Shortbread is one of the simplest cookies to make, because it has only a few ingredients, but it is easy to get wrong. The butter must be cold, the dough must be chilled, and the cookies must come out of the oven before they brown too much. This version adds dried cranberries and orange zest to the classic butter dough, so the cookies taste festive without needing any icing skills. The dough is rolled into a log and sliced, so every cookie comes out the same size. A white chocolate drizzle on top makes them look finished, and it sets quickly, so the cookies stack well for a cookie tray or a gift box.
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies with White Chocolate Drizzle
Ingredients
Method
- Beat the cold butter and icing sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes. Stir in the orange zest and vanilla.
- Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will look crumbly at first, then come together. Fold in the chopped cranberries by hand.
- Turn the dough onto a clean surface and shape it into a log about 5 cm wide. Wrap it tightly in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Unwrap the log and cut it into slices about 6 mm thick with a sharp knife. Place the slices about 3 cm apart on the trays.
- Bake one tray at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden and the tops feel firm. The cookies should stay pale. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
- Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring each time. Drizzle it over the cooled cookies with a spoon and leave it to set for 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 225 g unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes — cold butter is what keeps the cookies crisp instead of spreading flat
- 100 g icing sugar
- 300 g plain flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 g dried cranberries, finely chopped — chop them small so the cookies slice cleanly
- 100 g white chocolate, chopped, for the drizzle
Method
- Beat the cold butter and icing sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes. Stir in the orange zest and vanilla.
- Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will look crumbly at first, then come together. Fold in the chopped cranberries by hand.
- Turn the dough onto a clean surface and shape it into a log about 5 cm wide. Wrap it tightly in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Unwrap the log and cut it into slices about 6 mm thick with a sharp knife. Place the slices about 3 cm apart on the trays.
- Bake one tray at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden and the tops feel firm. The cookies should stay pale. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
- Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring each time. Drizzle it over the cooled cookies with a spoon and leave it to set for 20 minutes.
Mistakes, Substitutions, Serving and Storage
Common mistakes: using soft butter, so the cookies spread flat; skipping the chill, so the log is too soft to slice; baking until brown, which makes shortbread hard instead of crisp and buttery.
Substitutions: use dark chocolate instead of white chocolate for the drizzle; use chopped pistachios instead of cranberries for a different colour; leave out the drizzle and dust the cookies with icing sugar instead.
Serving ideas: serve with tea or coffee, or pack them into a tin as a Christmas gift. They also sit well on a holiday cookie tray.
Storage and reheating: store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 1 week. Freeze the unbaked dough log for up to 2 months and slice from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the bake time. Do not reheat.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why do my cookies spread flat? The butter was too soft, or the dough was not chilled long enough. Chill the log for at least 1 hour and keep the trays cool between batches.
- Can I use fresh cranberries? No. Fresh cranberries release juice as they bake and leave wet, sour spots. Dried cranberries are the right choice for this cookie.
- How thick should I slice the log? About 6 mm is a good guide. Thinner slices bake faster and crisp more; thicker slices stay softer in the middle.
- Can I freeze the baked cookies? Yes. Freeze them without the drizzle for up to 2 months, then thaw and drizzle the chocolate fresh.
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