Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Calling all shortbread lovers! Regular shortbread gets a major upgrade with the addition of tangy cranberries and zippy orange.

You’ll love these orange cranberry shortbread cookies for number of reasons!!

• Incredible melt-in-your-mouth buttery texture
• Look beautiful on holiday cookie platters
• Subtly sweet with an orange-cranberry flavor combo
• Easy to make & freeze!

I cut these into cookie sticks, because I love how they look in holiday tins and cookie platters. You could just as easily spruce up a dessert charcuterie board with them! They never last long, so be sure to save yourself one too.

Key Ingredient Notes:

• All-purpose flour – I highly recommend a kitchen scale to weigh your flour. It’s the best way to accurately measure flour without getting too much. If you don’t have one, use the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the flat edge of a butter knife.
• Sugar – Shortbread are subtly sweet! You only need 1/3 cup and a tablespoon.
• Cornstarch – A small amount of cornstarch produces a softer cookie.
• Salt – Salt enhances sweetness and rounds out the flavors. Don’t skip it. Cookies without salt taste flat and one-noted.
• Unsalted butter – I always bake with unsalted butter, so I control the amount of salt. If you only have salted butter, omit the salt from this recipe.
• Fresh cranberries – I prefer fresh cranberries for their tangy flavor, but dried cranberries work great too! If using dried cranberries, use the exact same amount, ¼ cup equals 35 grams of dried cranberries.
• Orange zest – Use a microplane to zest the outside of an orange. It’s where all the citrusy flavor lies. Avoid the white pith, since it has a bitter flavor.

How to make these shortbread cookies:

1. Make the cookie dough

• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
• Add the butter cubes and mix until the butter is evenly dispersed throughout the flour, about 3 minutes. The mixture should look like wet sand and form into a ball when you squeeze it with your hands.
• Stir in the cranberries and orange zest.

2. Roll & slice the shortbread cookies

• Dump the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper or a silicone mat, and knead it into a smooth ball.
• Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll it into a 4×12-inch rectangle. Use your hands to help you shape it.
• Place the rectangle onto a sheet pan and put it in the freezer. Let the dough freeze for 20 minutes so it’s easier to slice.
• Remove the cookie dough from the freezer and carefully slice it into 24 evenly sized sticks. Place the cookies on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

3. Bake the cookies

• Bake the shortbread for about 20 minutes at 325°F, or until the edges turn slightly brown. If the cookies look too brown when they come out of the oven, they’re overbaked!
• Let the cookies cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for Success:

• You can bake these cookies in any shape! I love the contrast you get on a cookie platter when you cut them into sticks. They look beautiful, especially drizzled in white chocolate.
• Remove any bruised, brown, or soft cranberries. Fresh cranberries should feel firm and bright red.
• Don’t overwork the shortbread cookie dough. Just knead it until it forms a ball and then stop. Overworked dough creates tough, dense cookies.

Make-Ahead Tips:

• Make the cookie dough ahead of time and double wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 5 days! Let the cookie dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then roll and cut it into sticks.
• You can also freeze the cookie dough or the cookies! To freeze the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap then transfer to a ziplock bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter until it’s chilled but easy to work with.
• To freeze the cookies, transfer the cookies to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Storing Tips:

• Store the orange cranberry shortbread cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
• If you can’t eat them all within a week, no problem! Just freeze the leftovers. Transfer the shortbread cookies to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

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