Description
Delight in the bright, fruity flavor of Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies. These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies combine the tartness of fresh cranberries with zesty orange, baked to golden perfection and finished with a luscious orange glaze. Perfect for holiday gatherings or as a sweet treat any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¼ cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon orange zest
Glaze Ingredients
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons orange juice
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt, mixing to evenly distribute all dry components.
- Incorporate Butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry mixture. Mix for about 3 minutes until the mixture resembles wet sand and clumps together when squeezed, indicating the butter is evenly incorporated.
- Add Fruit and Zest: Gently fold in the finely chopped fresh cranberries and orange zest, dispersing them evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape Dough: Turn the dough onto a parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Knead it slightly into a smooth ball, then place another sheet of parchment on top and roll the dough into a 4×12-inch rectangle.
- Chill Dough: Freeze the dough rectangle for 20 minutes to firm it up for easier slicing and handling during baking.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Slice Cookies: Remove the chilled dough and slice into 24 evenly sized sticks. Arrange these on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, ensuring they have space to bake evenly.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn a light golden brown.
- Shape Cookies: Once out of the oven, the cookies might be slightly misshapen. Use two offset spatulas or bench scrapers to gently squeeze and straighten the cookie sticks while they are still warm.
- Cool Cookies: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare Orange Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth and free of lumps. Transfer the glaze to a pastry bag or squeeze bottle for easy application.
- Glaze Cookies: Drizzle the orange glaze over the cooled cookies, allowing each cookie to be beautifully coated with a glossy, citrus-infused finish.
Notes
- Note 1: Cornstarch helps to tenderize the cookies and gives a delicate crumb texture.
- Note 2: Finely chopping the fresh cranberries helps distribute their tart flavor evenly and prevents large moisture pockets in the dough.
- Tip: To keep the cookie sticks uniform and cleanly shaped, refrigerate the dough well before slicing.
- Use cold butter to ensure shortbread’s tender crumb.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: orange cranberry cookies, shortbread cookies, holiday cookies, citrus cookies, festive cookies, homemade cookies
