Description
These Cranberry Orange Cookies are soft, tender, and bursting with bright citrus flavor combined with the tartness of dried cranberries. Rolled in a sweet orange-sugar mixture before baking, they are perfect as a festive treat or anytime you want a delicious, fruity twist on classic cookies.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1 Tbsp freshly grated orange peel
Orange Sugar Mixture
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp freshly grated orange peel
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it’s at the right temperature for baking your cookies evenly.
- Prepare Orange Sugar Mixture: In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon of freshly grated orange peel. Stir until well mixed and set aside. This will be used later to coat the cookie dough balls for extra flavor and texture.
- Make Cookie Dough: In a mixing bowl, beat 1 cup sugar, softened butter, and the egg together until creamy and just combined. This forms the flavorful base of the cookie.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed and gradually add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until half combined to avoid overmixing, which could make the cookies tough.
- Add Fruit and Flavor: Gently fold in the chopped dried cranberries and 1 tablespoon of freshly grated orange peel, mixing until just combined to distribute these flavorful ingredients evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into one-inch balls. Then roll each ball in the prepared orange sugar mixture to coat them evenly, creating a sweet and citrusy crust once baked.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the coated cookie balls two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet to allow space for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 7 to 11 minutes or until the edges just start to turn lightly browned. Keep a close eye to prevent overbaking, which can dry out the cookies.
- Cool and Remove: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then carefully remove them to a wire rack or plate to cool completely. This short cooling helps them firm up without breaking.
Notes
- Do not overbake to keep the cookies soft and tender.
- Freshly grated orange peel adds a brighter citrus flavor than dried zest, but dried can be used in a pinch.
- If you prefer, butter can be melted and cooled before mixing for a denser cookie texture.
- Chop the dried cranberries finely to prevent them from causing large pockets of moisture in the cookies.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: Cranberry Orange Cookies, citrus cookies, dried cranberry cookies, holiday cookies, orange zest cookies
