These Cranberry Orange Almond Shortbread Cookies are our family favorite cookies during the holiday season. With fresh orange zest and the deliciously sweet taste of dried cranberries they are the perfect Christmas cookie.
As mentioned earlier, these cookies make a perfect Christmas cookie, or Thanksgiving. Or just fall in general. This is when Cranberries are traditionally in season and served, when we start to see a lot of cranberry infused desserts and cookie recipes.
Jump to:
- Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Cranberry Orange Almond Shortbread Cookies Recipe Instructions
- Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- How to store leftovers
- Mel's kitchen notes
- Melanie Cagle
- More cookie recipes I think you'll love
- Frequently asked questions: FAQs
- Cranberry Orange Almond Shortbread Cookies
- 💬 Comments
Personally, I love cranberries and in this recipe they pair so well with the citrusy flavor of the orange zest. Your holiday cookie platter won't last long with these on them.
Next time try serving these yummy cookies alongside my delicious Old Fashioned Pecan Pie on your holiday dessert table!
Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
Cranberry Orange Almond Shortbread Cookies Recipe Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Hint: Once you have laid them out on the baking sheet you can wrap the sheet in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour (or place in the freezer for 20 minutes). This will help stop the spreading.
Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Fillings - this shortbread dough recipe can be used with any filling. Instead of the cranberry orange combo, you can swap it out for nuts like pecans, chocolate, lemon zest, fresh cranberries or a different berry.
- Spice it up! - you could also add some seasonal spices in these delicious cookies!
- Vanilla - instead of almond extract use vanilla extract.
- Milk Chocolate - Instead of the white chocolate, if you prefer drizzle milk chocolate instead.
- Unsalted Butter - instead of salted, just add a pinch of salt.
- Powdered Sugar - instead of granulated.
How to store leftovers
Store these cookies in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to one week.
You can freeze these cookies too, in an airtight container, for up to 3 months.
Mel's kitchen notes
This buttery shortbread cookie can spread somewhat when baking so leave some space between each one on the baking sheet. If you want that clean, rounded look for your cookies you can bake them for 10 minutes then pull them out of the oven and set the cookie cutter just carefully around the edge of a cookie and move in a circular motion to shape the cookie and smooth the edges, then return them to the oven to finish baking.
Otherwise, when you bake them you will get that traditional spreaded look.
About The Author
Melanie Cagle
Melanie is a professional cook, food photographer and Cajun food connoisseur. Since 2020 she has been sharing rigorously tested recipes and tutorials right here on this blog.
Her work has been featured on Fox News channels, Yahoo news, Southern Living and more.
Frequently asked questions: FAQs
Sugar cookies use leavening agents and so have a lighter, softer texture. These Orange Cranberry Cookies do not use a leavening agent so are more dense, buttery and less sugary.
Yes. The dried cranberries are sweeter, so I would use double the number of fresh cranberries called for in the recipe. Be careful when stirring them into the cookie dough, you'll want to stir slowly.
Traditionally, a shortbread cookie is a Scottish biscuit (cookie) that is made from four simple ingredients. Flour, butter, sugar and salt. The ratio is always as follows: One parts butter, two parts sugar and three parts flour.
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Cranberry Orange Almond Shortbread Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1-½ Cups Salted Butter softened
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Almond Extract
- 2-½ Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Zest
- 1 Cup Dried Cranberries finely chopped (Craisins)
- 2 Ounces White Chocolate melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the almond extract.1-½ Cups Salted Butter, 1 Cup Granulated Sugar, ½ teaspoon Almond Extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and cornstarch.2-½ Cups All Purpose Flour, 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated.
- Stir in the orange zest and dried cranberries.2 Tablespoons Orange Zest, 1 Cup Dried Cranberries
- Empty the dough onto a well-floured surface, then roll the dough out to about a ¼ inch thick.
- Cut out the cookies with a 2.5 inch cookie cutter.
- Place the cookies on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies at 325 degrees for 12 minutes. (Or until just turning golden on the edges.)
- When the cookies have cooled completely, use a fork to drizzle the white chocolate over them.2 Ounces White Chocolate
Notes
Nutrition
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