Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
By this point, you’ve probably realized that I love baking with cranberries. These slice and bake cookies are comprised of a few basic ingredients and only need to be baked for 10-12 minutes. Note: The dough does need to be chilled for a few hours, so make sure you factor in that time!
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Zest of one orange
1 heaping cup fresh cranberries
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
Finely chop the cranberries and set aside.
Cream the butter, sugar, and zest together until well combined (in a food processor works well).
Add the flour and vanilla, and pulse about 10 times, then run the machine briefly, just until the dough comes together.
Add the cranberries and pulse just until they are distributed, but don't process too much.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and bring together with your hands. Work it just until it is no longer crumbly.
Form the dough into a 10–12-inch log. Wrap the log in plastic, using the plastic to smooth out the dough and help form your log. Twist the ends tight to seal.
Chill the dough for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Wrap up the log in a folded towel; this helps keep it round.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the dough into 1/3-inch slices and place on the cookie sheet, two inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. They will be pale on top and just turning golden on the bottom.
Let them cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer them to a cooling rack. Be careful, the cookies are soft and delicate when hot and will firm up as they cool.
