Cranberry Orange Cookies

Light and delicious, these Cranberry Orange Cookies have delightfully crispy edges and a soft-centered and slightly chewy inside. The bright orange flavors in the dough and the sugared orange zest sprinkled on top pair well with the tart cranberry. These cookies are simple to make but full of holiday flavor!

I don’t know anyone who does not appreciate a batch of warm, delicious cookies. I love to whip up these fragrant cookies for an afternoon snack, for holiday gifting, and of course to serve on a holiday cookie tray at parties. Cranberry and orange is a wonderful holiday flavor combination for the Christmas season, but you can make these treats all year round!

Welcome to 2025’s 12 Days of Cookies!
These Cranberry Orange Cookies are Day 7 of our 12 Days of Cookies!
Be sure to check out all of the other days for more goodies!

Day 1 – Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Day 2 – Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Day 3 – Chai Biscotti
Day 4 – Haystacks
Day 5 – Cherry Pie Bars
Day 6 – Cookies and Cream Cookies
Day 7 – You’re on it!
Day 8 – 
Day 9 – 
Day 10 – 
Day 11 – 
Day 12 – 

I love how simple these cookies are. They are made with just a handful of ingredients, many of which you already have in your pantry. You might not have an orange or some cranberries lying around, but those are easy to find at the grocery store.

Simple doesn’t mean basic. This buttery shortbread-like cookie recipe makes cookies that are meant to be savored. No one will believe that you hardly spent any time at all making them!

Ingredients for Orange Cranberry Cookies

You will need the following ingredients to make homemade cranberry orange cookies:

An orange (for juice and zest)

Dried cranberries, chopped

Cornstarch

Baking soda

All-purpose flour

Salt

Unsalted butter, room temperature

Granulated white sugar

One large egg

You can find detailed amounts and instructions for this recipe in the card at the bottom of the post!

How to make Cranberry Orange Cookies

Prepare: Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Hydrate the cranberries by pouring the orange juice over them and heating them in a microwave oven for 30 seconds. Let them sit and soak up the liquid.

Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons orange zest with an electric mixer on medium speed (or use the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Add the egg to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. 

Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined – don’t overmix! 

Cranberries: Strain any excess liquid from the chopped cranberries and fold ¾ cup of the cranberries into the dough. 

Scoop and Bake: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out even mounds of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best. Preheat the oven to 400°F and bake the cookies for 7-8 minutes, or until the cookies are just starting to turn golden brown. While the cookies bake, make the orange sugar to sprinkle on top.

Orange Sugared Zest: Combine the remaining orange zest and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and immediately top the cookies with the remaining cranberries and sugared orange zest. Let the cookies rest for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. 

Recipe Notes

Make sure to zest the orange before cutting and juicing it. Once cut, zesting will be challenging. 

The longer you let the cookies chill, the more the cranberry orange flavor will develop.

One orange should yield about 3 teaspoons of zest. 

Since all ovens vary in temperature and baking time, it is best to monitor the cookies; depending on your oven, they might need less time or a few more minutes. 

If you are using a baking sheet that has a dark-colored surface, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. 

FAQs

Can fresh cranberries be used in place of dried cranberries? 

Although fresh cranberries have a beautiful, tart, juicy flavor, they don’t have the right balance of sugars as their dried counterparts. Additionally, they release a fair amount of liquid during baking, making your cookies flat. For this recipe, it is best to stick with dried cranberries. 

Why are my cookies spreading out so much during baking?  

Chilling the cookies for the required amount of time before baking is essential. Don’t flatten the dough before baking, and ensure the oven is at the right temperature. Anything under 400°F makes them more prone to spreading out. These cookies undergo a quick bake at high heat to prevent the cookie from spreading out. Try using an oven thermometer to make sure you have the correct oven temperature. 

How can I store these cookies? 

Cranberry Orange cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

Or store the cooled cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours before serving.

Cranberry Orange: The Perfect Flavor Combination

I love to feature this flavor combo together in all sorts of baked goods. Here are a few of my favorites:

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding: this custard-soaked dessert combines both sweet and tart flavors with cranberries, crunchy walnuts, zesty orange sugar crumbs, and a buttery orange glaze.

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Biscotti: these Italian biscuit cookies are packed full of the seasonal flavors of tangy cranberries, crunchy pistachios, and zesty orange! These will be delicious dunked in a cup of tea or eaten with your morning coffee.

Orange Cranberry Bread: This Orange Cranberry Bread Recipe is the perfect mix of sweet oranges and tart, juicy cranberries. It will be one of your favorite things to serve this holiday season or any time of year!

Cranberry Orange Blondies: Cranberry Orange Blondies combine two classic holiday flavors into one sweet dessert bar! Zesty orange citrus pairs well with tart cranberries in a chewy blondie base.

Orange Cranberry Coffee Cake: Topped with sweet orange glaze, this moist coffee cake tastes extra delicious paired with a hot cup of coffee or tea!

 Which one will you try next time?

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