Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 orange, zest
- 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 180 g plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 75 g dried cranberries, finely chopped
For the Orange Glaze
- 120 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 30 ml orange juice
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Rub sugar and orange zest together: Using your fingertips, massage the orange zest into the caster sugar in a bowl until the sugar becomes orange-stained and slightly wet, releasing the natural oils and intensifying the orange flavor.
- Cream butter, orange sugar, and vanilla: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and orange sugar on medium speed until pale and lightened. Scrape down the sides, add vanilla extract, and mix again to combine.
- Incorporate flour and cranberries: Add plain flour and finely chopped dried cranberries to the creamed mixture, then mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will appear raggedy.
- Form and roll out the dough: Gather the dough into a ball and press it into a rough disc. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out to about ½ cm thickness. If too soft, wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes until firmer.
- Cut out cookie shapes and chill: Use a cookie cutter to stamp shapes from the dough and place them onto lined baking trays. Re-roll scraps as needed, adding a few drops of water if dough becomes too dry. Refrigerate shaped cookies for at least 30 minutes to firm up before baking.
- Bake the cookies: Preheat oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake the chilled cookies for 12-15 minutes or until edges turn golden. Cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the orange glaze: Whisk together powdered icing sugar, orange juice, and melted butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more icing sugar or orange juice as needed.
- Glaze the cookies: Dip the face of each cooled cookie into the orange glaze, letting the excess drip off. Place glazed cookies on a wire rack and allow the glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to guide you through the recipe.
- Yield depends on cookie cutter size and dough thickness; using a 5cm star cutter yields approximately 18-20 cookies. This recipe can be easily doubled.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freezing: Un-decorated shortbread cookies can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; thaw overnight at room temperature before glazing.
- TIP 1: Re-roll the dough after cutting to maximize the number of cookies, but be cautious as repeated rolling may dry the dough—add a few drops of water if needed.
- TIP 2: Lightly flour cookie cutters to prevent dough sticking and preserve cookie shapes.
- TIP 3: Chilling the dough before baking helps cookies retain their shape and prevents spreading.
- TIP 4: Keep an eye on bake time as oven temperatures vary; a difference of a minute or two can impact the final texture and color.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western, American
