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These Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies are buttery, festive, and loaded with dried cranberries and pistachios. A simple slice-and-bake recipe perfect for holidays or any occasion!
Quick Recipe Overview
WHAT: Buttery slice-and-bake shortbread cookies studded with sweetened dried cranberries, pistachios, and bright orange zest.
WHY: They’re make-ahead friendly, require simple ingredients, taste absolutely delicious, and look beautiful for gift-giving or entertaining.
HOW: Mix orange sugar with butter, add flour and salt, fold in cranberries and nuts, shape into logs, chill, slice, and bake.
Table of Contents
- Quick Recipe Overview
- Why I Love Making Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- Ingredient Notes
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies with Pistachios Recipe
- How To Make Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Substitutions & Variations
- FAQs for Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- My Best Tips for Making Cranberry Orange Cookies
- What to Serve With Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
- Storage & Reheating Tips
- Similar Recipes to Try
- More Christmas Cookie Recipes To Try
Why I Love Making Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
These cranberry orange shortbread cookies have become my absolute favorite holiday cookie, and honestly, I bake them year-round. The combination of tart cranberries, bright orange zest, and crunchy pistachios creates the most beautiful flavor and texture contrast. Plus, they’re slice-and-bake, so you can make the dough ahead and bake as needed.
The shortbread dough comes together quickly and without any fuss. Rubbing the orange zest into the sugar is a simple trick that brings out bold citrus flavor in every cookie.
These cookies also make great gifts since they hold their shape and ship well. With jewel-toned cranberries and green pistachios showing through, they look just as impressive as they taste.
🩷 Melissa
Ready to bake some magical cranberry orange shortbread cookies? These buttery, festive treats combine tart dried cranberries with bright citrus zest for the perfect holiday cookie.
They’re wonderful for cookie exchanges, gift-giving, or simply enjoying with your afternoon tea or coffee.
The beautiful red and orange flecks make them as stunning to look at as they are delicious to eat!
Ingredient Notes
Sweetened Dried Cranberries: They work best here, though you can use unsweetened if you prefer a more tart cookie.
Pistachios: I use raw unsalted ones, but roasted and salted pistachios would add a nice savory contrast if that’s what you have. Just be aware they’ll add extra salt to the recipe.
Fresh Orange Zest: Don’t substitute orange extract or dried zest. You need that bright, aromatic oil from the fresh peel. One medium orange gives you about 1-2 tablespoons of zest, which is perfect.
Sprinkling Sugar: Also called sanding sugar or coarse sugar is optional for rolling the dough logs, but it adds a beautiful sparkle and slight crunch to the exterior.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies with Pistachios
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 orange, zested
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sweetened dried cranberries, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add the granulated sugar and orange zest to a small bowl and use a spoon to rub the zest into the sugar until it smells super fragrant.
- Add the butter to the bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour and salt, mixing just until the dough comes together. Stir in the chopped cranberries and pistachios.
- Lay out a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap and dump the dough onto it. Gently press and knead it together, then shape it into a tight log that is about 2 inches across. If it's easier you can also work with the half the dough at a time.
- You can also roll the dough log in sprinkling sugar at this point if you want to (I do about half the time, I like it but it's not necessary). Roll the dough log up in the parchment or wrap, twisting the ends to hold the shape. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour, or until firm.
- When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Unwrap the chilled dough and slice it into ¼-inch rounds. Place the cookies a couple inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 14–16 minutes, until they’re set and just starting to turn golden on the edges. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a rack. Enjoy!
Notes
- Boost Citrus Flavor: One of the best things you can do when adding any kind of citrus zest to a recipe is work it into the sugar! Making orange sugar for this recipe makes the orange pop, and it’s one of my favorite baking tips. I do it as often as I can in recipes!
- Pistachio Options: I used raw and unsalted pistachios, but I’m sure that roasted and salted would work great too.
- Chop for Structure: Give the cranberries and nuts a chop before adding them to the dough, if the pieces are too big the cookies don’t hold together well.
- Fix Crumbly Ends: If the ends of your logs fall apart a bit when you slice them, it’s no big deal. You can just use the heat of your hand to press them back together. Pressing the log together firmly before you stick it in the fridge will help you to avoid this.
- Citrus Swaps: Feel free to use lemon or lime zest, or double the orange for stronger flavor.
- Watch The Bake: You want lightly browned edges—no need to overbake since they firm up as they cool.
Nutrition
How To Make Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Step 1: Add the granulated sugar and orange zest to a small bowl and use a spoon to rub the zest into the sugar until it smells super fragrant.
- Step 2: Add the butter to the bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour and salt, mixing just until the dough comes together. Stir in the chopped cranberries and pistachios.
- Step 3: Lay out a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap and dump the dough onto it. Gently press and knead it together, then shape it into a tight log that is about 2 inches across. If it’s easier you can also work with the half the dough at a time.
