Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies (Egg less)

Easy shortbread style citrus scented egg less cranberry cookies

4.94 from 15 votes

Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies (Egg less)

This Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe makes cookies that are rich and buttery while being crunchy. These egg less cookies have a delicious combination of citrus and tart flavors. Sprinkled with sugar on top for an extra sparkle this holiday season!

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Chilling and cooling2 10

Total Time2 37

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 105kcal

Author: Vaishali

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup dried cranberries like craisins
1 cup sugar divided
1 cup butter room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
1 orange, zested and juiced about 2-3 tablespoon juice
2 ½ cups all purpose flour

Instructions

Plan Ahead - this recipe calls for chilling the dough. Also take the butter out of the refrigerator ahead of time.
Add the cranberries and ¼ cup sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on medium high speed for about 90 seconds. This will help in breaking up the cranberries into smaller bits.
Add butter and ½ cup more of sugar to the mixer and mix at high speed for 1 minute or till the mixture is light and creamy.
Now add the vanilla, orange zest and juice. With the mixer running on low speed, carefully add the flour, ½ cup at a time. Mix until the dough comes together.
Cut a piece of plastic wrap and lay it on your kitchen counter. Dump the dough out on the plastic wrap and shape into a smooth log about 1.5 inches wide.
Wrap the dough completely, fold the ends of the plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours and upto 24 hours.
After the dough is chilled, take it out and preheat your oven to 325 degrees F or 163 degrees C. Put parchment paper on 2-3 cookie sheets.
Unwrap the dough log and using a very sharp knife, cut it into ¼ inch thick slices. Roll the cut slices into remaining sugar and lay on the cookie sheet.
Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets at about 6 minute mark. I also switch the cookie sheets among different rack positions at this time so that they bake evenly.
Take the cookies out of the oven and let cool in the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack and letting them cool completely.
Enjoy the cookies yourself or pack them in little baggies or boxes to share with friends and family.

Video

Notes

I use unsalted butter in this recipe but if you have salted butter, you can use that instead.

If the dough is not coming together, you can add orange juice or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it happens. It should not take you more than 2 tablespoons.

Sliced, unbaked cookies can be flash frozen and then stored in freezer bags for later. Bake straight from the freezer. Add 2-3 minutes of baking time.

Nutrition