Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
These Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies are perfectly buttery and bursting with bright holiday flavor. Dip them in white chocolate to take them to the next level!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes + 1 hour chilling time
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: About 22 cookies 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange zest, from about two medium oranges
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, from about one medium orange
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Combine the wet ingredients: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, both sugars, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the mixture comes together and there are no more large chunks of butter visible.
- Add the dry ingredients: To the butter-sugar mixture, add the flour and salt. Beat on low speed until the dough is just starting to come together — at this stage, it will still look a little dry and crumbly. Add the orange juice and the dried cranberries, and beat until the dough is just combined and the cranberries are evenly distributed throughout.
- Shape and chill the dough: Lay a sheet of plastic wrap out on the counter and dump out the dough onto it. Using the plastic wrap to help you, start shaping the dough into a log. Roll it into a log that’s about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, patting in the ends to flatten them. Wrap the dough log in the plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer to chill for at least one hour or overnight.
- Slice and refreeze: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the dough is thoroughly chilled, take it out of the freezer and remove the plastic wrap. Using a serrated knife and a gentle back-and-forth sawing motion, slice the log into 1/2-inch rounds. Place the cookies about two inches apart on the parchment-lined baking sheet, then place back in the freezer for an additional 15 minutes to firm up completely. Do not skip this step!
- Bake: Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom. Let cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Dip in chocolate: Place the chopped white chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Dip the bottoms of the cooled cookies into the melted chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl, then place the cookies back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet until the chocolate sets.