Description
Festive cranberry orange shortbread cookies blend zesty citrus with sweet-tart berries in a buttery, crumbly delight. Winter baking reaches new heights with these elegant, melt-in-your-mouth treats that will charm friends and family at holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (226 grams)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
Sweeteners and Flavoring:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Citrus Accent:
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Whip softened butter and powdered sugar in a spacious mixing bowl until achieving a cloud-like, airy consistency.
- Incorporate vanilla extract, blending thoroughly into the creamy mixture.
- Gradually fold in flour, stirring until the dough forms a cohesive texture without overmixing.
- Gently fold chopped cranberries and vibrant orange zest throughout the dough, distributing evenly.
- Roll the dough into a uniform cylindrical log, encase completely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 60-90 minutes to firm up.
- Heat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unwrap chilled dough and slice into precise 1/4-inch medallions using a sharp knife.
- Arrange cookie rounds on prepared baking sheet, leaving slight spacing between each piece.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, monitoring until edges transform to a delicate golden hue.
- Remove from oven and let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes to stabilize, then transfer to a wire cooling rack for complete cooling.
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain the cookies’ shape during baking.
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming and smoother cookie texture.
- Finely chop cranberries to distribute flavor evenly and prevent large chunks from disrupting the cookie’s delicate structure.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to maintain the shortbread’s tender crumb.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 134
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 15 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg