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🎅 Bake up some holiday magic with these Cranberry Orange Christmas Sandies! 🍊🎄 A festive favorite that everyone will love. 💕
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These Cranberry Orange Christmas Sandies are soft, buttery, and bursting with sweet-tart flavor. If you love traditional sandies cookies, you’ll adore this holiday twist. The blend of zesty orange and chewy cranberries makes these sandies shortbread cookies one of the best Christmas cookies you’ll bake this season. They’re simple, elegant, and perfect for cookie swaps or gift boxes.
These easy Christmas cookies come together quickly and fill your kitchen with the scent of the holidays. Whether you’re looking for something classic or want a batch of unique Christmas cookies, these little bites of buttery goodness are a must-try.
⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Buttery and melt-in-your-mouth texture that everyone loves
- Perfect balance of sweet cranberries and citrusy orange zest
- Quick to make with simple pantry ingredients
- Great make-ahead option for busy holiday baking
- Beautiful, festive addition to any tray of Christmas cookies
🛒 Ingredients & Substitutions
- butter, softened – use unsalted butter for the best flavor
- powdered sugar – no substitute recommended for the right texture
- vanilla extract – adds warmth and depth to the dough
- all-purpose flour – no substitute recommended for the right texture
- dried cranberries, finely chopped – substitute with dried cherries for a twist
- orange peel, finely shredded – substitute with lemon peel for a bright variation
✨ Variations
- Add ½ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch.
- Dip the cooled cookies halfway in melted white chocolate and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- Roll dough balls in red and green nonpareils before baking for extra festive flair.
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🔥 Tips
- Make sure your butter is softened, not melted, for the best texture.
- Finely chop the dried cranberries so they distribute evenly in the dough.
- Use fresh orange zest instead of bottled for the best citrus flavor.
- Don’t overbake – remove when the bottoms just start to turn golden.
- This recipe yields a unique Christmas cookie, perfect for holiday cookie trays.
❓ FAQs
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before shaping.
They’re tender and buttery, with a light, crumbly texture that melts in your mouth.
It’s best to stick with dried cranberries for this recipe to prevent excess moisture.
No, this recipe doesn’t require chilling. The dough is firm enough to shape right after mixing.
You can use ¼ teaspoon of orange extract if you don’t have fresh zest, but the flavor won’t be as bright.
Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. The texture may be slightly softer.
Yes, you can easily double or triple this recipe. Just make sure to bake in batches so the cookies have space to spread.
Yes! Use a sturdy wooden spoon or silicone spatula to cream the butter and sugar by hand. It may take a few extra minutes.
If your butter was too soft or melted, the dough may spread. Chill it for 15 minutes before baking next time.
Absolutely! Rolling them in granulated or powdered sugar adds a pretty finish and extra sweetness.
Let the cookies cool completely, then stack them in cellophane bags or small tins with parchment layers between each cookie.
Yes, they ship well! Just pack them snugly with parchment between layers and use a sturdy tin or box.
🍽️ Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Cranberry Orange Christmas Sandies
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Equipment
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- mixing bowl (large)
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons orange peel, finely shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.1 cup unsalted butter
- Add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Mix in the vanilla and flour until a soft dough forms.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Stir in the chopped cranberries and orange peel.1 cup dried cranberries, 2 teaspoons orange peel
- Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned.
- Immediately transfer cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Notes
🥡 STORAGE
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For longer freshness, layer cookies with parchment paper.
♨️ REHEATING
- Enjoy at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
❄️ FREEZING
- Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Thaw at room temperature before serving.
💡 TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS
- Use real butter for that classic shortbread texture.
- Fresh orange zest gives the brightest, most flavorful results.
- Finely chop the cranberries so they blend evenly throughout the dough.
- Let cookies cool completely before storing to maintain their crisp edges.
🍳 ALTERNATE COOKING METHODS
- Bake in a toaster oven at 325°F for 12-14 minutes for small batches.
- For convection ovens, reduce the temperature to 340°F and bake for slightly less time.
♻️ LEFTOVERS
- Crumble leftover cookies over ice cream or yogurt for a sweet topping.
- Package extras in holiday tins or gift boxes to share with friends and family.
🎁 FESTIVE NOTE
- If desired, you can roll the cookie dough balls in Christmas-colored (or any color you prefer) nonpareils and proceed with baking as directed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These look so festive!