Main ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
Zest of 1 orange
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped if large
Optional add-ins & swaps (choose any you like)
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips for extra sweetness and creaminess
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for warmth with the citrus
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for gentle crunch
- Replace half the cranberries with dried cherries or dried blueberries
- Lemon zest instead of orange for a sharper citrus profile
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon for a spiced winter version
- Substitute half the butter with cream cheese for extra tenderness
- Swap 1 tablespoon sugar for orange juice for brighter citrus notes
- Powdered sugar or sanding sugar for dusting
- Melted white chocolate for dipping half of each star
These types of mix-ins and swaps are commonly used in cranberry-orange and winter citrus cookie recipes to tweak flavor while keeping the same soft, buttery structure.
Step-by-step instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to promote even baking and easy cleanup, a standard step in cut-out cookie recipes.
In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is fluffy, pale, and smooth. Proper creaming incorporates air and helps create a soft, tender cookie, a technique emphasized in many butter cookie and sugar cookie recipes.
Add the egg and orange zest and mix until fully combined and fragrant. Citrus-zest-and-egg additions like this are typical in cranberry orange cookie and winter shortbread recipes to build flavor without extra liquid.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder until evenly combined. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, mixing just until the flour is incorporated; overmixing at this stage can toughen cookies, which cut-out cookie guides often warn against.
Fold in the dried cranberries (and any optional mix-ins like white chocolate or nuts) until they are evenly distributed. Chopping larger cranberries helps them cut neatly with the dough and prevents them from distorting the star shapes.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough to about 1/3 inch thickness. Thicker dough gives stars that stay soft in the center and hold their shape, which is why many soft cut-out cookie recipes recommend a similar thickness. If the dough feels too soft or sticky, chill it for 10–20 minutes to firm up.
Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes, pressing firmly for clean edges. Transfer the stars to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a bit of space between cookies. You can press a few extra cranberry pieces on top of some stars for a decorative finish before baking.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies look set and dry on the surface and are just lightly golden around the edges. Do not overbake; many soft sugar and citrus cookie recipes note that keeping cookies relatively pale is key to their soft texture.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar or sprinkle with sanding sugar if desired. You can also dip half of each star in melted white chocolate and let set on parchment for a more decorative finish, a common technique in holiday cookie decorating.