Cranberry Orange Cookies
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
These are ideal cookies for the holidays - read quick, easy, no fuss. The dough is mixed completely in a food processor. Bright red sugar sprinkles give a little sparkle. Dried cranberries, orange zest, allspice, and clove give the cookies a bright festive flavor. And they keep well, too!
Author:
Recipe type: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Serves: 48 cookies
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup dried cranberries
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 stick cold, unsalted butter, but into small pieces
  • ¼ cup cranberry juice cocktail
  • ½ teaspoon red food coloring
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten
  • Red sugar sprinkles for rolling
Instructions
  1. In a food processor, pulse the dried cranberries and granulated sugar until the cranberries are finely ground and the sugar turns red.
  2. Add the flour, baking powder, orange zest, salt, allspice, and cloves. Pulse until combined.
  3. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
  4. In a 1-2 cup measuring cup, combine the cranberry juice, food coloring, and vanilla. Stir with a fork. Break an egg into the measuring cup, and lightly beat the egg.
  5. Pulse the liquid into the other ingredients until a dough forms.
  6. Put the dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about an hour.
  7. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat to 350F degrees.
  8. Line two half-sheet pans or cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  9. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into balls and place them on a cutting board. Once all the balls are made, roll them into the red sugar sprinkles and onto the sheet pan.
  10. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove cookies from the oven onto cooling racks. Let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
  11. Store in container with a tight-fitting lid in a cool dry place until ready to serve.
Notes
I usually make two batches of cookie dough, mixed one at a time in the food processor. One batch I bake, and the second batch of dough is wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator until I need another round. These are fabulous holiday cookies. They stay moist, keep well, and are so pretty!
Recipe by At Mimi's Table at https://atmimistable.com/mimis-cranberry-orange-cookies/