Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies (Icebox Cookies)
These cranberry orange shortbread cookies are perfect for the holidays, combining buttery shortbread with bright orange zest and tart cranberries. They’re easy to make ahead and great for holiday cookie trays, entertaining, or gifting. For an extra decadent touch, I like to dip mine in melted white chocolate!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup powdered (icing) sugar (spooned and leveled)
- ¾ tsp kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 tsp orange zest (about 1 medium orange)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled)
- ¾ cup dried cranberries, very finely chopped (measured after chopping)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and salt. Mix on medium speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle attachment with a rubber spatula, as needed.1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature¼ cup granulated sugar¾ cup powdered (icing) sugar¾ tsp kosher salt
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the vanilla, egg yolk, and orange zest. Continue mixing until combined, again scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle attachment, as needed.1 tsp pure vanilla extract1 large egg yolk, at room temperature2 tsp orange zest
- With the mixer still on low speed, add in half of the flour and mix until just a few streaks remain. Add in the cranberries, followed by the remaining flour, and mix only until just combined. (Note: The dough will appear crumbly at this point, but should still look relatively soft.)2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour¾ cup dried cranberries, very finely chopped
- Using your hands, form the dough into a rough log on top of a large piece of plastic wrap. Press and work the dough firmly to eliminate any cracks or air pockets in the center. Wrap the plastic tightly around the dough, then roll it on the counter to create a smooth, uniform log about 2” in diameter and between 11" to 12" long.
- Place the dough log on a folded towel (to help preserve its shape while chilling), then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Pro tip: Keep the cookie dough in the refrigerator until the oven has fully preheated. This helps prevent the dough from warming up, which can cause the cookies to spread in the oven.
- Once the oven has preheated, slice the dough into disks about ⅜” thick and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 2" apart. Immediately transfer the baking sheet to the upper third of the oven and bake until the bottom edges are just lightly golden brown (about 18 to 22 minutes).Note: Baking time may vary depending on your oven, baking sheet, and the thickness of your cookies.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they will be quite delicate at first). After 5 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If desired, and to elevate your cookies even more, melt white chocolate in a double boiler, dip each cookie in the chocolate, and set each on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the cookies in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until the chocolate has fully set.
Nutrition
Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 248IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg