There’s something magical about the smell of freshly baked cookies during Christmas. These cranberry orange cookies combine buttery dough, sweet-tart cranberries, and fresh orange zest to create a delicious holiday treat.
Best of all, they’re easy to make with simple pantry ingredients. You can enjoy them plain, roll them in sparkling orange sugar, or finish them with a beautiful white chocolate drizzle.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Orange Cookies
These cookies are a wonderful addition to your Christmas baking list.
- Festive flavor: Sweet cranberries and fresh orange zest create a delicious balance of sweet and tangy.
- Soft and chewy texture: Brown sugar and cornstarch help create tender cookies.
- Easy preparation: No complicated equipment or ingredients are needed.
- Perfect for gifting: Their beautiful colors make them ideal for Christmas cookie boxes.
- Make-ahead friendly: The dough can be prepared in advance and frozen.
The combination of citrus and cranberries makes these cookies especially delicious during the winter season.
Fore more festive treats try our Viral Hot Chocolate Molten Cookies, or Christmas Cake Mix Cookies.
Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Cookies
For the Cookie Dough
- 🧈 Unsalted butter: ¾ cup (1½ sticks), softened.
- 🍯 Light brown sugar: ¾ cup, packed.
- 🍚 Granulated sugar: ⅓ cup.
- 🥚 Large egg: 1, at room temperature.
- 🍊 Fresh orange zest: 2 tablespoons.
- 🍊 Fresh orange juice: 1 tablespoon.
- 🌼 Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon.
- 🌾 All-purpose flour: 2 cups, spooned and leveled.
- ✨ Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon.
- 🥄 Baking soda: 1 teaspoon.
- 🧂 Salt: ½ teaspoon.
- 🍒 Dried cranberries: 1 cup.
Optional Festive Toppings
- 🍚 Orange rolling sugar: ⅓ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon orange zest.
- 🍫 White chocolate: ½ cup, melted for drizzling.
Fresh orange zest is the key to a bright citrus flavor. Use a fine grater and avoid the bitter white pith underneath the orange skin.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Cookies
Follow these simple steps to make delicious, bakery-style Christmas cookies.
Prepare the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the Butter and Sugars
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
- Beat until everything is well combined.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cookies tough.
Add the Cranberries & Chill the Dough
- Fold the dried cranberries into the dough using a spatula.
- Make sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Chilling helps prevent excessive spreading and makes the dough easier to handle.
Shape and Bake
- Scoop 1½ tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into balls.
- If desired, roll the dough balls in orange sugar.
- Place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Your delicious cranberry orange cookies are ready to enjoy!
Delicious Variations to Try
White Chocolate Cranberry Orange Cookies
Add ½ cup white chocolate chips to the dough or drizzle melted white chocolate over the cooled cookies.
The creamy sweetness complements the tart cranberries beautifully.
Cranberry Orange Sugar Cookies
Roll the dough balls in sparkling orange sugar before baking for a slightly crisp, sweet exterior.
Cranberry Orange Cookies With Nuts
Add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch.
These nuts pair wonderfully with the cranberry and orange flavors.
Chewy Christmas Cranberry Orange Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- Fine grater or zester
- Cookie scoop
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the dried cranberries.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Scoop approximately 1½ tablespoons of dough and roll into balls.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving or decorating.
Notes
- Calories: 150
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Sugar: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
FAQs
How to Store and Freeze Your Cookies
Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing them.
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Can You Freeze Cranberry Orange Cookies?
Yes! These cookies freeze beautifully.
To freeze baked cookies:
Allow them to cool completely.
Place them in a freezer-safe container.
Separate layers with parchment paper.
Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality.
You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls for 2-3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Why Are My Cranberry Orange Cookies Flat?
The butter may be too warm, or the dough may not have been chilled long enough. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Can I Make the Cookies Dough Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! Refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours before baking.
How Do I Make the Cookies Extra Chewy?
Use the recommended amount of brown sugar, avoid overmixing, and don’t overbake the cookies.
These chewy cranberry orange cookies are a wonderful way to bring festive flavor to your holiday baking.
With their buttery texture, sweet-tart cranberries, and bright orange zest, they’re delicious, beautiful, and easy to prepare.
Whether you’re baking for your family, making edible gifts, or enjoying a cozy winter afternoon, these cookies are sure to become a Christmas favorite.
Enjoy every delicious bite!
Happy holiday baking!
