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Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

[heart_this] · Dec 15, 2022 · 9 Comments

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Light, melt in your mouth, shortbread cookies with orange zest and fresh cranberries!

Cranberries just scream the holidays to me and this cranberry and orange shortbread is amazing on any holiday cookie platter! I often tend to reach for dried cranberries when making things like cookies but fresh cranberries are so good, adding that bright red colour! This is a pretty basic shortbread recipe with flour, cornstarch, butter, and sugar in addition to chopped fresh cranberries and freshly grated orange zest. All of the ingredients are mixed together, formed into a log and chilled in the fridge before slicing and baking! One of the great things about making chill and slice shortbread is that you can make a few logs ahead of time, store them in fridge until the day that you are ready, and make them fresh then! The festive red and orange colours in this shortbread look almost as stunning as they taste!

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Servings: 24

Light, melt in your mouth, shortbread cookies with orange zest and fresh cranberries!

ingredients
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup powdered/icing/confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch (or more flour)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 heaping cup fresh cranberries, chopped
directions
  1. Beat the butter and sugar for 5-6 minutes before mixing in the vanilla.
  2. Mix in the mixture of the flour, cornstarch, and salt before mixing in the orange zest and chopped cranberries.
  3. Form the dough into a log, wrap and chill in the fridge for 2+ hours, before slicing into 1/4 inch slices and placing on a parchment paper (or silicon mat) lined baking sheet!
  4. Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until the bottom just starts to brown, about 12 minutes, before removing from the oven and letting cool completely on the baking sheet.
Option: Form the dough into any desired cookie shapes and place on a parchment paper (or silicon mat) lined baking sheet!
Option: Replace some or all of the cornstarch with flour.
Tip: Use a food processor to pulse the cranberries to chop them!
Tip: Use a food processor to do all of the dough mixing (step 1 & 2) before working with hands for a minute to form into a nice dough.
Tip: Use a sharp knife, use force, and cut quickly to reduce crumbling when you slice the shortbread dough.
Tip: Use a food processor to make the dough: 1. Pulse the flour, cornstarch, salt, and powder sugar, before adding the butter and vanilla and pulsing until it starts to form sand sized pebbles. 2. Add the cranberries and orange zest and pulse until just mixed. 3. Dump the dough onto a clean surface and work with your hands a bit until the dough forms up.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 118, Fat 7g (Saturated 4g, Trans 0.3g), Cholesterol 20mg, Sodium 50mg, Carbs 11g (Fiber 0.5g, Sugars 2g), Protein 0.9g

Nutrition by: Nutritional facts powered by Edamam
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Judy says

    December 15, 2022 at 7:15 pm

    Has anyone tried using an imprint rolling pin with these? They look festive and delicious!!

    Reply
    • kevin says

      December 17, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      Yes you can! Roll the dough out with the pin before chilling in the fridge and then bake. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Barbara Miller says

    December 15, 2022 at 8:24 pm

    Is this all purpose or self rising flour? I love your recipes. TY

    Reply
    • Jackie says

      December 17, 2022 at 2:35 pm

      Regular 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kimberly says

    December 15, 2022 at 9:13 pm

    hi! Is this AP Flour?
    And is it unsalted butter? thank you

    Reply
    • kevin says

      December 17, 2022 at 6:10 pm

      It is all-purpose flour and unsalted butter. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Ally O'Connor says

    December 16, 2022 at 11:44 am

    Kevin, could you give step by step using the food processor for everything?
    Thanks!
    Ally in New Jersey

    Reply
    • kevin says

      December 17, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      I have added the food processor instructions in the tips. Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Deb says

    December 17, 2022 at 9:37 am

    Mine turned out very wet due to the fresh cranberries so not very shortbread-like. I thought about using a paper towel to pat the cranberries dry after pulsing in a food processor so will do that next time. Lovely taste though.

    Reply

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Kevin: I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.
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