If you are looking for a delicious shortbread cookie, let me tell you why this recipe is the perfect one for you. This Cranberry Almond Shortbread Recipe is everything a good shortbread should be!!
What Makes These Cookies So Good?
It's a delicious Christmas cookie recipe and great for the season. The cranberry with the almond undertone is perfect.
It is simple to make ahead of time. You can make this up to a week in advance and hold it in the fridge or if you want to freeze it you can hold it up to a month in the freezer.
If you are looking for a yummy cookie for a cookie exchange or gifting as these are the cookies you need. They are really cute as you can package them in a cellophane bag with a seasonal ribbon.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Whole wheat pastry flour-I prefer to use whole wheat pastry flour as it is a lower protein flour that makes a more tender cookie.
- Salt
- Softened butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg yolk
- Vanilla
- Almond extract
- Chopped or sliced almonds- you will notice I don't toast my almonds. Some people say you have to, but I find the almond extract is enough to get optimal flavor.
- Dried cranberries
How To Make
You will mix the flour, pastry flour, and salt in a small bowl and set it aside. Combine your softened butter and granulated sugar in another bowl, mix on medium or by hand for about 45 seconds to 1 minute.
Add in your egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract. At this point, only mix to combine. Next in are your dry ingredients, this is the same way, only mixing to combine. Last added in are the sliced almonds and the dried cranberries. Again only mix to combine.
Put the cookie dough onto a piece of saran wrap. Roll it into a 2 to 2 ½ inch log, wrap in the saran wrap, and place in the fridge.
You will need to chill for at least two hours before slicing and baking.
Slice the shortbread into ¼ inch discs, place it on your baking sheet, and bake until the edges are a very light golden brown. You want these to be tender, not crispy.
What Is The Difference Between Shortbread Cookies And Sugar Cookies
Although both cookies are very similar, there are some differences that we need to note. Sugar cookies are lighter cookies, while shortbread traditionally is a little bit denser. Not that shortbread cookies are hard, but they are denser than sugar cookies.
Sugar cookies will have some type of leavening agent-either baking powder or baking soda. The shortbread cookies will have no leaveners in them.
Secrets To Perfect Shortbread Cookies
Do not over mix the dough. We do this for two reasons, the first is we don't want to wind up with a tough cookie. The second reason is we don't want to incorporate too much air into the cookies.
Chill before baking. This is important not only to help the cookies be more firm, but also it helps to hydrate the flour and concentrate the flavors.
Use whole wheat pastry flour. I prefer to use whole wheat pastry, as it is a lower protein flour. This is especially important in cookies where you want them to be tender and delicious.
Only bake until they are barely golden brown. You do not want to overbake these cookies, just the edges being browned will be perfect.
FAQ Cranberry Shortbread
Yes, you can! These are very easy cookies to make ahead of time. When you are ready to use them, thaw them in the refrigerator, slice, and bake.
Caster sugar is best. However, it is a more expensive sugar, one that I don't keep on hand, so I created this recipe with granulated sugar.
They will hold well at room temperature for three to five days. This will depend on the humidity in your house and the temperature of your house.
Other Cookie Recipes
- Strawberry Sugar Cookie Bars
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Whole Wheat Chocolate Cookie
- Stunning Linzer Cookies with Cranberry Filling
- Apple Doodle Cookies
Cranberry Almond Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- stand or hand mixer, or you can mix by hand.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup softened butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ⅔ cup chopped or sliced almonds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix your all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and salt. Set it aside.
- If you are using a stand mixer, add the butter and sugar to the stand mixer. You can also mix this with a hand mixer or even by hand. Blend on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
- Add in the egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract. At this point, only mix to combine. Next is the flour mixture. Again, mix to combine, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Last is the dried cranberries and almonds. Mix them only to combine as well.
- Now, on a piece of saran wrap, roll the dough into a log. Wrap it tightly in the saran wrap and place it in the fridge.
- I like to chill it for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Slice the cookies into ¼-inch pieces.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. These will spread a little, but not too much. I placed 12 per baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the bottom edges are just BARELY browned. Don't overdo it, or they will be crispy!
- Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool at least slightly before serving.
- That is it and you are done! Now, sit back and enjoy, you deserve it.