Description
Festive orange cranberry shortbread cookies bring European bakery charm to holiday tables. Delicate buttery rounds sparkle with zesty citrus and tart cranberry, creating an irresistible treat perfect for winter celebrations you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (75 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Fat and Fruit Ingredients:
- 1 stick (113 g / 4 ounces) unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¼ cup (40 g) fresh cranberries, finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon orange zest
Garnish Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup (80 g) powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons (15 g / 0.5 fluid ounces) orange juice
Instructions
- Whisk flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring thorough incorporation of dry ingredients.
- Introduce cold butter cubes to the mixture, blending on minimal speed until the texture resembles coarse, damp sand that holds together when gently compressed.
- Fold finely chopped cranberries and vibrant orange zest into the crumbly dough, distributing them evenly throughout the mixture.
- Transfer the fragile dough onto a parchment paper surface, gently kneading to form a cohesive ball.
- Position a second parchment sheet atop the dough and carefully roll into a precise 4×12-inch rectangular shape.
- Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes to achieve optimal firmness and enhance structural integrity.
- Heat the oven to 325°F, preparing a silicone mat-lined baking sheet.
- Slice the chilled dough into 24 elegant, uniform sticks and arrange them with precise spacing on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, monitoring until edges develop a delicate golden-brown hue.
- While still warm, gently reshape cookies if needed to maintain their pristine form.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack, preparing for the final glaze application.
- Whisk powdered sugar and fresh orange juice in a small bowl until achieving a silky, smooth consistency.
- Elegantly drizzle the citrusy glaze over cooled cookies using a pastry bag or squeeze bottle for a professional finish.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and maintains the crisp, delicate texture of these elegant shortbread cookies.
- Orange zest and cranberries create a vibrant, tangy flavor combination that elevates traditional shortbread to a festive treat.
- Use cold butter and work quickly to ensure a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture characteristic of classic shortbread.
- Reshape cookies immediately after baking while they’re still warm to achieve a perfect, uniform appearance.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before glazing to prevent the orange drizzle from becoming runny and maintain a clean, professional finish.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days to preserve their delicate crunch and bright citrus flavor.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 128
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 36 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg