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Light, buttery, and much softer than traditional shortbread, this cranberry shortbread cookie is a favorite on my holiday cookie trays and a hit at cookie exchanges.
Ingredients for Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
1 cup butter,* softened
1 cup sugar
2 ½ cups flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix until blended. Add flour and baking powder to the butter mixture. Stir until incorporated. Stir in dried cranberries.
Form dough into logs aprox 2 ½” inches diameter.
Wrap in parchment paper or wax paper and refrigerate until dough is firm, at least 2 hrs. (I often leave mine overnight.)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove dough from wax paper.
Place on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut into slices aprox ¼ inch thick.
Place dough about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set, but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.
Enjoy!
Tips for Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
- *This is no time for substitutions. Butter is a main ingredient in this recipe so only use real, dairy butter. Do not use vegan butter or butter substitutes. If you don't eat dairy butter, this is not the recipe for you.
- You absolutely MUST chill the cookie dough before you slice and bake it.
- Toasted chopped pecans, chopped chocolate, or toffee bits are all great substitutions for the dried cranberries.
- These cookies are very freezer friendly. You can freeze as dough in logs - slice it first! - then thaw overnight in the fridge and bake. Or you can bake the entire batch and freeze the baked cookies. Thaw the baked cookies at room temperature. I like to do this early in the holiday season as these are a great go-to for gifting and cookie exchanges. Plus they thaw nicely in a cookie box
Cocktail Pairing
I love a Holiday Spice Martini with these cookies.
Print the Recipe
PrintCranberry Shortbread Cookies
Light, buttery, and much softer than traditional shortbread, this cranberry shortbread cookie is a favorite on my holiday cookie trays and a hit at cookie exchanges.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 8 mins
- Total Time: 18 min
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
Instructions
Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix until blended. Add flour and baking powder to the butter mixture. Stir until incorporated. Stir in dried cranberries.
Form dough into logs aprox 2 ½” inches diameter.
Wrap in parchment paper or wax paper and refrigerate until dough is firm, at least 2 hrs. (I often leave mine overnight.)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove dough from wax paper.
Place on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut into slices aprox ¼ inch thick.
Place dough about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set, but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.
Enjoy!
Keywords: cranberry, shortbread cookies, christmas, holiday, slice and bake, baking, short bread
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Betsey Ingraham
These cookies were a HIT with my family and friends this past Holiday Season. I can only describe them as a cookie that you can have for breakfast, a side a lunch, dessert with dinner, and a compliment with a cocktail, glass of wine or beer.
The recipe is simple, real ingredients. I did substitute Michigan dried cherries for the cranberries. The tart, sweetness of both berries is what makes this cookie so good!
★★★★★
MittenGirl
Dried cherries would definitely be delicious in these! 🙂