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Cranberry Orange Cookies - a tender, buttery shortbread slice and bake cookie loaded with tangy cranberries and zingy orange. These easy-to-make cookies melt in your mouth! #cranberry #orange #cookies #holiday #shortbread #slice and bake #recipe #easy #melt in your mouth #best #buttery #traditional #cranberry orange #christmas

Cranberry Orange Cookies

Kelly
Cranberry Orange Cookies - a tender, buttery shortbread slice and bake cookie loaded with tangy cranberries and zingy orange.



5 from 16 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 48 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ¼ cups (319g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level method)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 16 tablespoons (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (57g) confectioners' sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup chopped dried cranberries packed
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest from 2-3 oranges
  • ½ cup sugar for sprinkling on cookies optional
  • Extra orange zest for sprinkling on cookies optional

Instructions
 

  • Whisk flour and salt together in a bowl.
  • Cream the butter, sugars, and zest together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer) for 1 ½ minutes.
  • Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla until combined.
  • Mix in the flour and salt just until combined.
  • Mix in the dried cranberries.
  • Roll the dough into 2 equally sized logs, about 8 inches long and 1 ¾ inches in diameter. Wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3-4 days.
  • When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325° F and put the rack in the middle.
  • When the oven is ready, slice the cookie dough into about ⅓ inch circles. Use a sharp, serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to slice through the dough cleanly.
  • Put the cookies about 1 inch apart (they won’t really spread) on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle them with a little sugar.
  • For best results, bake one sheet at a time until the bottom edges are just turning golden for a crisper cookie, about 13 minutes.
  • For a softer cookie, pull them out when the cookies are set but not yet turning golden on the bottom edges, about 12 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the cookies with a little sugar again as soon as they come from the oven for extra sparkle.
  • Let the cookies cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully move to a cooling rack.
  • I like to sprinkle them with freshly grated orange zest before serving.

Notes

If you want a thinner cookie, slice them into ¼ inch rounds. They will need less baking time.
Cut into ⅓ inch rounds, this recipe will yield about 48 cookies.
Keyword cookies, cranberry orange cookies, holiday, shortbread, slice and bake
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