Cranberry Orange Cookies are sugar cookes filled with dried cranberries and orange zest, and rolled in sugar and orange zest before baking. They make great Christmas cookies!
These cookies are a must make for me during the holidays! Some of my other must makes are Crockpot Candy, Holly Crackles, and White Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Crackers!
Today I’m sharing my most favorite Christmas cookie ever!
Okay, so it’s not really the kind of cookie you’d think about for Christmas.
Normally it’s Snickerdoodles or decorated cut out sugar cookies or Italian Sugar Cookies dipped in a glaze and covered in sprinkles.
But I have been making these Cranberry Orange Cookies every Christmas for years now. And the holidays are the only time I make so I look forward to them all year long.
What You Need
Scroll down for exact measurements!
- Butter – let it sit at room temperature until softened.
- Sugar – sugar is going both in the cookies and on the cookies!
- Egg
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder – this is the leavening agent for the cookies.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Dried cranberries
- Orange zest – use a microplane to remove the zest of a fresh orange. The zest is going into the cookie batter and into the sugar mixture that you roll the cookies in.
How To Make Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Prep. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. Using an electric mixer, mix butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add to butter mixture and mix until just combined.
- Add cranberries and orange zest. Fold in cranberries and 1 tablespoon orange zest.
- Refrigerate. Chill dough while you make orange sugar.
- Make sugar mixture. Combine ½ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon orange zest. Use your fingers to rub the 2 together until everything is combined and mixture is fragrant.
- Shape and roll. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in orange sugar. Place on baking sheet and flatten slightly.
- Bake and cool. Bake at 350F for 10 – 13 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks.
How Long Are They Good For?
Cranberry Orange Cookies will be fine at room temperature for about a week. Make sure to store them in an airtight container.
You can extend the life of these cookies by an extra couple days if you store them in the fridge – make sure to use an airtight container!
Can You Freeze Cookie Dough?
You can make the dough ahead of time and freeze it (like in preparation of the holidays). Either freeze it in a large disc or after you roll it into balls. If freezing single balls of dough, freeze on a baking sheet with an inch between each dough ball and once frozen, transfer to a freezer ziploc bag, making sure to squeeze all the air out of the bag.
Cranberry Orange Cookies dough will be good for up to 3 months in the freezer. You can bake them from frozen by adding a few extra minutes to the baking time or let them defrost for several hours in the refrigerator before baking.
Can You Freeze Cranberry Orange Cookies?
To freeze already baked cookies, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then transfer to a freezer ziploc bag.
They will be fine in the freezer for up to up to 3 months. To defrost, let the cookies sit at room temperature until thawed.
More Holiday Cookies
- Snickerdoodles
- Italian Sugar Cookies
- Christmas Confetti Cookies
- Candy Cane Blossoms
- Coconut Macaroons
- Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies
- Butterscotch Pudding Cookies
Make sure you subscribe to my email list to get all my new recipes delivered right to your inbox!
You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest for even more!
Cranberry Orange Cookies
Cranberry Orange Cookies are sugar cookes filled with dried cranberries and orange zest, and rolled in sugar and orange zest before baking. They make great Christmas cookies!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
For the rolling sugar:
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Using an electric mixer, mix butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in cranberries and 1 tablespoon orange zest. Chill dough while you make orange sugar.
- Combine ½ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon orange zest. Use your fingers to rub the 2 together until everything is combined and mixture is fragrant.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in orange sugar. Place on baking sheet and flatten slightly.
- Bake 10 - 13 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 101Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 47mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 1g
Kathy says
Mine got crunchy after they cooled…..did I bake them too long?
amanda says
Yeah, probably a bit overbaked. They should be pretty soft.
Allyson says
made these 3 years running. Delightful crispy edge tender center cookie. A beautiful change of color and flavor for variety on your cookie table. I bake 18 types of cookies each year for 3 parties and these are always an unexpected surprise.
Margaret says
Have made these 3 times — once at Christmas and 2 times to take to the office. They are wonderful! The girls at work only have one complaint — they are addicting. Definitely a recipe that I will keep on hand.
Renee says
Just made these. Yummy!!!!!
Midge says
These are REALLY, REALLY delicious! I was searching for recipies to use up some oranges and came upon this recipe. Crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle. Yummy!
amanda says
Yay! So happy to hear that! They are still one of my favorites! :)
Catina says
I made these and added white chocolate chips, they were awesome!!!
LMA says
Made these today. Although I love the flavor combination, I find them to be a little on the dry side.
Midge says
Hmmm? Mine weren’t dry at all. Did you love the flavor enough to try again? I took mine out of the oven even though they appeared they might be underdone (browned but soft in center) but when cooled they were perfect.
Cheryl says
Me also I had to relook what did I miss?
Suzanne Gallant says
The same happened to me. They did not spread very much and were more like a cake cookie, a bit dry and crumbly but I did have to cook them longer 20 minutes. They taste great though!
Cidney says
Just curious, fresh or dried zest? And if fresh, about how many oranges would that take?
andi says
Have made these cookies twice and love them I have posted on the wednesday baker today thank you for sharing a great cookie…………….Andi
Peggy says
Getting ready to make these for the second time. They’re so good. Light and slightly sweet. Just loved them!
Karen says
These were wonderful to make and eat, I gave them as gifts in a mason jar with a thread of Christmas ribbon over the lid, thank you for such a great recipe :)
Amanda says
Baked all day today for my Airmen’s annual cookie drive, and used three of your recipes including this one. Saved a couple for my husband, and he cannot get over how good these are (I quite agree). Also made the gingersnaps and salted chocolate peanut butter cookies. Both so good! Found your blog last year through Pinterest and I cannot tell you how many times I come back here. You are my online cookbook :) Love your blog.
amanda says
aww, thanks! I’m glad you commented – I’d forgotten abut these!
vonda summers says
Does this recipe only make one dozen? Sorry if this is a dumb question….this will be my first time baking cookies from scratch.
amanda says
I’m not really sure (I really should’ve done a better job keeping track of all that!) but I wanna say it makes about 2 dozen. You picked a good recipe as your first from scratch one! This is definitely one of my favorite holiday cookies!
Jean Wilcoxson says
Heaven in your mouth!
Trisha says
These look lovely … will have to give them a try once oranges come in season here.
.-= Trisha´s last blog ..Week 1 of 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies- Cranberry Noels =-.
Crystal says
These look delicious – the orange zest gives them a lovely appearance. Will give them a try.
Chaya says
I am always on the look-out for cookies and cakes that my hubby will like and this one looks like a winner.
.-= Chaya´s last blog ..He Did It By Himself Chicken =-.
Joy says
Yum- these cookies look amazing – I”m adding them to my bakelist for Boxing Day :) Great website by the way!! :)
.-= Joy´s last blog ..Daring Bakers Challenge – A Gingerbread House =-.
Jenny says
I’m always looking for a recipe that is citrus-y and new – this seems to fit the bill. Great job on this cookie!
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Epic Failures: Fall 2009 =-.
Sarah says
I have really enjoyed all the cookie recipes you have posted. Such amazing things coming out of your kitchen.
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..Simple, Yet Delicious =-.