Cranberry Orange Almond Shortbread Cookies X 2

Cranberry-Orange Shortbread Cookies

Yield:

Makes 4 dozen

Total time: 5 Hours, 15 Minutes

Recipe from...

Recipe Time

Prep: 15 Minutes

Total: 5 Hours, 15 Minutes

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened 

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

1 tablespoon orange zest 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

Wax paper

Preparation

1. Beat 1 cup softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in chopped cranberries, orange zest, vanilla extract, and almond extract until blended.
2. Stir together 2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp. baking powder, and 1/8 tsp. salt.
3. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
4. Shape shortbread dough into 2 (7-inch) logs. Wrap each log in wax paper, and chill 4 hours, or freeze logs in zip-top plastic freezer bags up to 1 month.
5. Preheat oven to 350°.
6. If frozen, let logs stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Cut each log into 24 slices. Place shortbread slices 1 inch apart on lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
7. Bake shortbread slices at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges of slices are golden.
8. Remove shortbread from baking sheets, and place on wire racks; let cool completely (about 20 minutes). Store in airtight containers.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

November 14, 2015 · by Trish - Mom On Timeout · 31 Comments

A delightfully easy cookie recipe that yields sensational results! I’m sharing three secrets to the perfect shortbread cookies that no one can resist! Make sure to add these easy Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies to your holiday baking list this season!

If you’re thinking to yourself, “Oh! Shortbread cookies….yeah, not a fan”, then I’m going to blow your mind and tell you that the shortbread you’ve had in the past wasn’t made right. True shortbread is buttery, melt-in-your mouth goodness that should be completely irresisitible.
Too many shortbread cookies are over-baked resulting in an overly-dry cookie that isn’t easily enjoyed. The simple trick to a great shortbread cookie is to underbake by just a few minutes – underbake meaning bake just until the cookie is done and not until you’ve killed it. Poor things.

I used my favorite shortbread base for these cookies – the same one I used last year in my Peppermint Shortbread (a truly amazing cookie that’s perfect for the holidays). Shortbread cookies are great because they require just a handful of ingredients – no eggs – and very little time.
They’re also perfect for the busy holidays because you can make up the cookie dough, set it in the fridge, and then bake when you have more time. The cookies you see here were sitting in the fridge for four days, and then on the counter for three days before I got around to photographing them.
They’re still remarkably delicious. I should know. I just ate three before I sat down to write this :)
I was going to go with cranberries and pecans before talking to my sister Melissa. She encouraged the cranberry orange combination and, as usual, she was right. The orange zest provides a refreshing zing that is the perfect counterpart to the tart cranberries. It’s a lovely combination!
I used almond extract to keep the cookies lighter and because almond and cranberry and orange is an incredible flavor profile.

For an extra pretty presentation, I coat the cookies in sugar before baking. They come out so sparkly that no one can resist them! These Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies absolutely should make an appearance on your holiday cookie trays this year!
Between the almond extract, shorter cooking time, and sugar coating – you might find shortbread cookies becoming your new favorite!

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

 

Print

Prep time

2 hours 10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

2 hours 20 mins

 

A delightfully easy cookie recipe that yields sensational results! I'm sharing three secrets to the perfect shortbread cookies that no one can resist! Make sure to add these easy Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies to your holiday baking list this season!

Author: Trish - Mom On Timeout

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 2½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 2½ cups all purpose flour
  Coupons
• ¾ cups sugar, divided
• 1 cup butter, cubed (and cold)
• 1 tsp almond extract
• zest of 1 orange
• ½ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
• additional sugar to coat cookies before baking if desired

See A Christmas Squash Casserole Recipe

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Combine cranberries and ¼ cup of sugar in a food processor and process just until the cranberries are broken down into smaller pieces. Set aside.
4. Combine flour and remaining sugar in a large bowl.
5. Use a pastry blender to cut in butter. You want very fine crumbs.
6. Stir in extract, cranberries and sugar mixture, and orange zest.
7. Use your hands to knead the dough until it comes together and forms a ball. Work the dough JUST until it comes together - you don't want to over-work it.
8. Shape dough into a log about two inches in a diameter and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for two hours or up to 72 hours.
9. Cut slices of cookie dough about ¼ inch thick.
10. Place about a half a cup of sugar in a bowl and coat the cookie slices with sugar.
11. Place cookies on baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or just until cookies are set. Do not over bake. I pull mine at 10 minutes.
12. Let cookies cool for several minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack. Let cool completely.
13. Store in airtight container for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

http://www.momontimeout.com/2015/11/cranberry-orange-shortbread-cookies-recipe/