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Cranberry Almond Shortbread Cookies


Put a unique twist on traditional shortbread cookies by making these cranberry almond shortbread cookies with slivered nuts and dried fruit. These delicious cookies are super buttery yet crisp: The perfect combination of sweetness, nuttiness, and buttery goodness!

You’ll love the yummy almond chunks, which are nice and crunchy and provide extra flavor. Meanwhile, the dried cranberries give a burst of color and chewiness. Although not every classic shortbread cookie calls for baking extract, I included some vanilla extract since it pairs so well with the other ingredients. You can always use almond extract instead!

This batch of shortbread cookies is easy to make and makes a ton of cookies! There are many ways to make shortbread, but this specific shortbread recipe has you roll the dough into a log and then slice and bake the cookies. This method makes for uniformly shaped treats and much less cleanup since you don’t need flour to roll out the dough. Before you know it, you’ll have 3 dozen of these yummy, crisp cookies to munch on and share with loved ones.

Baked almond cranberry shortbread cookies

Recipe Overview

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Number of Servings: 3 dozen
  • Time to Cook: 17-20 minutes

Ingredients in Cranberry Almond Shortbread Cookies

  • 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp Vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp Table salt
  • 2 cup All-purpose flour
  • ½ cup Dried cranberries
  • ½ cup Chopped or crushed almonds
Ingredients needed for shortbread cookies

Instructions for making Cranberry Almond Shortbread Cookies

  1. Mix the softened butter until smooth, then add the sugar. Whip until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and salt, mixing to combine.
  3. Add the flour and mix. Once all of the flour is almost dispersed, add the dried fruit and nuts and continue mixing until a dough forms. 
  4. Transfer the dough to a work surface with parchment paper. Using the paper and your hands, form the dough into a log that is about 13 inches long and 2.5 inches thick. 
  5. Wrap the dough with the parchment and allow it to rest in the freezer for 30 – 45 minutes or until thoroughly chilled.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the dough log into cookies that are ¼ inch – ½ inch thick, depending on your preferences. Return to the freezer for 10 – 15 minutes.
  7. Transfer the cookies to parchment-lined sheet trays and bake for 17 – 20 minutes or until thoroughly baked and golden brown on the edges.
  8. Allow to partially cool on the tray before transferring them to a wire rack.
Sliced cookie dough log for shortbread cookies

Variations and Substitutions

This is the best shortbread cookie recipe for modifying! Use the recipe as a base and experiment to create your own version. Here are some ideas:

  • Use Cookie Cutters: Roll the dough and cut rectangles or circles with cookie cutters.
  • Shortbread Cookies with Icing: if you prefer to frost your cookies, you can make a simple icing to decorate them.  Either use a powdered sugar glaze or make some buttercream!
  • Pecan Shortbread Cookies: Swap the almonds for pecans in this shortbread cookies recipe, which will still provide you with a nutty cookie but have a slightly different taste. The pecans also pair well with the cranberries.
  • Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate: After the cookies cool, melt semisweet or dark chocolate chips and dip the cookies in the chocolate to coat them.
  • Lemon Shortbread Cookies: Use a splash of lemon extract and fresh lemon zest in the dough when making the recipe.
  • Shortbread Cookies with Sprinkles: Add sprinkles to the dough or scatter them on top before making the cookies.
  • Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies: Exclude the almonds and use orange extract instead of vanilla extract. You can also use fresh orange juice and zest to give them a bolder flavor!
Baked shortbread cookies with almonds and cranberries

Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Cranberry Almond Shortbread Cookies

  • During the entire process, it’s important to keep the dough cold. When you first shape it into a log, it doesn’t need to be cold, but you should chill the dough before and after slicing it. This way, the cookies will keep their shape better in the oven.
  • Use small pieces of almonds. If your almond pieces are too big, it can be difficult to cut through them, which might tear the dough when you go to slice the individual cookies. It is better to use smaller pieces or crushed almonds so they don’t get in the way.
  • Make sure to slice the cookie dough log with a sharp knife! Use a chef’s knife or a cheese knife then cut the dough in gentle strides to prevent it from breaking. It can be rather fragile.
  • On the other hand, if the dough breaks, you can piece the cookie back together, so don’t worry! It is still usable. Just make sure to mend the seam where they broke.
  • How to store shortbread cookies: tightly wrap the almond shortbread cookies so that they don’t get stale. Keep them at room temperature; they will stay fresh for up to five days.

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Baked almond cranberry shortbread cookies

Cranberry Almond Shortbread Cookies

Crispy cookies with dried cranberries and almond pieces.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Course Dessert, Snack
Servings 36 cookies
Calories 99 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Unsalted butter softened
  • cup Granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp Vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp Table salt
  • 2 cup All-purpose flour
  • ½ cup Dried cranberries
  • ½ cup Chopped or crushed almonds

Instructions
 

  • Mix the softened butter until smooth, then add the sugar. Whip until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Add the vanilla extract and salt, mixing to combine.
  • Add the flour and mix. Once all of the flour is almost dispersed, add the dried fruit and nuts and continue mixing until a dough forms.
  • Transfer the dough to a work surface with parchment paper. Using the paper and your hands, form the dough into a log that is about 13 inches long and 2.5 inches thick.
  • Wrap the dough with the parchment and allow it to rest in the freezer for 30 – 45 minutes or until thoroughly chilled.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the dough log into cookies that are ¼ inch – ½ inch thick, depending on your preferences. Return to the freezer for 10 – 15 minutes.
  • Transfer the cookies to parchment-lined sheet trays and bake for 17 – 20 minutes or until thoroughly baked and golden brown on the edges.
  • Allow to partially cool on the tray before transferring them to a wire rack.

Nutrition

Serving: 20gCalories: 99kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1.1gFat: 5.9gSaturated Fat: 3.2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 17mgPotassium: 7.8mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 4.5gCalcium: 6.1mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword almond cookies, cranberries, shortbread cookies
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