Hope everyone had a wonderful beginning of New Year 2017. Yesterday I baked some cookies which was due from very long. Cranberry and Orange Shortbread cookies. Shortbread cookies are easy and tastes great because they require just a handful of ingredients.

They are light and the orange zest provides a refreshing zing that is perfect counterpart to the tart cranberries. It’s a lovely combination. Best part about these cookies is that you can do the preparation whenever you have time and do the baking later.

These shortbread cookies tastes so amazing and I can’t stop eating them. You can eat these cookies with coffee, tea , glass of milk or with no accompanying beverage. 🙂 And trust me these shortbread cookies will become your new favorite.

So quickly lets start with the recipe and ingredients

• Preparation Time -2 hours 10 minutes
• Cook Time 12- minutes
• Yield – 40 to 50 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar. divided
• 1 cup butter, cubed (and cold)
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 to 2 tbsp of fresh orange juice

Instructions-

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine cranberries and 1/4 cup of sugar in a food processor and process just until the cranberries are broken down into smaller pieces. Set aside.
3. Combine flour and remaining sugar in a large bowl.
4. Add butter and mix until it becomes crumbly.
5. Stir in cranberries, and sugar mixture, orange zest and orange juice.
6. Use your hands to knead the dough until it comes together and forms a ball. Work the dough until it comes together.
7. Shape dough into a log about to two to two and a half inches in diameter and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate it in two hours or upto 72 hours.
8. Preheat the oven to 325 F or 180 C
9. Take out the refrigerated cookie dough and cut slices of cookie dough about 1/4 inch thick.
10. Place cookies on baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or just until cookies are set. Do not over bake.
11. Let the cookies cool for several minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack. Let cool completely.
12. Store in airtight container.

Do try baking these cookies and share your experiences and pictures of your cookies.:-)