Cranberry Pecan Shortbread Cookies are a sweet and easy cookie recipe packed with dried cranberries and pecans and then dipped in dark chocolate for a decadent treat.
Recipe: $5.77 | Per Serving: $0.19 | Yields: 30 cookies
These shortbread cookies are a delightful treat that perfectly balances the buttery richness of classic shortbread with the tartness of cranberries and the richness of dark chocolate in every bite.
These cookies have a wonderfully crumbly texture that just melts in your mouth, making them an ideal companion for a cup of tea or coffee.
The cookies are perfect for various occasions, from holiday gatherings to casual afternoon snacks, and they never fail to impress with their delightful blend of flavors and textures.
These festive cookies would be great served alongside Cake Mix Peanut Butter Blossoms and Elf Sized Cookies for the holidays!
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🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- Simple ingredients. We need basic pantry staple ingredients like flour, powdered sugar, and butter. Adding pecans and cranberries makes these cookies unique and festive.
- Easy to prep. Just mix everything, chill, slice, and bake. This recipe is very easy to follow. Perfect for novice bakers.
- They're great for the holidays. Bring a platter or baggie of these cookies to the next holiday cookie exchange. Present them as gifts, or serve them at the Christmas party.
🥘 Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
Butter- You will need some butter to make these cookies rich and buttery in taste.
Powdered sugar- Instead of granulated sugar, we use powdered sugar for a sweet taste and a softer cookie texture.
Dried cranberries- You'll need some dried cranberries (or craisins) for this recipe. For more cranberry recipes, make sure to check out my Cranberry Orange Sauce, Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake, and Cranberry Eggnog Streusel Muffins.
Pecans- Chopped pecans add a nice nutty flavor and subtle crunch.
Dark Chocolate- Dip the cookies in some melted dark chocolate for an indulgent taste that's rich and fabulous.
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
🔪 Instructions for Cranberry Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar until well mixed.
Step 2: Add in the almond extract and then mix again.
Step 3: Add in the flour, dried cranberries, and pecans, and mix again until distributed.
Step 4: Lay a piece of parchment paper and spread out your cookie dough into a log.
Step 5: Tightly roll the dough up in the parchment paper and then wrap well in plastic wrap to help keep it from drying out and to maintain shape.
Step 6: Chill for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
Step 7: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 8: Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and then slice into ¼ inch thick slices.
Step 9: Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and then bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
Step 10: Let cool on a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Step 11: In a small bowl, melt your dark chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Step 12: Dip half of the cookies in the chocolate and return to the cooling rack until set.
Keep cookies stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
🍴 Recipe Tips
- Chill the Dough Before Baking- To maintain round shapes, chill the dough before baking to prevent spreading.
- Use Unsalted Butter- Ensure your cookies aren't too salty by using unsalted butter or adjusting salt if using salted butter.
💭 Recipe FAQs
3 days. You can make the dough for this cranberry shortbread recipe up to 3 days in advance and keep it stored in the fridge.
Absolutely! These cookies freeze very well and taste incredible too. Freeze the dough log raw or freeze the cookies after they've been cooked. If dipping in chocolate, I recommend waiting until cookies are thawed so that the chocolate doesn't sweat as it thaws.
You can customize Cranberry Shortbread Cookies by adding ingredients like white chocolate chips, orange zest, or chopped nuts for added texture and flavor.
❤️ More Delicious Cookie Recipes
If you tried these Cranberry Pecan Shortbread Cookies, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks) ($1.98)
- ½ cup powdered sugar ($0.18)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract ($0.31)
- 2 cups all purpose flour ($0.26)
- ½ teaspoon salt ($0.01)
- ½ cup dried cranberries ($1.38)
- ½ cup chopped pecans ($0.49)
- 1 cup dark chocolate ($1.16)
Instructions
- Combine butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl until well blended.
- Add in almond extract and mix again.
- Add in the flour, salt, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. Mix until distributed.
- On a piece of parchment paper, lay your dough out into a log shape and then tightly roll up the dough with the paper.
- Wrap the parchment rolled dough log in plastic wrap, twist the ends, and tuck them under. place in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
- Remove dough from fridge and unwrap it. Slice into ¼ inch thick slices and arrange 2 inches apart on your baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
- Let cool on wire rack over baking sheet.
- Melt your dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring well between each until smooth.
- Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate and place back onto wire racks to set. Continue until all cookies have been coated or drizzle chocolate over others.
- Keep cookies stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
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