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Various decorated Christmas cookie recipes displayed festive arrangement

Festive Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Delightful shortbread cookies infused with orange zest and dried cranberries, perfect for any festive occasion. These buttery cookies are easy to make and can be decorated to your liking.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Breakfast
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest from about 1 large orange
  • ½ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract optional, for flavor boost

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Large bowl
  • Electric mixer
  • Medium bowl
  • Whisk
  • Plastic wrap
  • Rolling pin
  • Cookie cutter
  • Wire rack

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the orange zest and almond extract.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chopped dried cranberries.
  5. Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness. Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Optionally, once cooled, dust with confectioners' sugar or drizzle with an orange glaze.

Notes

Chilling the dough is an important step to prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking and ensures a better shortbread texture. For an extra festive touch, consider adding a sprinkle of sanding sugar before baking or a drizzle of white chocolate after cooling.