Dried Cranberry Shortbread Recipes

DRIED-CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD HEARTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees with rack in center. Combine butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt in large mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined but not too creamy. Stir in dried cranberries.
• Pat dough evenly into an 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan. Bake until just beginning to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Place pan on cooling rack until cool enough to touch, about 20 minutes. Run knife around edges, remove shortbread, and transfer, right side up, to work surface. Use 1 1/2- to 2-inch heart cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Use a paring knife to trim stray bits of cranberry from edges. Cookies will keep for 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

CITRUS SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Beat the butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts and orange zest. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the cranberries; mixing just enough to evenly combine.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, then roll into logs about 7 inches long. Wrap each log in wax paper or plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove wax paper, and cut the cookie dough into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm but not browned, about 10 minutes.

CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Stir together flour, sugar & salt, then cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
• Stir in cranberries, then form into a ball & knead until smooth.
• Divide dough in half.
• On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll each dough portion to a 1/2-inch thickness.
• Use a knife & cut into 24 2"x1" strips, then place these strips 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake 20-26 minutes or until bottoms just start to brown.
• Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove & cool completely on wire rack.

DRIED CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F with rack in center.
• Put butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt, in large mixing bowl. Stir together by hand until combined, but not creamy. Stir in dried cranberries.
• Press dough evenly into 8" square baking pan.
• Bake until firm and pale golden, about 30 minutes.
• Let cool in pan on wire rack about 20 minutes.
• Run knife around edges to loosen from pan and move to work surface, right side up.
• Cut out using cookie cutter, or cut in to squares using knife.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and ginger in a small bowl.
• Cream together butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until thoroughly incorporated. Add in 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in remaining flour mixture until just combined. Stir in cranberries.
• Form dough into a 9x2 1/2-inch rectangular log. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle the top of each cookie with a little additional white sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies just begin to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on baking sheets before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl; mix together.
• Cream butter in a large bowl using an electric blender until fluffy and lightened in color slightly. Add sugar and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, several more minutes. Mix in vanilla and orange zest. Add flour mixture in 3 batches and mix until just combined, kneading the last addition by hand. Knead in cranberries and apricots.
• Divide dough in half and roll out into two 1 1/2x7-inch long logs. Wrap each log in parchment paper and refrigerate until dough is chilled, at least 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and cut each log into about 16 slices that are 1/3-inch thick. Place slices 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies just begin to turn slightly golden on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.