Citrus Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

A stack of cranberry shortbread cookies.

Citrus Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

These citrus cranberry shortbread cookies are buttery, crisp, and perfectly sweet… impossible to resist! They mix up fast with simple ingredients and a quick chill, making them ideal for holiday trays or last-minute guests.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Low Salt

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 14

Total Time 1 14

Servings cookies

Calories 38kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup butter softened (2 sticks)
⅔ cup confectioner's sugar sifted
2 large egg yolks
1 pinch Kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoon orange zest 2 oranges
½ cup dried cranberries chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Cream the butter until smooth and then mix in the sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add egg yolks, salt, vanilla extract, orange zest and cranberries and mix until well combined.
Add flour and mix until just combined. The dough will be sticky.
On a parchment paper-covered surface, form two logs with your dough, around 1 ¼ inches thick. Wrap them in parchment paper and chill for at least an hour to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line sheet pans with parchment paper.
Unwrap logs and slice to around ⅓ of an inch cookies. Place them on a the prepared pan.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until they are done, but not quite browned. Cool and serve.

Video

Notes

Don’t rush the butter. Make sure it’s softened so it creams easily and gives you that perfect shortbread texture.
Chill thoroughly. Cold dough means crisp edges and perfect slices. Overnight is best. The flavors meld beautifully, and the dough firms up for neater cuts.
When shaping the dough logs, roll them tightly to avoid gaps or cracks once sliced.
Make them extra festive. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate and sprinkle with finely more orange zest.
Ingredients to prep ahead- Chop the cranberries and zest the oranges.
Leftovers and storage- Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze the dough or baked cookies for up to 3 months.

Nutrition