Cranberry Orange Cookies
These cranberry orange cookies are bursting with flavor from tart cranberries and zesty orange with a rich buttery texture to contrast. These shortbread-inspired cookies are simple to make and are a vibrant addition to any holiday cookie tray.
Why you’ll love these cranberry orange cookies
- I’ve taken my favorite lemon cookies and amped them up with chopped dried cranberries and orange zest – two of my favorite festive ingredients.
- These cookies are basically a shortbread cookie, but the addition of egg adds a chewiness to the cookie and stops them from crumbling.
- My kids love these cookies. In fact, my daughter said they’re her favorite cookies in the world, which surprised me considering they are covered in frosting or sprinkles, but if she loves them that much, you will too.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Orange blossom water – If you can’t find this, you can also use orange extract, but I love the floral element this adds to the cookie.
- Dried cranberries – Sweetened dried cranberries are really pantry friendly, making this cookie easy to make all year long.
- All-purpose flour – I have not tested this recipe with any other flours, so I can’t say how it will turn out with any other flour (especially gluten free flour).
- Dairy free butter – We normally use Earth Balance sticks for baking, but other plant based butters will work just fine. You can also use vegetable shortening (although you may need to add a tablespoon or two of orange juice) or traditional dairy butter if that works for your diet.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make cranberry orange cookies
Mise en place. Preheat your oven to 350˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop you cranberries and zest your orange. Then, measure out all of your ingredients and have them ready to go before beginning.
Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with the orange zest until they’re light and fluffy – this will probably take a few minutes at a medium speed with an electric mixer. Scrape the sides as needed.
Mix in the liquid ingredients. Add the egg and orange blossom water (or extract) and mix until incorporated.
Combine the dry ingredients. Next, spoon in about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of flour at a time. I like to use a large mixing spoon or measuring cup to do this. Beat just until each addition has mixing into the dough, and be careful not to over mix.
With the last flour addition, add the chopped cranberries. Mix until combined and if you need to distribute the cranberries further, gently stir on the lowest setting.
Shape the dough. Using a cookie scoop, shape dough into 1.5 tablespoon sized balls. Then roll the balls in sugar. Place each dough ball on your prepared cookie and gently press with a fork to create a cross-hatch (similar to you would for a peanut butter cookie).
Bake the cookies. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies have set. They might not look very golden in color, but the bottom should have started to brown.
Remove from oven and, after about 5 minutes, transfer to a cooling rack.
* Eggs are not dairy.
But, if you thought eggs were a dairy product, you are not alone. It’s common misconception that stems from the fact that eggs are sold in the dairy section at the grocery store and they usually need to be refrigerated, which is something we often associate with dairy.
More cranberry recipes you’ll love
More dairy free cookies you should try
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter or vegetable shortening
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 orange (zested)
- 2 teaspoons orange blossom water (or 1 teaspoon orange extract)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (385g)
- 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
- Sugar (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar with orange zest until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape sides as needed.
- Beat in the egg and orange blossom water.
- Gradually mix in the flour until incorporated.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Using the tines of a fork, make cross marks in the cookies to slightly flatten them (as pictured).
- Bake cookies for 15 minutes or until cookies are set on top and slightly golden on bottom.
- After about 5 minutes, transfer to cooling rack.
Video
Hello! At what point do we add the cranberries?
You will add the cranberries when you add the last addition of flour.