Description
Delight in these Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies, a perfect blend of zesty orange and tart cranberries in a buttery, tender shortbread base. Topped with a smooth orange glaze, these cookies offer a refreshing twist on a classic treat ideal for holidays or any time you crave a citrusy, sweet bite.
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 together: Massage the orange zest into the caster sugar using your fingertips to release the natural oils, resulting in an orange-stained and slightly wet sugar mixture that boosts the cookie’s flavor.
- Cream butter, orange sugar, and vanilla extract: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter and orange sugar on medium speed until pale and lightened. Scrape down the bowl and add vanilla extract, mixing again to combine.
- Add flour and cranberries: At low speed, mix in the plain flour and finely chopped dried cranberries until combined. The dough will appear ragged at this stage.
- Form dough and roll out: Squeeze the dough into a ball and press into a rough disc. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to ½ cm thickness. If the dough is too soft, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes until slightly firm to make rolling easier.
- Cut out cookie shapes and chill: Use your preferred cookie cutter (such as a 5cm star or a leaf shape) to stamp out cookies. Place them on parchment-lined baking trays. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut out more cookies as needed, adding a few drops of water if the dough becomes too dry. Refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes to firm up before baking.
- Bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake the chilled cookies for 15 minutes or until golden around the edges. Let them cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the orange glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered icing sugar, orange juice, and melted butter until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more icing sugar if too thin, or more orange juice if too thick.
- Dip cookies in glaze: Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a wire rack to set the glaze before serving.
Notes
- Use step-by-step photos to guide through the recipe process for best results.
- The recipe yields approximately 20 cookies when using a 5cm (2-inch) cookie cutter and rolling dough to ½ cm thickness; adjust yield based on cutter size and dough thickness.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Undecorated shortbread cookies freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight at room temperature before glazing.
- Re-roll leftover dough twice to maximize cookie numbers; handle dough gently to avoid drying out.
- Lightly flour cookie cutters to prevent sticking and preserve cookie shapes.
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent cookies from spreading excessively during baking.
- Monitor baking time closely as oven temperatures vary; a minute or two difference affects texture and color.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
