Thank you so much for visiting! This post contains affiliate links. That means I may receive a small amount of compensation if you choose to purchase from my links. I only link to products that I know and love.
Christmas cookies are like little bits of magic. The shapes, the way they smell, the detail put into so many of them – each one is like its own little special memory. Whether it’s candy cane twists, gingerbreads, snowballs, peanut butter blossoms, thumbprints, Italian knots, simple sugar cookies or something more elaborate covered in royal icing and sprinkles, they all seem to hold a place in our hearts.
We would make them almost every year when I was a kid. It’s something we would look forward to each year and now, it’s something my kids look forward to as well.
Adding new cookies to the mix
While we make the traditional, simple sugar cookies each year, every now and then I love to create new ones too that will become part of the mix. One year it was Italian Knot Cookies, another year Chocolate Chunk and this year I decided to go fruity again with Cranberry Shortbread Cookies recipe.
The older I get the more I appreciate the cranberry for all that it can do. The tarty flavor is easily tamed by adding in a little sweetness and introducing it to a cookie creates the perfect balance of flavor.
Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
This simple Cranberry Shortbread Cookies recipe gives you buttery and delicious cookies with just the right bit of tangy sweetness from the cranberries. They work well with coffee, tea and, of course, more cookies.
I love that they firm up but still stay soft enough so you don’t have to bite into them hard. You can nibble until your heart is content and if you’re a dunker you can do that too. The shortbread is just full of beautiful, cookie flavor perfection.
To glaze or not to glaze
These are plenty good all on their own straight out of the oven without the glaze. My kids like them best that way so if you don’t feel the need to feed your sweet tooth, then you don’t need to make the glaze. But, my grandmother loved them with the glaze and cranberries…And grandma always knows best. I promise, she will tell you if you messed anything up. 🙂
I also think they look a bit prettier and more Christmasy with the sugar cranberries on top. They’re kind of like the star on top of the tree.
My baking essentials
There’s a few standard pieces that I always use when baking and I wanted to share them with you.
Thank you so much for visiting today, friends! I hope you’ll come back and visit again. And if you make the cookies, please let me know how you like them! You can find the full recipe for the Cranberry Shortbread Cookies recipe below and for more recipes, click here.
Cranberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe
These Cranberry Shortbread Cookies are delicious with the buttery cookie perfectly complimented with the tang of the cranberries.
Print
Pin
Rate
Ingredients
Cookie ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1.5 sticks of salted butter, melted but not hot
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 egg
Glaze ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Cranberry topping
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine your sugar and butter using a hand mixer. Mix until it is fluffy.
- Add in your egg, maple syrup and vanilla. Blend well.
- Add in your baking powder and mix again.
- Add in your flour slowly, mixing in about 1/2 cup at a time.
- Once all your flour is in, fold in your dried cranberries.
- Using a melon baller for size consistency, place individual dollops of cookie dough on the cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Using the bottom of a glass, flatten out your cookie balls a bit.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. No longer or you will have burnt cookies. These will not brown like chocolate chips.
- Once done, remove from the oven and cool.
- While your cookies are cooling, combine your additional dried cranberries and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
- In another small bowl, combine your milk, powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix everything together well until combined and it makes a smooth glaze.
- Spoon a bit of the sugar topping onto the cookies and then top with the sugared cranberries. Let harden and serve.
You had me at shortbread! These cookies look (almost) took gorgeous to eat…but I think I could manage. I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Oh yum, these look so good! I just love cranberries, so I will have to make these.
I really like these cookies! Cranberries are one of my favorites this time of year, and I’d love to try these.
I love the sound of these. I would definitely have to glaze the cookies
Yummo! I’ve never seen shortbread cookies quite like that before. Usually, when I see shortbread cookies, they’re frosted heavily. This light drizzle looks so good.
Oh these are too pretty and I know I’d love those delicious flavors. What a great idea for the holidays!
These cookies look amazing! I love cranberries and the glaze looks delicious. Perfect for a holiday tea. I am saving this recipe.
