“Cranberry Orange Shortbread – Cookie Week Recipe Three”

If you love dried cranberries as I do, then let me introduce you to Cranberry Orange Shortbread – Cookie Week Recipe Three. Loaded with dried cranberries and the zesty citrus infusion of orange zest and extract. These cookies will knock your socks off. I had made these cookies in the past but felt they needed more orange flavor since orange and cranberry go so well together. So that’s when I added the orange extract. What a change adding the pop of orange! These cookies have a crumbly texture like traditional shortbread and without a lot of sugar. Let them cool completely before packing away as a result will fall apart if not cool.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread – Cookie Week Recipe Three

Cranberry Orange Shortbread are easy to prepare and another cookie recipe which can be made ahead of time. Prepare per recipe directions, roll into logs, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Could this recipe be any more simple? I love simple, don’t you? Another cookie that gets better with age. Yum! I would say these cookies scream Happy Holidays!

Buy your dried cranberries in bulk if you can find them because buying Craisins brand can be rather expensive. Any orange will work for the zest but be sure to purchase oranges without blemishes. This way you make the best cookies possible. Cranberry Orange Shortbread look so pretty when plated and taste just as good. I love the flecks of orange zest throughout each slice. Use your favorite holiday platter to show them off. Everyone will think you spent hours when it will take you about 30 minutes to make up a batch. Now that’s what I call impressive. Let me know when you bake up a batch. I’d love to know what you think. Until the next cookie…Happy Baking!

Cranberry Orange Shortbread – Cookie Week Recipe Three

Cranberry Orange Shortbread

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

4 t. vanilla extract

1/2 t. orange extract

1 t. almond extract

3 T. grated orange zest

4 cups dried sweetened cranberries, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Using a stand mixer, beat together butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Stir in vanilla, almond extract, orange extract, and orange zest. Mix in flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in cranberries, mixing until evenly combined.

Divide dough into four portions, then roll into logs about 1 1/2 to 2-inch diameter. You should have four logs. Wrap each log in wax paper and refrigerate to chill for at least four hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Discard wax paper and cut cookie logs into 1/2-inch slices. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until just firm before beginning to brown. Cool on baking sheet one minute before removing cookies to cooling rack. Store in airtight containers.