Description
Delightfully buttery and crisp Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies feature zesty orange and tart cranberries, finished with a sweet orange glaze. Perfect for festive occasions or a cozy treat, these cookies combine classic shortbread richness with bright citrus and fruity notes for a refreshing twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 orange, zest
- 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon 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 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Rub sugar and orange zest. In a bowl, massage the orange zest into the caster sugar with your fingertips to release the oils and intensify the flavor. The sugar will become wet and orange-stained.
- Cream butter, orange sugar, and vanilla. In a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter and orange-infused sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix again.
- Incorporate flour and cranberries. Reduce mixer speed to low and add plain flour and chopped dried cranberries. Mix gently until just combined; the dough will be somewhat rough.
- Form dough and roll out. Gather the dough into a ball, press into a rough disc, and roll out on a lightly floured surface to ½ cm thickness. If too soft, wrap and chill for 10-15 minutes to firm up.
- Cut cookies and chill. Use a cookie cutter to stamp out shapes, placing them on parchment-lined trays. Re-roll scraps as needed, adding drops of water if dough becomes too dry. Refrigerate cookies for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Bake cookies. Preheat oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake chilled cookies for 15 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare orange glaze. Whisk together powdered icing sugar, orange juice, and melted butter until smooth. Adjust thickness with extra sugar or juice as needed.
- Glaze cookies. Dip the face of each cooled cookie into the glaze, allow excess to drip off, then place on a wire rack to set before serving.
Notes
- Step-by-Step Photos: Refer to the original blog post for helpful photos guiding through each step.
- Yield: Using a 5 cm (2-inch) star cutter, expect about 20 cookies; yield varies by cutter size and dough thickness. This recipe doubles easily.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freezing: Freeze undecorated shortbread in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months; thaw overnight at room temperature.
- Tip 1: Re-roll dough scraps twice to maximize cookie yield.
- Tip 2: Lightly flour cookie cutters to prevent sticking and maintain cookie shapes.
- Tip 3: Refrigerate dough before baking to prevent spreading and maintain shape.
- Tip 4: Monitor bake time closely; ovens vary and even a minute difference affects the outcome.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 35 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