- Step 4: You can also roll the dough log in sprinkling sugar at this point if you want to (I do about half the time, I like it but it’s not necessary). Roll the dough log up in the parchment or wrap, twisting the ends to hold the shape. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour, or until firm.
- Step 5: When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Unwrap the chilled dough and slice it into ¼-inch rounds. Place the cookies a couple inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 14–16 minutes, until they’re set and just starting to turn golden on the edges. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a rack. Enjoy!
Substitutions & Variations
Different Citrus Options
Swap the orange zest for lemon or lime zest for a completely different flavor profile. You can also use a combination – try half orange and half lemon for a more complex citrus note. Double the orange zest if you want a more pronounced orange flavor.
Change Up the Dried Fruit
Dried cherries, blueberries, or chopped apricots would all work wonderfully in place of the cranberries. You could also use a mix of dried fruits for a more diverse flavor.
Add Chocolate
Fold in 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips along with the cranberries and pistachios for chocolate chip cookies with a shortbread twist. Dark or white chocolate both pair beautifully with the orange.
Make them Savory
Reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup, omit the cranberries, and add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese with fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme. These make fantastic appetizer crackers!
Try Different Nuts
Almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts all work beautifully. You can also toast the nuts first for deeper flavor.
FAQs for Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
I don’t recommend using fresh cranberries for this recipe. They contain too much moisture and will make the dough soggy. Dried cranberries (sweetened or unsweetened) work best because they maintain their shape and add concentrated flavor without affecting the texture of these shortbread cookies.
This usually happens if the dough isn’t chilled long enough or if you didn’t press the log together firmly before refrigerating. Make sure to wrap the dough tightly and twist the ends to create a compact log. If the edges crumble while slicing, just press them back together with your warm hands.
Yes! Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. The texture will be slightly more delicate, but they’ll still be delicious. Make sure your blend contains xanthan gum for the best results.
My Best Tips for Making Cranberry Orange Cookies
☞Work The Orange Zest Into The Sugar First: This is hands-down my favorite baking tip for any citrus recipe. Rubbing the orange zest into the granulated sugar releases the essential oils and distributes that bright orange flavor throughout the entire cookie.
☞Chop Your Mix-Ins Uniformly: Take the time to roughly chop both the dried cranberries and pistachios to similar sizes. If the pieces are too large, your cookies will fall apart when you slice them.
☞Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once you add the flour and salt, mix just until the dough comes together. Overworking shortbread dough develops too much gluten, which makes the cookies tough instead of tender and crumbly. A few flour streaks are fine – they’ll incorporate when you knead the dough briefly.
☞Use Room Temperature Butter, Not Melted: Your unsalted butter should be soft enough to leave an indent when you press it, but not greasy or melted. This creates the proper creamed texture with the orange sugar, which gives you that classic shortbread cookie texture.
☞Slice With a Sharp Knife: Use a thin, sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts for the cleanest slices. If your dough is very cold and hard from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before slicing to prevent cracking.
What to Serve With Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
These cranberry orange cookies pair beautifully with hot tea. The citrus notes complement tea perfectly, making them ideal for afternoon tea or brunch gatherings.
Serve them alongside a cheese board for an elegant appetizer spread. The sweet-tart cranberries and buttery shortbread contrast nicely with sharp cheeses like aged cheddar or creamy brie.
For holiday entertaining, arrange them on a platter with other holiday cookies like gingerbread, sugar cookies, or chocolate chip cookies for a beautiful variety. The festive colors make them a natural addition to any cookie exchange or dessert table.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Room Temperature Cookie Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. They actually taste better after a day or two as the flavors combine. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
Refrigerator Cooking Storage
These cookies don’t need refrigeration, but if you live in a very warm climate, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Freezing Cookies
Baked cookies freeze beautifully! Layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Freezing the Cookie Dough
The unbaked dough log can be frozen for up to 3 months when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag. Slice and bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Make-Ahead Cookie Dough
Prepare the dough log up to 3 days in advance and keep it refrigerated. Slice and bake fresh cookies whenever you need them – perfect for last-minute entertaining or when unexpected guests drop by!
Shipping Cookies
These shortbread cookies ship exceptionally well! Pack them snugly in a tin or sturdy container with parchment paper between layers. They maintain their texture and don’t crumble easily, making them perfect for sending to friends and family
Similar Recipes to Try
- Honey Pecan Slice-and-Bake Cookies – Buttery honey-sweetened cookies with crunchy pecans.
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies – Soft cookies with white chocolate and peppermint.
- Shortbread Cookies Recipe – A classic buttery cookie with a crisp, tender bite.
- Biscotti with Almonds and Chocolate – A crunchy, chocolatey almond biscotti for dunking.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes To Try
Christmas Cookies
White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Christmas Cookies
75+ Easy Christmas Cookies
Christmas Cookies
Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies (Thick & Brownie-Like!)
Simple Gingerbread Recipes
Spiced Gingerbread Bars with Vanilla Frosting
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