Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

By rmulleni

Light, tender and crispy, these delicious shortbread cookies are easy to make and perfect for sharing during the holidays.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
• Additional granulated sugar

Details

Servings 3

Preparation

Step 1

1. Position the oven rack in the middle of oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt until well combined. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the orange zest and the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until blended. The dough will be crumbly. By hand, fold in the cranberries, stirring just until the dough comes together and forms a ball.

4. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the balls to 1/4-inch thickness. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or just until the edges start to turn very lightly golden.

5. Immediately slide the parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from the parchment paper to a cooling rack and cool completely before storing.