These cranberry orange shortbread cookies combine buttery goodness with sweet dried cranberries and zesty orange. These are the perfect Christmas cookie with the base recipe only containing three ingredients (flour, icing sugar, butter/margarine - I've given tips for both dairy and dairy-free), meaning you can easily mix-and-match for the festive season.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Festive Flavors. The combination of sweet dried cranberries and zesty orange makes these cookies perfect for the holiday season alongside Sugar Cookies and Gingerbread Cookies
Soft. These cookies are irresistibly soft like the Thick Christmas Cookies or Peanut Butter Chip Cookies, melting in your mouth with every bite.
Easy. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, this recipe is perfect for bakers of any skill level. The only thing easier would be Reindeer Tim Tams.
Gift Suitable. These cranberry orange shortbread cookies look and taste amazing and would be perfect to gift alongside some Gingerbread Truffles or Rum Balls.
Ingredients
Unsalted butter. The base for a rich, buttery texture in these cranberry orange shortbread cookies. You can use salted butter, however, as the sodium content varies brand by brand, you could end up with a different balance of flavours.
Nuttelex (oil-based spread) is a great dairy-free alternative. I've made this recipe with both dairy and non-dairy butter, both have worked well.
Icing sugar. Adds a light sweetness and because it's really fine, it blends smoothly with the butter. Granulated sugar can leave a grainy texture.
Extracts. Enhances the flavour with a warm, aromatic note. I use both vanilla and a citrus-based extract (I've tried with both lemon and orange and there is minimal difference so you can choose whichever is easily accessible - most grocery stores have lemon).
All-purpose flour. Use plain flour or all-purpose flour as self-raising will make the cookies rise more than they should and will be misshapen. Sifted flour is used to ensure a light and even texture. I've tried both sifted and unsifted, and sifted really does make a difference with the final cookie.
Orange zest. Adds vibrant citrus flavour, pairing beautifully with the cranberries; lemon zest can also be used for shortbread.
Dried cranberries. Bring a pop of sweetness and chewy texture. We don't really have access to fresh cranberries in Australia so I haven't tried these shortbread cookies with them (but please let me know if you do!)
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
How to make shortbread cookies
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, cream the unsalted butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Mix in the vanilla extract, lemon extract, and orange zest, ensuring everything is evenly incorporated.
Step 3: Gradually sift in the flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.
I have used a mixer for this, rather than doing it by hand. It works better than mixing with a spoon if the butter is tougher. But, keep watch so you don't overmix as this will impact the texture.
Step 4: Gently fold in the dried cranberries using a wooden spoon or spatula (don't use a mixer), distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
Step 5: Roll the dough into a log or press it flat into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Step 6: Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). If using a log, slice the dough into even rounds about ½ cm (¼ inch) thick. If flattened, use a cookie cutter to shape (like you would with Sugar Cookies or Gingerbread Cookies).
Step 7: Place cookies on a lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The middle will still be underdone, but continues to harden as they rest.
Step 8: Let the cookies cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Top Tip
Chill the dough. Chilling the dough before slicing or shaping helps prevent the shortbread cookies from spreading too much during baking and ensures a neat shape. It also makes it easier to handle as when the dough is too warm, it's quite greasy.
Substitutions and variations
Nuttelex or oil-based butter/margarine is a good alternative for butter. I have made this recipe using dairy butter, olive oil nuttelex and sunflower oil nuttelex, and all have worked out well. The oil-based butter/margarine makes the cookies dairy-free, but is often softer than dairy butter so it doesn't need to be softened first.
Icing (powdered) sugar is used in shortbread cookies because it provides a super soft texture. Granulated sugar can be used as an alternative, but the texture won't be as nice.
Storage
To store cranberry orange shortbread cookies, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, keeping them fresh and buttery. If you need longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 2 weeks.
Freezing
Freeze Dough
To freeze, form the dough into a long log and wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap (this will make it easier to cut and bake immediately). Alternatively, you can flatten into a round mound, securing with plastic wrap and freeze. Make sure there's no gaps where the dough is exposed in the freezer and the dough should last 3 months which means you can get started on your Christmas baking sooner!
Thaw at room temperature or slice and bake frozen dough directly, adding an extra 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
Freeze Cookies
You can freeze the orange and cranberry shortbread cookies by arranging them in a single layer with parchment paper between (this prevents them sticking together).
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Yes, shortbread will harden as it cools. When freshly baked, cranberry orange shortbread cookies are soft but firm up to their signature buttery texture as they cool.
Shortbread cookies will stay fresh for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If refrigerated, these cranberry orange shortbread cookies can last for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, you can freeze for about 2 months.
Soft shortbread is often a result of under baking or using too much butter. Make sure to bake cranberry orange shortbread cookies until the edges are lightly golden and measure ingredients precisely (which is why I recommend the gram measurements) for the perfect texture.
Shortbread is denser, richer, and more buttery with a crumbly texture, while sugar cookies are lighter and sweeter, designed for rolling and cutting into shapes. These cranberry orange shortbread cookies highlight the classic melt-in-your-mouth quality of shortbread, enhanced with citrus and cranberries for a festive twist.
Other Christmas bakes you might like
Or, you can have a browse through my Christmas Category for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 125 g unsalted butter or oil-based butter (see Note 1)
- 30 g icing sugar
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 5 ml (1 tsp) lemon or orange extract see Note 2
- 160 g all-purpose or plain flour sifted (see Note 3)
- 1 (~1 tbsp) orange zest
- 30 g (¼ cup) dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and icing sugar until smooth and fluffy (approx. 2 minutes).
- Add the vanilla extract, lemon extract, and orange zest, mixing until well combined (approx. 30 seconds).
- Gradually sift in the flour and mix just until a soft dough forms. Using a mixer is easier than mixing by hand, especially if the butter is firm, but be cautious not to overmix as it can affect the texture.
- Gently fold in the dried cranberries with a spatula or wooden spoon to evenly distribute them throughout the dough.
- Shape the dough into a log or flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days)
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Slice the dough into rounds about ½ cm thick if using a log, or cut out shapes with a cookie cutter if flattened. If cutting to shape, make sure the bench space is floured so the cookies don't get stuck when shaping
- Arrange the cookies on a lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, until the edges are just golden. The centres will finish setting as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Diena
Thank you for sharing this recipe
athletelunchbox
Of course! I hope you enjoyed them!