These shortbread cookies are a sweet and easy cookie recipe packed with dried cranberries, pecans, and then dipped in dark chocolate for a decadent treat.
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.
Notes
Chilling the Dough: It's crucial to chill the cookie dough before baking to prevent excessive spreading, helping the cookies maintain their round shapes.Butter: Use unsalted butter in the recipe, or if you choose salted butter, omit the additional salt to avoid overly salty cookies.Make-Ahead: You can prepare the cookie dough for this cranberry shortbread recipe up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge.Freezing: These cookies freeze well. You can freeze the raw dough log or freeze the cookies after baking. If you plan to dip them in chocolate, it's best to do so after the cookies have thawed to prevent chocolate from sweating as it thaws.