Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
These cranberry orange shortbread cookies are rich and buttery, with the perfect contrast of flavors and textures!
I know that technically the Christmas cookie season is over, but these cranberry orange shortbread cookies are too delicious not to share! If you can't tell, I've been on a total shortbread kick lately (see here and here). It's so easy to make, has just a few ingredients, and tastes delicious! I love that there are endless variations, and they all turn out fantastic. This particular variation has an amazing combination of flavors, with the cranberry and orange playing off each other beautifully. I also love that they are dipped in white chocolate. The smooth and creamy white chocolate complements the buttery cookies really nicely. Yum!
These cookies keep really well, so they're perfect for making ahead of time. You can also freeze half of the dough for later, if you just need a small batch. I like to roll the dough into a log, wrap it in parchment, then place it in a ziplock freezer bag. It stays fresh until I'm ready to bake, and I can have fresh cookies with basically no effort. That's always a win in my book!
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar
zest of one orange
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon orange extract
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate candy melts or white almond bark
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the orange zest, vanilla and orange extract, and mix until combined. Add the flour, salt, and dried cranberries, and mix to form a thick dough. Shape the dough into a log that is approximately 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap, and freeze thirty minutes. Near the end of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone. Slice the cookie dough into 1/4 inch slices, and place 1/4 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool completely. After the cookies have cooled, melt the candy melts according to the package directions. Dip each cookie into the candy melts and place on a parchment lined baking sheet to cool. Store in an airtight container.
For more deliciously sweet shortbread recipes, check out some of my favorites below:
previously published on I Heart Naptime
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