifully—simply place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bag with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to three months and thawed at room temperature when ready to enjoy, making them perfect for preparing ahead during the busy holiday season!

cranberry otange cookies 3 — Cranberry orange shortbread cookies

Pro Tips

Use room temperature butter: Softened butter is easier to cream with sugar, ensuring a smooth and cohesive dough. Avoid melting the butter, as it can make the dough greasy and harder to handle. Here’s a hack to quickly soften butter if you forgot to remove it from the refrigerator ahead of time: Cut the butter into cubes, place them on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave at 20% power in 10-second intervals until the butter has softened (it should take about 20 seconds in total). Now you can use it to make your cookies!
Chill the dough: After mixing, and cutting out your cookies, chill them for at least 30 minutes before baking. Chilling helps the cookies keep their shape so they don’t end up lumpy.
Bake Until Lightly Golden: Keep an eye on your cookies as they bake. They should be pale with just a hint of golden color at the edges. Overbaking can make them dry and lose their tender texture.
Let Them Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This prevents the delicate cookies from breaking and gives them time to set.
Make Them Ahead: Shortbread dough can be made a day or two in advance and stored in the fridge. This is perfect for planning ahead during busy holiday seasons! Just let the dough sit at room temp. for 10-15 minutes before rolling it out.

FAQ’s

How do I keep the cookies from spreading and losing their shape?

To maintain their shape, chill the dough after rolling and cutting the cookies. Place the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet and refrigerate them for 30 minutes before baking.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Let it soften slightly before rolling it out.

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried cranberries?

Fresh cranberries have a higher moisture content, which can affect the texture of the cookies. For the best results, stick with dried cranberries or chop fresh cranberries finely and pat them dry before using.

What’s the best way to zest an orange?

Use a fine grater or microplane to zest only the outer orange layer of the peel, avoiding the bitter white pith. Fresh zest works best for maximum flavor.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes! Substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend for a gluten-free version. Do keep in mind that this will change the texture of the shortbread cookies.

What can I use if I don’t have a cookie cutter?

You can use the rim of a glass or a jar lid to cut the cookies.

Can I add nuts or other mix-ins to the recipe?

Certainly! Finely chopped nuts like pecans or almonds can add a delightful crunch and extra flavor. Just mix them into the dough with the cranberries.

cranberry orange shortbread cookies 4 — Cranberry orange shortbread cookies

Looking for more holiday cookie recipes? Try my all-time favorite Ginger Molasses Cookies, my Cinnamon Raisin slice-and-bake Cookies, or even my 5 In 1 Cookie Recipe that uses one base cookie dough to make 5 different cookie flavors, perfect for a holiday cookie box!

Check out my YouTube Channel for detailed recipe tutorials! Have you made one of my recipes? Tag me on Instagram, I would love to see your creations!

Recipe Card

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 17 min

Chill Time: 30 min

Total Time: 1 hour

Course: Dessert

Servings: 22

Calories: 140kcal

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (200g)
1 tbsp orange zest
1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (300g)
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

Equipment/Utensils

Electric stand/hand mixer (can also be made by hand (wooden spoon/spatula))
Large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer)
Spatula
2 inch(6cm) Cookie cutter
2 Baking sheets lined with parchment paper

Instructions

Add granulated sugar, softened butter, and orange zest into the bowl of your stand mixer(fitted with a paddle attachment) or a large bowl if you’re using a stand mixer or making the dough by hand. Beat the butter and sugar until it turns pale and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
Next, add in all-purpose flour, salt, and chopped dried cranberries, use a spatula to combine. The dough will look dry and crumbly, this is totally normal.
Transfer the dough onto a clean surface and use your hands to bring the dough together into a smooth ball.
Dust your work surface with some flour and roll the dough out into a rectangle that’s roughly 1/4 inch in thickness. Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut as many cookies out of the rolled dough as you can. Bring the leftover pieces together, roll them out, and cut more cookies.
Use an offset spatula to transfer the cookies onto a lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 min or up to an hour.
Once chilled for 20 minutes, preheat your oven to 160 °C / 320 °F. Once fully chilled, bake the cookies for 17-20 minutes or until the edges are very slightly golden brown.
Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 140.14kcal

Total Fat: 7.53g

Carbs: 17.03g

Sugars: 6.34g

Protein: 1.49g

Sodium: 54.3mg

Fiber: 0.53g

** Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, cooking methods, portion sizes, and more. **