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Cranberry Orange Cookies

Cranberry Orange Cookies are a holiday favorite based off of my grandma’s sugar cookies. Perfectly crisp butter cookies filled with dried cranberries and tons of orange flavor. These cookies literally melt in your mouth.

Holiday baking is my absolute favorite and these Cranberry Orange Cookies are perfect for Christmas. They are definitely going in our Christmas goodie bags this year along with our White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Fudge and classic Brown Sugar Shortbread.

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Cranberry Orange Cookies on a small platter

Cranberry Orange Cookies ~ Large Batch Christmas Cookies

If you are looking for a big batch of cookies to bake and share with friends and neighbors this Christmas season, these Cranberry Orange Cookies are just the ticket. Make them something extra special with a drizzle of white chocolate.

ingredients for cranberry orange cookies

Ingredients Needed:

  • Sugar
  • Orange Zest
  • Butter 
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Large Eggs
  • Orange Extract
  • Vanilla Extract
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Baking Soda
  • Cream of Tartar
  • Kosher Salt
  • Dried Cranberries
  • White Chocolate Chips
  • Heavy Cream
plate of 2 cranberry cookies, milk and platter of cookies

Step-by-Step Instructions:

making orange sugar collage
  • Add granulated sugar to a bowl. Zest 2 oranges into the sugar and mix together with your fingers until well combined. Set aside.
step by step making sugar cookies
  • In a mixing bowl, add granulated sugar, powdered sugar, softened butter and vegetable oil. 
  • Mix until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add eggs, orange extract and vanilla extract, mix until combined.
step by step making cranberry orange cookies
  • Next, add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
  • Mix on low speed until flour is just combined. Raise to medium speed and beat about 1 minute.
  • Add 1 cup of cranberries and mix until combined.
making cranberry orange cookies -dough balls to the cookie sheet
  • Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough into balls.
  • Roll in orange sugar mixture.
  • Place on a lined or greased cookie sheet. 
  • Smash the cookies with the bottom of a glass. 
  • Chop remaining cranberries. 
  • Add a few cranberry pieces to each cookie.
orange cranberry cookies on parchment paper
  • Bake for 12- 14 minutes until lightly browned around the edges.
  • Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. 
cranberry cookies on a wire rack
  • Move to a wire rack to cool completely.
melting white chocolate chips
  • When all cookies are baked, melt white chocolate chips with heavy cream over low heat or in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
cranberry cookies on a wire rack
  • Drizzle white chocolate over cookies. This can be done with a spoon or a piping bag. If using a piping bag, wrap a small towel or dish cloth around the piping bag to keep it from burning your hands.
  • Allow white chocolate to set up for about 1 hour before stacking or storing cookies.

plate with 2 cranberry cookies, glass of milk, platter of cookies

Recipe Notes and Variations:

  • Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container up to 10 days. 
  • Add-Ins: Chopped pecans or walnuts add a delicious crunch. 
  • White Chocolate: Melting wafers or almond bark can be substituted for the drizzle. Dip cookies into white chocolate, coating half of the cookie, instead of drizzling if preferred. The white chocolate is totally optional but makes the cookies a little more fancy for the holidays.
  • Make a Smaller Batch: This recipe makes a large batch. Cut the recipe in half to make a smaller batch.

More Christmas Cookies to Bake and Share:

If you love the orange and cranberry combo, you’ll also love this easy Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake!

platter of cranberry cookies on a buffalo check napkin

Bake up a batch of Cranberry Orange Cookies to share with your loved ones this holiday season. I am pretty sure they will be Santa’s favorite too!

IF YOU LOVE THIS  RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND A FIVE STAR REVIEW, AND BE SURE TO HELP ME SHARE ON PINTEREST!

cranberry orange cookies with white chocolate drizzle
Print Recipe
4.86 from 7 votes

Cranberry Orange Cookies

Cranberry Orange Cookies are a holiday favorite based off of my grandma's sugar cookies. Perfectly crisp butter cookies filled with dried cranberries and tons of orange flavor.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Christmas cookies, cranberry cookies, holiday cookies, large batch cookies for Christmas, Orange sugar cookies, white chocolate cranberry cookies
Servings: 72 cookies
Calories: 118kcal
Author: Milisa

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar + 1½ cup for rolling
  • Zest of 2 oranges
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons orange extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries divided
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or melting wafers
  • 2 teaspoons heavy cream

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Add granulated 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar to a bowl. Zest 2 oranges into the sugar and mix together with your fingers until well combined. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup granulated sugar, powdered sugar, softened butter and vegetable oil and mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add eggs, orange extract and vanilla extract, mix until combined.
  • Next, add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Mix on low speed until flour is just combined. Raise to medium speed and beat about 1 minute.
  • Add 1 cup of cranberries and mix until combined.
  • Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough into balls.
  • Roll in orange sugar mixture and place on a lined or greased cookie sheet. 
  • Smash the cookies with the bottom of a glass. 
  • Chop remaining cranberries and add a few cranberry pieces to each cookie. This is optional, all cranberries can be added into the cookie dough if preferred.
  • Bake for 12- 14 minutes until lightly browned around the edges.
  • Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes.  Move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Optional White Chocolate Drizzle:

  • When all cookies are baked, melt white chocolate chips with heavy cream over low heat or in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
  • Drizzle white chocolate over cookies. This can be done with a spoon or a piping bag. If using a piping bag, wrap a small towel or dish cloth around the piping bag to keep it from burning your hands.
  • Allow white chocolate to set up for about 1 hour before stacking or storing cookies.

Notes

Recipe Notes and Variations:

Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container up to 10 days. 
Add-Ins: Chopped pecans or walnuts add a delicious crunch. 
White Chocolate: Melting wafers or almond bark can be substituted for the drizzle. Dip cookies into white chocolate, coating half of the cookie, instead of drizzling if preferred. The white chocolate is totally optional but makes the cookies a little more fancy for the holidays.
Make a Smaller Batch: This recipe makes a large batch. Cut the recipe in half to make a smaller batch.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 60mg | Sugar: 8g

6 Comments

  1. I have looked through this page a few times and could not find an oven temperature for these cookies? I normally bake cookies at 350° but I noticed on a few of your other recipes you use 375°. What is a good temperature for these cookies? If it is listed somewhere here and I have missed it, I am sorry. Thank you for your help. Enjoy the day!!

  2. Made them today, totally awesome. For storage do you recommend storing in a container in the refrigerator or freezer. I would like them to last for 2 weeks + for the holidays.

4.86 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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