Description
These Best Christmas Cranberry Orange Cookies are a festive and flavorful treat, combining the tartness of dried cranberries with fresh orange zest and juice. Soft, buttery, and lightly golden, these cookies are perfect for holiday baking and sharing with family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups dried cranberries
Orange Glaze
- Powdered sugar (amount not specified, estimated 1 cup)
- Orange juice (approx. 2 tablespoons)
- Orange zest (approx. 1 teaspoon)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the cookies evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which incorporates air for a soft texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, orange juice, and orange zest until the batter is well combined, adding flavor and moisture to the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl for even distribution before gradually adding to the wet mixture while stirring.
- Incorporate Cranberries: Gently fold in the dried cranberries to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough without breaking them.
- Portion Dough: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto a baking sheet, spacing them apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden, indicating they are set and baked through.
- Prepare and Apply Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar with orange juice and zest to make a glaze, then drizzle it over cooled cookies to add a sweet and citrusy finish.
Notes
- Make sure butter is softened, not melted, for proper creaming.
- Use fresh orange juice and zest for the best flavor.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before drizzling the glaze to prevent melting.
- You can substitute dried cranberries with fresh if desired but may need to adjust moisture.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