I really like the addition of maple syrup in this recipe in place of some of the sugar. They look fantastic, and the combination of dried cranberries with shortbread sound so yummy! Can’t wait to make these!
This sounds and looks so good cant wait to try this for the holiday.
These cranberry cookies look so good! I love how pretty and dainty they are!
These look amazing. I love shortbread cookies, but I’ve never had cranberry ones before. I can’t wait to try them.
oh yes these look amazing. i’m saving this to make later. my family will love these.
I’m such a huge fan of shortbread cookies! I have to make these. They look delicious!
I am drooling over these cookies! I will definitely make them for my Christmas cookie plate!
These look absolutely amazing! I’m planning to make Christmas cookies this weekend and I think I’m going to branch out and try making some that I’ve never tried before just to mix things up a little!
These are really amazing!! I can’t wait to add this to our dessert table!
These are so gorgeous! They just look like the perfect treat for a cookie exchange or to leave for Santa.
They look soo good! We love cranberries! I can’t wait to try your recipe!
That looks so delicious. Cranberries are so good in desserts. I love the tartness they bring.
Simple cookies are the best and I LOVE the sugared cranberries on top!
These look delish! Definitely think I need to add these to my holiday baking list.
This sounds like such a lovely combination of flavors – and the cranberries are so pretty! I will have to try your recipe.
What a great cookie recipe. I’ll have to try these for my family gathering this Christmas.
So delish! These shortbread cookies are definitely unique. I’ve seen the shortbread cookies, with frosting.
This combines two of my favorite things – shortbread and cranberries. I will have to add this recipe to our cookie baking day this year.
These cookies are so pretty! And, they sound so yummy!
These look AMAZING! I love cranberries! …and cookies…
I would love these cookies! I am all about shortbread. They look scrumptious.
We are having a big cookie swap this weekend with family and friends. I’d love to try this new recipe!
I bet the combination of maple with the cranberries is spectacular. I can’t wait to make these shortbread cookies.
These look amazing. Shortbread are one of my favorites. I haven’t tried cranberry shortbread before. I’m sure it’s delicious too.
Beautifully done and decorated. They taste heavenly, too, probably. I really would like one now.
I’ve never even heard of cranberry shortbread cookies, but now I want to try them out. These would be perfect to take to my upcoming Christmas party!
Going to have to make these soon! They look so tasty. Perfect for Christmas dinner dessert!
Wow! That looks really tasty! I would love to try and make this! IT look so perfect!
Oh my! That looks absolutely delicious! This is perfect for Christmas I would really love to try this!
These look so tasty! I need to try them
I’d love to go fruity this year too. I am so excited to try your Cranberry Shortbread Cookie recipe.
This looks and sounds like a nice recipe. I would like to try it with my family.
I’m loving the flavor profile of sweet/sour. The cookies are beautiful, too.
This recipe looks so yummy, I would love to give this a try.
This is just perfect to store for my coffee sessions!
Shortbread are my favourite cookies! I’ve never made them with cranberries, I need to try your recipe. Thanks!
These cookies look delicious! We are having a surprise tea party for my mom and these will be perfect for it!
These remind me of those Starbucks cranberry bliss bars! They sound delicious, gonna get the ingredients on my list and make this weekend!
This is really good!! My kids loved it!!
I love shortbread cookies, I have just recently in the last couple years started to enjoy cranberries more. I would love to try these, minus the glaze!
Oh I love anything cranberry at Christmas time. These Cranberry shortbread cookies look amazing!
We do love shortbread. This recipe gives it a more festive touch and sounds amazing!
These look so tasty. Great recipe!
This will surely be on my list! Loosk good and really yummy. I like everything about this cookie.
I need to make these for Christmas!
Oh wow, my mom would absolutely love these! I’ll have to make them for her. Thank you so much for sharing!
LOVE LOVE LOVE Cranberry shortbread. I haven’t before made them THIS way, but I can’t wait to try.rachel
Cranberry shortbread cookies looks delicious . I would love to try this. sure it is perfect treat
Thee look and sound absolutely delicious!