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Stacked cranberry shortbread cookies with buttery edges
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Cranberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Buttery slice-and-bake shortbread with finely chopped dried cranberries, vanilla, and orange zest.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 44 minutes
Chilling and cooling time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 34 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 129.7
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter 227 g, softened but not melted
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar 90 g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4.2 g
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest 4 g, colored peel only
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 1.5 g
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 g
  • 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries 80 g, finely chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing bowl
  • 1 Electric mixer
  • 2 Baking sheets
  • 1 Wire cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Add flour on low speed just until combined, then fold in the chopped dried cranberries. Do not taste the raw dough.
  2. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a firm 6-inch log about 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap well and refrigerate at least 2 hours until firm. Rotate the logs once during chilling if you want rounder cookies.
  3. Heat oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Slice each log into 12 rounds about 1/2 inch thick. If the dough cracks, let it rest for 5 minutes and press minor cracks closed. Set rounds 1 inch apart. Keep the second tray chilled while the first bakes.
  4. Bake one tray at a time for 18–22 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and centers look dry and set. Cool on the sheet 10 minutes, then transfer gently to a rack. Cool fully before storing airtight for up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

Contains wheat and milk. Nutrition is estimated per one of 24 cookies. Total sugar is omitted because the USDA orange-peel reference lacks a measured sugar value. Bake time allows two sequential trays; ovens vary.
Video credit: Jerry James Stone, featuring Jason Barrows, “Cranberry & Orange Shortbread Cookie Recipe.” The demonstration uses ginger and a coarse-sugar coating; this version omits both and uses powdered sugar. Follow the written quantities and thicker slice baking time here.