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.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cranberry orange shortbread cookies, orange shortbread cookies
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 36cookies
Calories 135kcal
Author Alli
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Cookies
1 1/2cupbutter3 sticks, softened.
1cupsugar
1tablespoonvanilla extract
3 1/2cupsflourall purpose
1 1/2tablespoonorange zestabout 1 orange
1cup dried cranberries
For the Orange Glaze
1 1/2cupspowdered sugarsee note
1/4cuporange juice
1 1/2tablespoonsorange 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 2x3 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
Notes
You may need to adjust the amount of powdered sugar you use. The glaze should be slightly thickened but still runny.