Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies are buttery, crumbly, and full of bright citrus flavor with little pops of tart cranberry and creamy white chocolate. They slice beautifully into rounds and are perfect for holiday cookie trays, gifts, or just enjoying with a hot drink on a cold day.​
What makes these cookies special is how the orange zest gets rubbed into the sugar so every bite carries a fresh orange aroma, while the orange juice keeps the dough tender. The cranberries and white chocolate chips add color and texture, turning classic shortbread into something that feels festive and a little bit fancy.​
Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 1/3 cups all‑purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter; a pinch if butter is salted)
- 3/4 cup salted butter, softened but still cool
- 5–6 tablespoons orange juice (enough to bring the dough together)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips or finely chopped white chocolate​
How I Make Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
1. Infuse the sugar with orange
In a mixing bowl, I combine the granulated sugar and orange zest. Using my fingertips, I rub the zest into the sugar until it feels slightly damp and smells very fragrant. This step releases the citrus oils and gives the shortbread a stronger orange flavor.​
2. Cream in the butter
I add the softened butter to the orange sugar and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) on medium speed until the mixture looks light and creamy. Shortbread doesn’t need as much air as regular cookies, but a few minutes of creaming helps the dough come together smoothly.​
3. Add dry ingredients and juice
In a separate bowl, I whisk together the flour and salt. I add this dry mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low just until it looks sandy and crumbly. Then I drizzle in the orange juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough starts to clump and holds together when pressed. I stop adding juice as soon as the dough forms; it should be soft but not sticky.​
4. Fold in cranberries and white chocolate
I stir in the chopped cranberries and white chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough. To shape, I either:
- Form the dough into 2 logs about 2 inches in diameter for slice‑and‑bake cookies, or
- Pat it into a flat disk to roll and cut rounds later.
I wrap the logs or disk in plastic and chill for at least 1–2 hours, or up to a couple of days. Chilling helps the butter firm up so the cookies keep their shape in the oven.​
5. Slice, bake, and cool
When I’m ready to bake, I heat the oven to 325–350°F (depending on my oven) and line baking sheets with parchment. If I’ve made logs, I slice them into 1/4‑ to 1/2‑inch rounds; if I chilled a disk, I roll it out lightly and cut with a round cutter. I place the cookies about an inch apart and bake for 12–16 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn lightly golden but the centers are still pale. Overbaking can make shortbread dry, so I pull them as soon as the edges color.​
I let the cookies cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. They’ll firm up as they cool and become perfectly crisp‑yet‑tender.
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