Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Servings 36 |Prep Time: 3 hours+ | Cook Time: 10-12 min

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 c dried cranberries, I use a low sugar variety
• 3/4 c (150g) granulated sugar, divided + additional for rolling cookies before baking
• (156g) Better Batter Flour, choose one:
  • 2 1/2 c Original Blend
  • 1 1/3 c Cake Flour
• 2 sticks (1 c, 227g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3/4 tsp almond extract
• zest of 1 orange
• 2 Tbl fresh orange juice
   
   

Instructions

Make the cookie dough. Combine dried cranberries and 1/4 c in the bowl of a food processor and process until the cranberries are chopped into smaller pieces. Add the flour, remaining sugar, and butter to the bowl and process until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add in the almond extract, orange zest, and orange juice and mix until the dough forms a ball. (If you don’t have a food processor then use a pastry cutter and work the ingredients together by hand before adding in finely chopped cranberries to the mixture.)

 

Chill. Shape the dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter and wrap in parchment or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours or up to three days.

 

Preheat and prepare the pan. On baking day, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set side.

 

Slice and roll. Add 1/3 c granulated sugar to a small bowl. Slice the cookies just less than half an inch thick. Coat each cookie with sugar. Arrange 12 slices of dough on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Freezing helps to minimize spreading during the baking time.

 

Bake. Transfer baking sheet from the freezer directly to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or just until cookies are set and just barely begin to brown on the edges. Do not over bake. If spreading occurs you can use a small round cookie cutter to trim the sides and clean up the edges right after removing the cookies from the oven before they cool. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process for remaining dough. Store in an air-tight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

 

Adapted from Mom On Timeout
 Original recipe posted in December, 2016 by Jen L. Revised by Naomi Poe. in February, 2025.