Crunchy and sweet, with simple ingredients! These light citrusy Cranberry Orange cookies are super easy to make and perfect for holiday baking.
For more holiday treats, try my No Bake Haystack Cookies, Gingerbread Men, or my Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, too!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
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Is there anything better than homemade cookies?
Are you looking for a new cookie to add to your holiday baking repertoire? These cranberry orange cookies are the perfect addition!
Cranberries and orange are a wonderful holiday flavor combination. These cookies are great for adding to your holiday cookie tray, gift giving or if you are attending a cookie exchange.
We blend sweet dried cranberries with tart orange zest for an amazing pop of flavor in one little cookie. The orange zest provides the perfect balance to the tart cranberries.
This recipe is similar to a basic shortbread dough recipe with added extras. When you bite into the cookie, it will be crisp, crunchy and buttery.
What are you baking this holiday season?
Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, Gingerbread Men, Classic Buttery Spritz Cookies and Candy Cane Cookies. are also great additions to your holiday baking trays!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Only 8 simple ingredients.
- Great to make in large batches. Just double and triple and store until ready to bake.
- Super yummy and easy to make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to grease my cookie sheets before baking these cookies?
You will if you don’t use parchment paper, yes. I highly recommend using parchment to help prevent sticking.
How many cookies will this recipe make?
You should expect to get about 30 cookies from this.
Do I really have to chill the dough?
Yes, yes you do. Chilling the dough solidifies the butter in the cookies, and makes the cookies less likely to spread.
The colder the dough, the less it will spread. You want separate cookies, not one big monster cookie, right?
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Kylee’s Notes
How to store cookies
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Cookies will be good for about 10 days.
Substitutions/Additions
You could use almond extract instead of vanilla if you prefer.
If you have a little extra orange sugar, sprinkle it on the cooled cookies after baking.
Freezing instructions
This recipe can be frozen before baking.
Make and slice into cookies, then freeze separately until solid. Place in a freezer bag and store up to 3 months. Bake right from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to your bake time.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Flour. Plain all-purpose flour is used for this recipe.
- Salt. See notes about butter.
- Butter. This recipe uses unsalted butter. If you are using salted butter, reduce the amount of salt you add.
- Sugar. Plain, white, granulated sugar and powdered sugar are both used.
- Fresh orange zest. Use a zester and be careful not to get the white part of the orange peel.
- Vanilla extract. I use pure vanilla extract. Almond extract can also be used.
- Dried cranberries. Fresh or frozen cranberries will not work for this recipe, since the shortbread is crunchy and buttery. We don’t want the extra moisture from fresh cranberries.
Recommended Equipment/Tools
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- Small bowl, to mix the sugar and zest.
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer or hand mixer
- Plastic wrap for chilling the cookie logs.
- Parchment paper for baking.
- Baking Sheet
- Wire rack for cooling the cookies
How to make this recipe
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the dough
In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and orange zest until well combined.
Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add in the sugar/orange zest and continue beating for another 1-2 minutes.
Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.
Slowly add the remaining dry ingredients (the regular flour and salt). Mix until the dough comes together and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Mix/fold in dried cranberries.
Chill the dough
Divide the dough in two and transfer each portion of dough to a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll into a log. Tightly secure the ends and refrigerate for 4+ hours, or freeze for 90 minutes.
Slice and Bake
Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Add more granulated sugar to a shallow bowl or plate. Coat each log of cookie dough in sugar.
Using a sharp knife, slice the cookies about ¼” thick and place 1 inch apart on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
More delicious cookie recipes:
- Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies. Perfect chocolate chip cookies are the go-to, bees-knees, classic kind of cookie. Crispy, with a little chew, bursting with chocolate chips. Heaven.
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies. Just 4 ingredients in these yummy Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies (aka Cheater Cookies).
- Crispy Chewy Oatmeal Cookies. These crispy chewy oatmeal cookies are my absolute ideal cookie. Crisp, with a slight chew, lots of vanilla, and butter and EASY to make!
- Triple Chocolate Cookies. These soft and chewy triple chocolate cookies are dangerous! They have 3 types of chocolate and are decadent and delicious. Grab a glass of milk!
- Earl Grey Tea Cookies. Crispy and delicately flavored with a fragrant tea, and a hint of orange zest. These Earl Grey Tea Cookies are unique and amazing!
- Try these Chocolate Shortbread Cookies from Persnickety Plates.
- ALL COOKIE RECIPES
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Cranberry Orange Cookies
Recommended Equipment
- Stand Mixer ( or hand mixer)
- Plastic Wrap (for chilling the cookie logs)
- Parchment Paper (for baking)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup white sugar (plus more for rolling)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks softened to room temperature)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries (finely chopped)
Directions
Get prepped
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the dough
- In a small bowl, stir together the ¼ cup white sugar and 1 tablespoon orange zest until well combined.
- Add 1 cup unsalted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the sugar/orange zest and continue beating for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extractand mix until combined.
- Slowly add in the 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mixing until the dough comes together and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix/fold in 3/4 cup dried cranberries.
Chill the dough
- Divide the dough in two and transfer each portion of dough to a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and roll into a log. Tightly secure the ends and refrigerate for 4+ hours, or freeze for 90 minutes.
Slice and Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add more granulated sugar to a shallow bowl or plate. Coat each log of cookie dough in sugar.
- Slice the cookies about ¼” thick and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
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Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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