WELCOME TO DAY THREE OF COOKIE WEEK!! 🤗
Throwing a shortbread cookie with a seasonal flavor profile at you today.
Cranberry orange.
I feel like it is pretty hit or miss if people like this combo or not, but I don't understand how you couldn't.
Citrus and a tart berry. What wouldn't be good about that?!
Anyway, shortbread anything is a win in my book.
& I even used real dairy butter in this recipe.
Because some things just call for it.
But I have made multiple shortbread recipes with real dairy butter and plant butter and they have all been good.
Look how pretty and festive these are!
Not only would they be great at a Christmas gathering, but for New Years Eve too!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Plastic wrap
Mixing bowl
Kitchenaid or hand mixer
Sharp knife
Sifter
FOR INGREDIENTS
Unsalted butter - I like to use real dairy butter for any shortbread recipe, but dairy free works great too
Powdered sugar - wholesome brand makes a good organic one
Oranges - just using the zest for this recipe
Dried cranberries - personally, I love ocean spray craisins but you do your thing
Vanilla bean paste - I exclusively use blue cattle truck brand
Salt - love terrasoul himalayan salt
Flour - I pretty much exclusively use King Arthur unbleached organic flour
Course sugar - like Turbinado
In a medium mixing bowl sift the flour and add salt and combine.
In a Kitchenaid mixer with a paddle attachment (handheld is fine too) cream together softened butter and sugar for about 1 minute.
Add orange zest and vanilla. Give it a light mix until just combined.
Lastly, add your cranberries and flour + salt mixture and mix until you get a uniform dough.
Roll into a log about ~2.5 inches in width (the size you would want your cookies).
Coat log in sugar. This is totally optional. I just like the way it makes the outside of the cookies look.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
Once chilled, slice the ends off each side to make the ends even. Slice into equal "coins" using a very sharp knife. Be careful that the dough is not too soft or you will misshape them. Rock then knife back and forth for an even slice.
After slicing off the ends, I score my log in the middle and then in halves. I try to get about 5 cookies out of each 1/4 log. Resulting in 20 cookies. This time, it made 21.
Cook in a 325°F oven for 12 minutes. The edges will have the slightest golden tint to them and the bottoms will be perfectly lightly golden.
Let cool and enjoy.
RECIPE PDF 👇🏼
INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter - softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons orange zest - about one orange
1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste - vanilla works fine too
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
Course sugar - like Turbinado for dusting
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium mixing bowl sift the flour and add salt. Combine.
In a bowl of a Kitchenaid mixer, cream together softened butter and powdered sugar for about one minute. Add orange zest and vanilla. Give it a light mix until just combined.
Add cranberries and flour + salt mixture and mix until you get a uniform dough (less than one minutes).
Roll into a log about ~2.5 inches in width (the size you would want your cookies).
Coat the log in sugar. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
Once chilled, slice the ends off each side to make the ends even. Slice into equal "coins" using a very sharp knife. Be careful that the dough is not too soft or you will misshape them. Rock then knife back and forth for an even slice. *see notes*
Cook for 12 minutes. The edges will have the slightest golden tint to them and the bottoms will be perfectly lightly golden.
Let cool and enjoy.
NOTES
You do not need to coat the log in sugar if you don't want to. It is totally optional, I just like the slight carmel flavor it gives and it makes the edges look pretty.
After slicing off the ends, I score my log in the middle and then in halves. I try to get about 5 cookies out of each 1/4 log. Resulting in 20 cookies. This time, it made 21.
I like to wait for my shortbread anything to fully cool before enjoying. But they are still good warm.
Are there any flavor combos that get you in the holiday spirit?
Cranberry + orange definitely does it for me.
Let me know in the comments below what yours is!
Hope you enjoy this recipe, friends.
Give this post a like, comment or share. (It really helps me out.)
Please, please, pretty please.
Do not hesitate to reach out, I love hearing from you guys.
If you make the recipe, send me some pics and let me know if you enjoyed it. (I love that so much!)
Have a great day!
xoxo
Kirsten ☀️