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Lighter Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

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These lighter shortbread cookies combine the bright flavors of orange and cranberry with a tender, buttery texture, thanks to a secret swap of Greek yogurt for some of the butter. They’re quick, easy, and perfect for holiday baking or a simple treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest (from about 2 medium oranges)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
  • Optional for glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar: In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once during mixing.
  2. Add the wet ingredients: Beat in the Greek yogurt, egg yolk, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice. Mix on low speed until just combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled—that’s fine.
  3. Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt.
  4. Mix the dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chopped dried cranberries with a spatula. If the dough feels too sticky, refrigerate for 10 minutes before shaping.
  5. Shape the log: Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape it into a log about 10 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm. (Can be frozen for up to 3 months.)
  6. Preheat and slice: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the chilled dough log and slice into rounds about 1/4-inch thick. Place rounds about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
  7. Bake: Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden brown. The centers will still look slightly pale. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Optional glaze: Whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons fresh orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Let set for about 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t overwork the dough to keep cookies tender. Chill the dough log properly for clean slicing. Watch the bake time closely—cookies go from golden to overdone quickly. For best flavor, let cookies sit overnight. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. For dairy-free, use plant-based butter and thick dairy-free yogurt.

Nutrition

Keywords: shortbread cookies, cranberry orange, lighter cookies, holiday cookies, easy cookie recipe, Greek yogurt cookies

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/lighter-cranberry-orange-shortbread-cookies-are-easy-and-perfect/