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Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 113 reviews

These Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies offer a delightful blend of zesty citrus and tart dried cranberries in a buttery, crumbly shortbread base. Perfect for festive occasions or a sweet treat anytime, they are glazed with a smooth orange icing that enhances their vibrant flavor and makes them irresistible.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 60 g caster sugar
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 180 g plain flour (all-purpose)
  • 75 g dried cranberries, finely chopped

Orange Glaze

  • 120 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
  • 30 ml orange juice
  • 1 tsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Rub sugar and orange zest together: Add the orange zest into the bowl with the caster sugar. Using your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar granules to release the natural oils. The sugar will become slightly wet and stained orange, intensifying the citrus flavor in the cookies.
  2. Cream butter, orange sugar, and vanilla extract: In a mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter and orange sugar together on medium speed until pale and lightened. Scrape the bowl down as needed and then mix in the vanilla extract.
  3. Add flour and cranberries: Lower the mixer speed and add the plain flour and finely chopped dried cranberries to the creamed butter mixture. Mix until just combined; the dough may look rough.
  4. Form dough and roll out: Gather the dough into a ball and press it into a rough disc. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out evenly to about ½ cm thickness. If the dough feels too soft, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 10-15 minutes until firmer but not hard.
  5. Cut out cookie shapes and chill: Use a cookie cutter (such as a leaf shape) to cut out shapes from the rolled dough. Place the cookies on lined baking trays. Gather and re-roll scraps as needed, being cautious not to dry out the dough. Refrigerate the cut cookies for at least 30 minutes until they are firm to help them hold their shape when baked.
  6. Bake the cookies: Preheat oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake the chilled cookies for 12-15 minutes or until they are lightly golden around the edges. Allow them to cool on the baking tray for ten minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Prepare orange glaze and dip cookies: Whisk together powdered icing sugar, orange juice, and melted butter until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more icing sugar or orange juice if needed. Dip the face of each cooled cookie into the glaze, let excess drip off, and place on a wire rack. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Notes

  • To intensify orange flavor, rubbing the zest into sugar is a crucial step that releases oils effectively.
  • If dough becomes too firm after chilling, allow it to soften slightly before rolling to prevent cracking.
  • Re-rolling dough too many times can dry it out; add a few drops of water if the dough feels crumbly.
  • Chilling the shaped cookies before baking helps them maintain shape and texture.
  • The glaze consistency should be thick enough to coat but thin enough to drip slightly for even coverage.
  • Store cooled and glazed cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to one week.

Keywords: shortbread cookies, cranberry cookies, orange cookies, holiday cookies, glazed cookies, citrus cookies, festive baking

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/cranberry-orange-shortbread-cookies-recipe/