Cranberry-Orange Butter Cookies

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How do you make a traditional butter cookie even better? Add the festive notes of cranberry and orange, that's how. This cookie dough needs to chill at least 2 hours, so you can make this the night before and bake cookies the next day. Before you get started, make sure your butter is adequately softened; this is key to creating a smooth and creamy dough. Try using dried cherries for the cranberries or lemon zest instead of orange, and add a touch of crushed, dried rosemary to the batter. To get a really sharp rectangular shape to your dough, after wrapping it in plastic wrap, put the log in an empty aluminum foil box, gently re-form the log around the box and refrigerate. This cookie recipe is a tasty selection when hosting or attending a cookie swap. Or add them to a lineup of other holiday cookies, package in a decorative tin and give as a delicious food gift.

By

Pam Lolley

Published on November 6, 2019

Cranberry-Orange Butter Cookies — Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Active Time:

25 mins

Chill Time:

2 hrs

Total Time:

1 hr 10 mins

Yield:

5 dozen

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups unsifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest (from 3 oranges)
1 cup demerara sugar or sparkling sugar, as needed for decorating

Directions

Beat butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Beat in vanilla.
Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in cranberries and orange zest until just combined, about 30 seconds.
Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a rectangular log about 9 inches long x 2 inches wide x 2 inches tall. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place demerara sugar in a shallow dish. Unwrap dough logs. Gently press demerara sugar into long sides of both logs.
Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices 1 inch apart on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Working in 2 batches, bake cookies in preheated oven until edges are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks, and cool completely, about 20 minutes. Store in airtight containers up to 1 week.

Cranberry-Orange Butter Cookies

Ingredients

Directions

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