Cranberry Orange Cookies
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These delicious homemade Cranberry Orange Cookies have the most wonderful holiday flavors from zesty oranges, tangy cranberries and a sweet orange glaze that’s drizzled over the tops. They’re perfect cookies to add to your holiday season baking lineup.
Cranberry Orange Cookie Recipe
When it comes to festive Christmas cookies, this recipe has everything you could ask for. They are bursting with ruby red, tangy cranberries and fresh orange zest in every bite. These buttery cookies are drizzled with an easy to make sweet orange glaze that gives them a bakery-style finishing touch. A no-fuss cookie recipe, these cookies bake up perfectly every time and will stay nice and soft for days.
Pretty red cranberries make the cookies a beautiful addition to your Christmas dessert table, but because they are made using dried cranberries, you can make these cookies with that classic combination of flavors any time of the year. We also used dried cranberries in this White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge that’s always a huge hit.
If you prefer the juicy burst of fresh cranberries, you should try this Pumpkin Cranberry Bread or this yummy homemade Cranberry Sauce.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Great for parties – They are ideal Christmas cookies for a cookie exchange or to add to a holiday cookie tray at your next Christmas party.
- Classic holiday flavors – Classic orange flavor combined with the tangy cranberries are always favorite holiday flavors.
- Versatile – Made with dried cranberries which means you can make and enjoy them any time of the year without having to wait for fresh cranberry season.
Recommended Tools:
- Electric Mixer (or stand mixer)
- Large Bowl
- Medium Bowl
- Citrus Zester
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Wire rack
What’s Needed to Make Christmas Cranberry Cookies
For the Cookies
- Unsalted butter (softened)
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Orange juice
- Fresh orange zest
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Dried cranberries
For the Glaze
- Orange Zest (plus more for garnish if desired)
- Orange Juice
- Powdered Sugar
How to Make Orange Cranberry Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liner.
Step One: Whisk Dry Ingredients
- Gently whisk together all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined.
Step Two: Mix Wet ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter on medium speed with an electric mixer.
- Next, add in the egg, vanilla, orange juice and the orange zest. Continue to mix just until well incorporated.
Step Three: Combine Ingredients
- Add in the dry ingredients gradually, mixing after each addition, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon fold in the dried cranberries mixing until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Step Four: Bake the Cookies
- Scoop the dough out with a tablespoon size dough scoop into a dough ball and place it onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and place on a wire rack in a single layer to cool completely.
Step Five: Make the Glaze
- Once the cookies are cooled you can make the glaze.
- To make the glaze combine the orange zest, fresh orange juice and powdered sugar in a medium size bowl. Mix until the glaze is smooth and creamy with no lumps of sugar.
Step Six Glaze and Serve
- You can glaze the cooled cookies on the cooling rack or place them on cookie sheets.
- Using a spoon drizzle the glaze across each cookie.
- Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with orange zest if desired.
- Allow the glaze to dry before placing your batch of fresh cookies in an airtight container to store.
TIP: to Make clean up easier, place parchment paper or wax paper under the cookies before glazing to catch any drips.
How to Store Homemade Cranberry Orange Cookies
You can store fresh cranberry cookies at room temperature in a cookie jar or other airtight container, for several days or in the fridge for a week or longer.
These cookies also freeze wonderfully in an airtight container for up to three months.
Variations:
- Chocolate chips – Another classic addition to these cookies are white chocolate chips. They work really well with the cranberry, orange combination of flavor.
- Glaze – This recipe calls for a simple citrus glaze. But you can add a thicker cream cheese frosting to them if you prefer. If you chose to frost them, make sure you store the cookies in the fridge.
- Extracts – You can easily add a little different spin on the flavor of the dough by using almond extract or orange extract instead of the vanilla.
- Nuts – Add a little crunch to these soft cookies with chopped walnut or pecans. I like to toast them a little first to bring out a nuttier flavor.
You’ll also love our cranberry orange pound cake. An easy and delicious recipe perfect for any brunch.
Can I Use Fresh Cranberries in this Cookie Recipe?
You certainly can but keep in mind that there is a difference in the amount you will use. If a recipe calls for one cup of dried cranberries, you’ll want to use about 1 1/4 cup fresh chopped cranberries.
Tips for Perfectly Baking Cookies
- Evenly measure – When measuring flour don’t just scoop the flour and dump it into the mixer. Spoon it into your measuring cup without packing it, and level it off with the back of a wooden spoon or knife.
- Use a cookie scoop – Use a cookie scoop to make sure all your cookies are the same size. This helps them all to bake evenly.
- Don’t over mix – To prevent tough cookies, avoid over mixing the dough. Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients come together to form dough. When using an electric mixer, it’s easy to walk off while the dough is mixing. This can result in over worked cookie dough. Always use medium speed just until you see that there are no longer dry ingredients in the bottom of the bowl.
- Set a timer! This is a huge tip for baking success. Set the timer a couple of minutes prior to when the recipe says they will be done. Ovens bake differently so look for them to bake just until edges start to turn golden brown.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Christmas Wreath Cornflake Cookies
- Fruitcake Cookies
- Peppermint Bark Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Pinwheel Sugar Cookies
- Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies
- Peanut butter balls
Cranberry Orange Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
For the Glaze:
- 1 teaspoon orange zest plus more for garnish if desired
- 2 Tablespoons orange juice
- 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium size bowl gently whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer cream together sugar and butter.1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar
- Add in egg, vanilla, orange juice, and orange zest and continue mixing until well incorporated.1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 Tablespoon orange juice, 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients mixing after each addition.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon fold in the dried cranberries mixing until evenly distributed throughout the dough.1 cup dried cranberries
- Scoop the dough out with a tablespoon-size dough scoop onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the Glaze:
- Mix orange zest, orange juice, and confectioners sugar in a medium size bowl.1 teaspoon orange zest, 2 Tablespoons orange juice, 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
- Mix until everything is well incorporated and there are no lumps.
- You can glaze the cookies on the cooling rack or place them on a baking sheet. Place parchment paper or wax paper under the cookies before glazing to catch any drips.
- Using a spoon drizzle the glaze across each cookie.
- Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with orange zest if desired.
- Allow the glaze to dry before placing cookies in an airtight container to store.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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