Cranberry Chocolate Chip Shortbread
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies with a hint of orange zest. Perfect for the holidays!
While nibbling any cookie, I always think to myself, “You know what would make this even better? …More butter and a touch of salt!”
In my mind, chocolate chip cookies would be better as crispy shortbread. Oatmeal cookies would taste better if they had more butter and less (meaning no) eggs.
Macaroons? Yep, they are in desperate need of butter.
You can’t blame me for going a little overboard on the butter cookies this time of year. After all, I was programmed to desire them once the weather turns cold.
Come December 1st, I start checking the mailbox for those metal tins of shortbread rings with course sugar crystals on top. Surely someone will send me one.
As I set off to bake the masses of Christmas cookies we will deliver to our friends over the next few weeks, I have one single agenda. Turn all cookies into shortbread.
You think I’m kidding?
Today I’m sharing an old favorite shortbread recipe, Cranberry Chocolate Chip Shortbread.
It’s prepared in the traditional pan method. I’ve ramped up the flavor a bit by adding orange zest, mini chocolate chips, and cranberries.
Several years ago we had a shortbread-athon recipe testing day before the holidays, creating several new combinations, and our Cranberry Chocolate Chip Shortbread was the standout.
I hope you enjoy them. If not, send them to me.
Merry Shortbread Christmas!
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. With an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and orange zest until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt, and beat until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and cranberries. Divide the dough into two pieces. Press them evenly into two 8-inch round cake pans. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until golden around the edges.
- With a small sharp knife, score the shortbread into 8 wedges per pan.
- Allow the shortbread to cool in the pans another 10 minutes. Then flip out of the pans the gently separate into wedges.
Followed directions to the tee and they did not turn our crispy like shortbread should. Very tasty though.
I must have missed something. The “dough” was very crumbly and only made one pan of shortbread. It is delicious but didn’t make the amount I needed. Suggestions? thank you
Hi Brenda,
Shortbread dough is usually more crumbly than other types of cookie dough. That’s what gives it the crumbly flaky texture. About the one pan, is it possible you accidentally clicked on the serving slider in the recipe form? That would have changed the proportions of the recipe.
I need to try the slice and bake cookie trend soon. It looks so fun!
You come up with something totally mouthwatering! Your imagination knows no bounds. I wish I could make everything on your blog!
I love that the recipe for these cookies is so simple.
Do you grease the pans?
Hi Buffie!
You shouldn’t need to, because there is so much butter in the recipe. :)
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Great flavor combination, I love it.
these look great. As always I will sub in gf flour
Shortbread is my favorite and this sounds so good. Thank you.
That looks phenomenal!!! WOW! I must try this!!
Merry Christmas!
Mary
Delightful Bitefuls