Shortbread is probably my favourite cookie dough to experiment with. You can add fruit, flavours, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate- pretty well anything that tickles your fancy. I have quite a few variations that I make for the holidays season but this Cranberry Shortbread is my newest! Cranberry Shortbread is the perfect Christmas cookie with the flecks of cranberry topped with the sparkle of sanding sugar. The lemon zest highlights the tartness of the berries. The result is a cookie that isn’t too sweet- just perfect with a cup of tea.
Cranberries are full of Vitamin C so adding them to cookie dough must result in a healthy cookie I’m thinking! We pick cranberries here in Northern Ontario in the fall in swamps and bogs- it is a wet job but they are so worth the trouble. The best thing is that they will keep for weeks in the fridge or you can freeze them.The wrapped logs of cookie dough will also keep up to a week in the fridge, ready for slicing and baking on short notice for when that unexpected holiday company drops by. Warm fresh cookies are a welcome anyone will appreciate.
If you want to dress these cranberry shortbead up even more, they would look beautiful dipped in white chocolate and then sprinkled with sugar.So I hope you have the opportunity to try these cranberry shortbread cookies as they will look beautiful on your dessert tray this holiday season.
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 lb butter, room temp
- zest of an orange
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- In a food processor, pulse the granulated sugar and cranberries just until minced. You don't want a paste, just a crumble.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and icing sugar until blended. Add in the orange zest and cranberry mixture and mix again for 1 minute.
- Add in the flour and mix on low speed just until dough comes together.
- With floured hands knead the dough on a floured counter until smooth. Divide into 3 pieces.
- On plastic wrap form each piece into a log. Either in a square or round form. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or unto 48 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Slice into ¼ inch thick slices and place 1 inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake 15-18 minutes or just until starting to brown on the edges.
- Store in a tin with waxed paper between the layers.
Thanks Tammy for directing me to this site. Will definitely try these recipes. These are the type of desserts that I love to bake.
Terri Pacitto
glad you enjoyed it Terri!
I just went through every recipe and read every description. Great job Tammy. I’m impressed. Not sure what I will bake tomorrow!!!!! It is suppose to rain all day tomorrow and in my opinion, the perfect baking day.
Terri