Longbourn Farm

Simple Homemade Recipes & Farm Tips

  • About
    • Press
    • Contact
  • Cookbook
  • Meal Plans
  • Work with Me
  • Resources
  • Blog
    • Recipes
      • 30 Minutes or Less
      • Main Dish
      • Dessert
      • Breakfast
      • Bread
      • Appetizer
      • Side Dish
      • Soup
      • Salad
      • Drinks
    • Gardening
    • Chickens
    • Farm
      • Beekeeping
      • Livestock
      • Land
      • Horse
Home » Recipes & Tips » Orange Shortbread Cookies

Orange Shortbread Cookies

11/21/22 | Dessert, Recipes & Tips

Jump to Recipe - Pin Recipe
Easy yet incredibly delicious, cranberry orange shortbread cookies are a must-try! Packed with buttery goodness and dipped in a sweet orange glaze, these cookies are perfect for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a festive treat or a simple dessert to enjoy at home, orange cranberry cookies will fast become a new favorite.Easy yet incredibly delicious, cranberry orange shortbread cookies are a must-try! Packed with buttery goodness and dipped in a sweet orange glaze, these cookies are perfect for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a festive treat or a simple dessert to enjoy at home, orange cranberry cookies will fast become a new favorite.Easy yet incredibly delicious, cranberry orange shortbread cookies are a must-try! Packed with buttery goodness and dipped in a sweet orange glaze, these cookies are perfect for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a festive treat or a simple dessert to enjoy at home, orange cranberry cookies will fast become a new favorite.Easy yet incredibly delicious, cranberry orange shortbread cookies are a must-try! Packed with buttery goodness and dipped in a sweet orange glaze, these cookies are perfect for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a festive treat or a simple dessert to enjoy at home, orange cranberry cookies will fast become a new favorite.

Easy yet incredibly delicious, cranberry orange shortbread cookies are a must-try! Packed with buttery goodness and dipped in a sweet orange glaze, these cookies are perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re looking for a festive treat or a simple dessert to enjoy at home, orange cranberry cookies will fast become a new favorite.

Buttery shortbread speckled with soft, plump cranberries – these orange cranberry shortbread cookies are a delight to the senses. But my favorite part has to be the mouthwatering orange glaze, which we dip these cranberry shortbread cookies in – creating a heavenly sweet and slightly tart flavor combination. And the best part is, they’re so easy to make!

The key to the perfect shortbread cookie is chill time. I like to let my dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour, which helps the cookies keep their shape when baking. I highly recommend not skipping this step, as if the butter gets too warm, it can result in flat cranberry orange shortbread cookies!

Plus, allowing your dough to chill gives the cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla more time to really infuse into the dough – making for an even more delicious cookie.

Why You’ll Love Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

  • So simple. Using just a handful of ingredients, my orange cranberry cookies come together in no time! Shortbread is the simplest of recipes, which is one of the reasons I love it so much. And the orange glaze uses just 3 ingredients!
  • Such a classic flavor combination. Fabulously festive, orange cranberry is such a classic flavor combo – and one that is so well loved! And, of course, cranberry shortbread cookies aren’t just for the winter months. Summer picnics, Fourth of July barbecues, and birthday parties would all be made better with these cookies!
  • A make-ahead cookie. Orange cranberry cookies store amazingly well, and if you aren’t ready to bake them all, you can freeze the cookie dough for later!

Ingredients For Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

For the Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Flour
  • Orange zest
  • Dried cranberries

For the Orange Glaze

  • Powdered sugar
  • Orange juice
  • Orange zest

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below. For tips on softening butter, check out this post: How to soften butter quickly!

Instructions For Orange Cranberry Cookies

For the Shortbread Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  2. Combine the butter and sugar until well mixed.
  3. Add the vanilla, mix well.
  4. Add the flour and mix until it is evenly distributed.
  5. Add the orange zest and cranberries, mix until combined. The dough will be crumbly and should be the texture of wet sand and hold together when pressed. If it is too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the texture is correct.
  6. Press the dough together into a rectangle on a sheet of parchment.
  7. Roll out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
  8. Cut into rectangles about 2×3 inches.
  9. Cover and chill for 1 hour, up to 3 days.
  10. Remove from the fridge and let set for 10 minutes to slightly softened.
  11. Bake on lined or greased baking sheets for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.

For the Orange Glaze

  1. Combine the powdered sugar, orange zest and orange juice, whisk until smooth.
  2. Once the shortbread cookies are cool, dip them in the glaze. Set on a cooling rack that is set over a sheet pan so the excess glaze can drip off.
  3. Let set.
How do you store cranberry orange shortbread cookies?

Once you have mixed the dough, it can be easily stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months. If working with frozen cookie dough, be sure to thoroughly thaw it in the fridge before using it! Shaping the dough into individual cookies before freezing would reduce the defrost time for later.

Once you have baked my orange cranberry cookies, they store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze my cranberry shortbread cookies (without the icing) for up to 3 months.

What is the difference between a sugar cookie and a shortbread cookie?

While both sugar cookies and shortbread are delicious, they do have some key differences. The biggest difference between these two types of cookies is the fat content – shortbread contains a higher fat-to-flour ratio, giving it a richer flavor and a more crumbly texture.

