Favorite Cranberry Cookies Recipes

Fresh Cranberry Cookies Recipe

Easy drop cookies with all the flavors of cranberry bread. These delicious cookies are soft with slightly crunchy edges. Orange frosting makes them extra special. Grating fresh orange zest is extra easy if you have a Microplane. It's one of my favorite kitchen tools

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired
• Orange Frosting (see below)

1. Heat oven to 375F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Alternatively use ungreased baking sheets.
2. In a large bowl beat sugars, butter, orange peel, orange juice and egg with an electric mixer set on medium or mix by hand with a spoon, until well blended.
3. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt just until combined.
4. Stir in cranberries and nuts.
5. Place rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough on baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown.
7. Remove from the oven and transfer cranberry cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
8. Spread with orange frosting.

• 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 grated orange peel
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, orange peel, and orange juice until smooth and spreadable. Spread on cooled cranberry cookies

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cranberry Cookies Recipe

Tart cranberries provide the perfect contrast for the sweet butterscotch chips in these delightful oatmeal cookies. Chewy, sweet, and tart, these cookies are hard to resist.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
• 2 cups butterscotch chips
• 1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners. Alternatively use ungreased cookie sheets.
2. In a medium bowl combine the four, baking soda, salt and cinnamon set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the cooled melted butter and sugars with a wooden spoon or electric mixer on medium until mixed.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
5. Stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.
6. Stir in the oats, butterscotch chips and dried cranberries just until distributed through the dough.
7. Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 10 minutes (or up to 6 hours) to let the dough firm up.
8. Place heaping tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto cookie sheets, spaced about 3 inches apart.
9. Bake for about 14 minutes or until golden around the edges but still soft on top.
10. Remove from the oven and cool on baking sheets 5 minutes then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

This recipe yields about 48 Oatmeal Butterscotch Cranberry Cookies.

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Simple shortbread cookie dough made extra special with the addition of chopped dried cranberries.

• 1 1/4 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 6-ounce package (1 1/4 cups) dried cranberries, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Alternatively use ungreased cookie sheets.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugar until creamy.
3. Mix in the flour, a little at a time, until combined.
4. Stir in dried cranberries.
5. Cookies can be made into balls or flattened.

• Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets at least 1 inch apart.
• Bake 15 to 17 minutes.
• Remove from oven and transfer cookies from cookie sheets to wire racks to cool.
• If desired, sprinkle with additional confectioner's sugar when cool.

• Form dough into 1-inch balls as directed above. Using the bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar, flatten balls on cookie sheet, making rounds 2-inches in diameter.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool as directed above.

This recipe makes about 6 dozen Cranberry Shortbread Cookies.

Simple Cranberry Nut Bars Recipe

These simple tasty cranberry nut bars are easy to make, stirring together in minutes. Then all you have to do is bake, cool and enjoy.

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease an 8-inch baking pan.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs until thick.
3. Gradually add sugar, beating until thoroughly blended.
4. Stir in flour and melted butter well blended.
5. Add cranberries and walnuts and stir gently just until incorporated.
6. Spread batter evenly in pan.
7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Remove from the oven and place pan on a rack to cool completely.
9. Cut into desired size bars.

This recipe makes one 8-inch pan of Cranberry Nut Bars.

White Chocolate Chip Brandied Cranberry Cookies Recipe

Festive cranberry cookies perfect for celebrating the holidays.

• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 1 to 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1 cup (two sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Alternatively use ungreased cookie sheets.
2. In a small bowl stir together the cranberries and brandy.
3. In a large bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add the sugars and beat until well incorporated. Scape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are well blended.
5. Add the eggs and beat until well blended.
6. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
7. Add flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until just mixed. Stir in the cranberry-brandy mixture and white chocolate chips.
8. Place the bowl of cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.
9. Place rounded tablespoonfuls of dough on the sheet spaced at least 2 inches apart.
10. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
11. Remove from the oven and let cranberry cookies cool for a minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen White Chocolate Chip Brandied Cranberry Cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cranberry Bars Recipe

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Alternatively for easier cleanup, line pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil.
2. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy.
3. Gradually beat in flour, oats and orange peel until crumbly.
4. Stir in morsels and cranberries.
5. Reserve 2 cups mixture.
6. Press remaining mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan.
7. Bake for 15 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
9. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk.
10. Pour cream cheese mixture over hot crust and then sprinkle with reserved flour-oat mixture.
11. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set.
12. Remove from pan and cool completely in pan on wire rack.
13. Cut into desired size bars.

This recipe makes one 9x13-inch pan of Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cranberry Bars.

Frosted Cranberry Orange Cookies Recipe

Cookie Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 3 tablespoons thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped raw pistachios or walnuts

Orange Icing Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons thawed frozen orange juice concentrate

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets or use parchment-lined baking sheets.
2. In large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light.
3. Add the egg, orange zest and orange juice concentrate and beat until blended.
4. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves and salt.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until blended.
6. Stir in the cranberries and nuts.
7. Drop the cookie dough by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Remove from oven and place cookies on wire racks to cool completely.
10. To make the Orange Icing:
    In a bowl, stir together the powedered sugar, butter and orange juice concentrate until smooth.
11. Spread the icing on cooled cookies.
12. Store cookies between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container for up to 4 or 5 days.

This recipe makes about 3 dozen Frosted Cranberry Orange Cookies.