Cranberry Orange Christmas Sandies
Brighten your cookie tray with Cranberry Orange Christmas Sandies - soft, buttery cookies with tart cranberries and citrusy orange zest.
Servings: 36 1-inch cookies
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
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 11mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.3mg