Sugar cookies usually contain eggs and leavening agents, which create a soft and chewy cookie. Shortbread, however, is crumbly and delicate – a perfect texture to pair with soft dried cranberries, as seen with these orange cranberry shortbread cookies!

Does this recipe still work if I don’t use cranberries?

If you love the idea of orange cranberry shortbread cookies but don’t have any cranberries (or aren’t a fan), feel free to omit them from the recipe. Leaving out the cranberries would still create a shortbread full of citrus flavor, as both the glaze and shortbread contain orange. Either way, this cookie will still be yummy!

Can I use different flavored icing when making cranberry shortbread cookies?

Of course! Feel free to experiment with other icings if you want to try a different flavor combination. Start with a base to which you can add more flavor – like my glaze icing recipe! Then mix in different extracts or juices and zest until you reach your desired flavor.

A lemon glaze would be fun, or you could even do melted chocolate – like I did for my chocolate dipped shortbread cookies.

a stack of orange cranberry shortbread cookies
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote
Share on Facebook

Orange Shortbread Cookies

With the bright burst of orange colors throughout the glaze, soft buttery cookies, and refreshing orange flavor in every bite, these cookies are a welcomed treat for anytime of year.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cranberry orange shortbread cookies, orange shortbread cookies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 36 cookies
Calories 135kcal
Author Alli
Get ad-free recipes in PrepearLearn more about Prepear here!

Ingredients

For the Shortbread Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cup butter 3 sticks, softened.
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups flour all purpose
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon orange zest about 1 orange
  • 1 cup dried cranberries

For the Orange Glaze

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar see note
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest

Instructions

For the Shortbread Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  • Combine the butter and sugar until well mixed.
  • Add the vanilla, mix well.
  • Add the flour and mix until it is evenly distributed.
  • Add the orange zest and cranberries, mix until combined. The dough will be crumbly and should be the texture of wet sand and hold together when pressed. If it is too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the texture is correct.
  • Press the dough together into a rectangle on a sheet of parchment.
  • Roll out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Cut into rectangles about 2×3 inches.
  • Cover and chill for 1 hour, up to 3 days.
  • Remove from the fridge and let set for 10 minutes to slightly softened.
  • Bake on lined or greased baking sheets for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.

For the Orange Glaze

  • Combine the powdered sugar, orange zest and orange juice, whisk until smooth.
  • Once the shortbread cookies are cool, dip them in the glaze. Set on a cooling rack that is set over a sheet pan so the excess glaze can drip off.
  • Let set.

Video

Follow me on YouTube!Watch more videos and subscribe!

Notes

You may need to adjust the amount of powdered sugar you use. The glaze should be slightly thickened but still runny. 

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @longbournfarm or tag #longbournfarm!

Looking for more delicious recipes and great posts?

  • Pastina
  • Canned Corn
  • Canned Green Beans
  • Hard Candy Recipe
  • Frozen Peas
  • Frozen Green Bean Recipes
  • Best Prime Rib Recipe in the World
  • Caramel Apple Slices
  • Mexican Pork Chops
  • Baked BBQ Chicken Tenders
  • Where Does Beef Come From
  • Gel Stain Garage Doors
  • Dutch Oven Potatoes
  • Beef Stroganoff From Scratch
  • Dutch Oven Blueberry Cobbler
  • No Bake Cheesecake without Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Buffalo Ranch Dressing
  • Cattle Panel Chicken Tractor

Comments | 1 comment

« Bruschetta Caprese
Apple Danish Recipe »

Comments

  1. Alli says

    February 2, 2021 at 9:20 AM

    5 stars
    Perfect shortbread!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Hi, Friend!


Alli Kelley is an Agriculture focused entrepreneur. She runs a successful food blog, a consulting and coaching business, and all the social media connected with an online presence.

She also owns and operates a small, diversified farmstead where she enjoys home improvement projects, experimenting in the garden, creating profitable mini businesses on the farm, and of course, riding her big grey horse, Zane.
Read More…

Agriculture

Side view of a full DIY chicken waterer.

DIY Chicken Waterer Tutorial

posted in Animal and Land, Chickens, Farm & Family, Livestock

(sponsored)Are you wasting $2500 a year on food? Learn how to reduce food waste in your home and get the most out of your dollar and reduce your environmental impact! @beeffordinner #BeefItsWhatsForDinner #NicelyDone #beeffarmersandranchers

How to Reduce Food Waste

posted in Animal and Land, Livestock, Main Dish, Recipes & Tips

pasture full of cows

Where Does Beef Come From?

posted in Animal and Land, Livestock

Meal Plans + Ad-Free Recipes

less stress save time prepare ad
FTC Disclosure of Material Connection: The way I provide you with free content is through affiliate links and some of the links in the post above may be affiliate links, they will be marked in the post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to YOU. Read terms here.

Copyright © 2023 · Longbourn Farm • Tasteful Theme by Restored 316

Longbourn Farm
  • Home
  • Cookbook
  • Meal Plans
  • Work With Me
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Recipes
  • Gardening
  • Chickens
  • Farm