Cranberry Shortbread Cookies!

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies! Easy Slice and Bake Cranberry Cookies for Christmas with White Chocolate Drizzle and Pecans! 

Stack of 4 cookies

Easy Cranberry Shortbread Cookies for Christmas!

These Cranberry Shortbread Cookies are SO easy to make and packed with pecans and white chocolate drizzle!

Close up of someone holding cookie

Plus, here are even more Amazing Christmas Cookie Recipes!

Cookies with white chocolate drizzle

Top reasons to love these Cranberry Shortbread Cookies!

  • These slice and bake cookies are so easy to make, and you can even make the dough ahead of time!
  • Packed with cranberries and pecans, yet a soft and simple shortbread cookie that’s not too sweet
  • Simple pantry ingredients that you probably already have to make for easy holiday baking! 

Bite taken out of cookie

Here’s what you need for Shortbread Cranberry Cookies

  • Butter!! And lots of it! Vanilla, sugar, salt, and flour – so basic!!
  • Add cranberries, pecans, and white chocolate drizzle! 
  • You can leave the pecans off, or add more pecans and leave out the cranberries! 

Above view of 3 cookies

How to make Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

Here’s how to make Cranberry Shortbread Cookies! Tasty and easy, these cookies are sure to become a favorite! 

Butter and vanilla creamed together in bowl

First, cream together the butter and vanilla in a bowl.

Powdered sugar and salt added to bowl

Then, stir in the powdered sugar and salt.

Flour being added to cookie dough

Next, add in the flour and mix together. Once the flour is mixed in, the dough will be crumbly.

Dried cranberries and pecans added to cookie dough

Now add in the cranberries and pecans, folding them into the cookie dough.

Cookie dough rolled up in a log in plastic wrap

Now pour the dough onto plastic wrap and press it into a log. Wrap the cookie dough log in the plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 45 minutes.

Unbaked cookies on baking sheet

Now slice the dough and place the cookies on a prepared baking sheet. Bake until the bottom of the cookie begins to brown. Then allow the cookies to completely cool. 

White chocolate being drizzled on cookie

Next, melt the white chocolate in a bowl and pour into a zippered bag. Cut off the tip and drizzle the white chocolate over the cookies.

Finished cookies cooling on rack

Ta-da! Eat and enjoy!

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies Ingredients

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:
10 tablespoons of unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer in a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together butter and vanilla extract.
Add the powdered sugar and salt and mix until combined and smooth.
Slowly add flour and mix well (scrape down bowl as needed).
Fold in cranberries and chopped pecans (batter will be crumbly).
Transfer dough to plastic wrap and press dough into a round log.
Put the dough in the freezer for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and take the dough out of the freezer and unwrap (let sit for 5-10 minutes if it is too hard to cut).
Cut dough into 1/2 inch slices and put them on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes (rotate the pan after 5 minutes).
Remove from the oven when the bottom of the cookie starts to brown and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Once the cookies are cool, heat the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until melted.
Transfer the white chocolate to a zippered bag and cut the tip off to drizzle over cookies.
Let cookies cool completely and enjoy!

Notes:
● If your butter has been in the refrigerator and is not room temperature, heat in the microwave for 10 seconds at 50% power. Repeat if needed.
● Dough will be crumbly when you roll it in the plastic wrap.
● Dough can be refrigerated for 3 days or kept in the freezer for up to 3 months if you want to make it ahead of time.
● You could refrigerate the dough for 1 hour and see if it is solid enough to hold together instead of putting it in the freezer.

Stack of 4 Cranberry Pecan Cookies

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies!

Yield: 15 Cookies
Prep Time: 55 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Easy Cranberry Shortbread Cookies for Christmas or any season! These Refrigerator Cranberry Cookies are drizzled with white chocolate and perfect for a crowd!

Ingredients

  • 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
  • 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer in a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together butter and vanilla extract.
  2. Add the powdered sugar and salt and mix until combined and smooth. 
  3. Slowly add flour and mix well (scrape down bowl as needed).
  4. Fold in cranberries and chopped pecans (batter will be crumbly).
  5. Transfer dough to plastic wrap and press dough into a round log. 
  6. Put the dough in the freezer for 45 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and take the dough out of the freezer and unwrap (let sit for 5-10 minutes if it is too hard to cut). 
  8. Cut dough into 1/2 inch slices and put them on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes (rotate the pan after 5 minutes).
  9. Remove from the oven when the bottom of the cookie starts to brown and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  10. Once the cookies are cool, heat the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until melted. 
  11. Transfer the white chocolate to a zippered bag and cut the tip off to drizzle over cookies. 
  12. Let cookies cool completely and enjoy! 

Notes

  • If your butter has been in the refrigerator and is not room temperature, heat in the microwave for 10 seconds at 50% power. Repeat if needed. 
  • Dough will be crumbly when you roll it in the plastic wrap.
  • Dough can be refrigerated for 3 days or kept in the freezer for up to 3 months if you want to make it ahead of time.
  • You could refrigerate the dough for 1 hour and see if it is solid enough to hold together instead of putting it in the freezer. 

Did you make this recipe?

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Cookies on cooling rack

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried cranberries in cookies?

Yes! Just use 1 cup of fresh cranberries for every 1/2 of dried cranberries! You may have to tweak this measurement a little and experiment some. 

Close up view of bite taken out of cookie

Do I have to add White Chocolate Drizzle?

No, you can totally leave off the white chocolate drizzle or use almond bark instead if that’s what you have on hand. 

If you’re a chocolate lover, add chocolate instead of white chocolate drizzle!

Cookie propped up on another cookie

I love that you can make this cookie dough ahead of time. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days after making, or in the freezer for up to 3 months! 

Far away view of 4 stacked cookies

If you are planning a holiday party and have a lot to do the day of, making this dough ahead of time can save you so much time! 

Above view of cookies lined up on a plate

Plus, be sure to try these Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies with Cinnamon! Another amazing Christmas Cookie Recipe for the holidays! 

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