White Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
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White Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread Cookies are sweet and sensational treats for all occasions. When you bite into one of these tantalizing shortbread cookies, you will be begging for more.
Each taste will please your sweet tooth with their cranberries, white chocolate, and almond extract flavors. Plus, these sugar-coated shortbread cookies make incredible gifts too.
Scroll to bottom for printable recipe card.
White Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
I have to say this might be my favorite cookie that I have made so far this holiday season. Buttery shortbread cookies speckled with white chocolate and fresh cranberries. I found this recipe on Pinterest a few weeks ago and knew I had to give it a try! Since I had so many cranberries lying around, I decided to use them instead of the maraschino cherries that the original recipe called for. The result was fabulous and so festive! Since this is a shortbread recipe, don’t be surprised if the dough is crumbly and somewhat dry. A shortbread is just flour, sugar, and butter, and sometimes it can be a finicky dough. You really have to “get your hands dirty” and use them to form the balls. Everything will come together once you knead them into a ball.
Resist the urge to add liquid and keep kneading..trust me, the result is worth it! 😀
We love to make containers of cookies for our neighbors during the holidays. They always get a kick out of the recipes we come up with, and it feels good to show them how much we appreciate them. If you are looking for a fun and festive gift for teachers or daycare workers, these go over so well.
Make them for anyone that you need a special gift for, and they will love it.
Can This Cookie Dough be Frozen?
Yes, if you would like to prepare the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it for later, that will work. Roll out the dough into cookie dough balls. Lay them onto a baking sheet that has parchment paper. Then place the pan in the freezer for 1-2 hours. After the dough balls have frozen pretty solid, take them off of the cookie sheet and put them in a storage container with a lid. This will keep them airtight and fresh longer.
You may be happy to know that cookie dough actually lasts a long time in the freezer. You can store it for around a year without any issues. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, place them on the baking sheet, and bake them. You don’t need to thaw them or anything. You may need to add 1-4 minutes extra cooking time, so keep an eye on them as they are baking.
Tips for Dipping Cookies
When dipping cookies, it does take some practice. I wanted to point out a couple of tips to help you out along the way. First of all, try to find good-quality melting chocolate. It will give you the best flavor and experience too. Make sure that you stir the chocolate as it’s melting and don’t overheat it. If you do heat it up too much, the chocolate with seize and you won’t be able to use it.
Another important step is to get the cookies dipped all around the same time. You shouldn’t start dipping a portion of the batch, go do something else and then come back to it. Instead, do them all at once. Only dip one cookie at a time and do it quickly for the best results.
Ingredients
Nine ingredients and a few minutes of your time are all that’s needed to complete a batch of these tasty treats. They are actually simple to make, and you shouldn’t have trouble even if you are a beginning baker.
- Fresh cranberries, finely chopped
- All-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
- Sugar
- Cold butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
- White chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped, divided
- Almond extract
- Red food coloring
- Shortening
- Red sanding sugar
How to Make Cranberry Shortbread Cookies with White Chocolate
Everything about these cranberry shortbread cookies is perfection. They taste irresistible and are super adorable too. Let’s get started so you can make some:
First Step: Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Second Step: Combine together the flour and sugar in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Mix in the butter and toss it with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Then turn on the mixer onto medium-low speed and combine until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.
Third Step: Fold in the chopped cranberries and the 4 ounces of the white chocolate. Mix in the almond extract and red food coloring. The mixture will be crumbly. Knead the mixture until it begins to stick together and form a dough. Using a tablespoon, mold dough into a 1 ½ inch cookie ball. Using your hand, flatten the balls into a 1-1/2-inch round. Then place them on a prepared baking sheet.
Fourth Step: Bake the first cookie sheet in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Allow the cookies to cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Bake the second batch of cookies and repeat the process.
Fifth Step: Using a small saucepan over low heat, mix together the remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and shortening. Cook and stir the chocolate and shortening until melted and smooth. Dip one half of each cookie into chocolate. Be sure to allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Roll the dipped edge of the cookie into the sanding sugar. Set the cookies on waxed paper and let them set up.
Enjoy!
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White Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup cold butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped, divided
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 drops red food coloring
- 2 teaspoons shortening
- Red sanding sugar
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour and sugar. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.
- Stir in chopped cranberries and 4 ounces of the chopped white chocolate. Stir in almond extract and food coloring. The mixture will be crumbly. Knead mixture until it begins to stick together. Using a tablespoon, mold dough into a 1 ½ inch ball. With your hand, flatten balls into a 1-1/2-inch round and place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake, one baking sheet at a time, in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- n a small saucepan over low heat, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Roll dipped edge or half in sanding sugar. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set.
Notes
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I pretty much always have a desire to munch on cookies like these white chocolate cranberry shortbread cookies. Try some of these too:
- Homemade Tagalongs Cookies – Now, you don’t have to wait until it’s Girl Scout cookie season to have these yummy treats.
- Lemon Ricotta Cookies – I love the flavors and texture of these homemade lemon ricotta cookies. Try them for yourself, and you’ll see why I enjoy them so much.
- Triple Threat Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Cookies – What’s better than these amazing chocolate cookies? Nothing! They are so amazing.
- Raspberry Chocolate Cookies – These cookies are so rich and decadent. They are gorgeous and stylish too.
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