Cranberry Orange Sugar Cookies

These cookies are a fall favorite and easy to make. They have a nice flavor of orange combined with cranberry embraced in a moist chewy sugar cookie. A superb choice on a cool fall afternoon with a nice hot cup of English Breakfast tea. I take a small bite followed by a sip of tea – the flavors are delicious together.

The cookie dough comes together easily. Simple ingredients that can be combined in your mixer. I like to take the dried cranberries and chop them in my mini-chopper into a fine chop. I also keep my dried cranberries in the freezer – so they chop up very nicely. The addition of the zest and the peel bring out a nice orange flavor. Once mixed, I chill the dough for 20 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, mix the rolling sugar. Using a fork, toss the sugar and zest. You will smell the strong fragrance of orange as you combine the elements. Its a treat.

Take the dough and roll into 1 inch balls and then into the rolling sugar. Place on your baking sheet. I like to use silicon pads to ensure that the sugar won’t burn on the bottom of the cookies. I have used parchment paper and it doesn’t seem to work as well for me in preventing that little bit of sugar scorching. With the bottom of a glass, slightly flatten the cookies.

Into the oven at 350 degrees, I start by baking for 10 minutes…then check for browning around the edges. If not done, I then add by increments of 2-3 minutes. The cookie will not be completely brown, just around the edges. Once done, cool on a rack. Eaten now or in the freezer – they freeze very well.

Print Pin

Cranberry Orange Sugar Cookies

A short bread cookie flavored with chopped cranberries and orange, dusted with orange sugar.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cookie, cranberry, orange zest, sugar

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

• ¾ cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped I use a small chopper to finely chop
• 1 tbsp grated orange zest
• 1 tbsp dried orange peel

Rolling Sugar

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp grated orange zest
• 1 tsp dried orange peel

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°
• Using electric mixer, mix butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, add egg.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange zest and orange peel in separate bowl. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined. Add cranberries.
• Combine ½ cup sugar, orange zest, and orange peel in bowl. Using fork, mix until well blended and you can smell the orange.
• Chill dough for 20 minutes. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar mixture. Place on baking sheet – I use silicon pads. Flatten ball slightly with bottom of glass.
• Bake for 10-13 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool on wire rack.

Notes

These cookies freeze very well!