• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Restless Chipotle

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Start Here
    • Ingredients Substitutions
    • Tips for Measuring Ingredients Accurately
  • About
  • Shop
  • Your Recipe Box
  • Meal Plans
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • My Recipes
  • Meal Plans
  • Start Here!
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • My Recipes
    • Meal Plans
    • Start Here!
    • Videos
    • Blog
    • Shop
    • Recipe Box
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Cookies Recipes

    Fresh Cranberry Cookies

    Published: Dec 2, 2020 Last Updated: Dec 2, 2020 by Marye 968 words. | About 5 minutes to read this article.

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Tangy, sweet cranberry cookies are packed with holiday flavors. Full of fresh berries, orange zest and pecans! They freeze well and travel like the champs they are - which makes them perfect for cookie trays and holiday boxes.
    Total time 20 minutes
    Jump to Recipe
    Overhead view of finished cranberry cookies

    Soft and full of tangy cranberry flavor! You'll also want to make some of my favorite cranberry oatmeal cookies.

    Plate of finished cookies with title text overlay.

    ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

    These cranberry orange cookies are full of old fashioned flavor with every single bite. They're not fancy or exceptionally pretty but they bring back that feeling of a country Christmas - and they smell better than any scented candle ever made.

    🧾 Ingredients

    Ingredients for cranberry cookies.

    🔪 Instructions

    Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

    Step by step images for making cranberry cookies.
    1. Cream the butter and sugars together.
    2. Add the egg, orange juice, and orange zest - mix well.
    3. Mix the dry ingredients and blend in.
    4. Stir in the cranberries and pecans.
    5. Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake according the the recipe below.
    Cookie dough on a cookie sheet.

    💭 Things to know

    Expert Tip: These orange cranberry cookies freeze beautifully! I like to drop them on the cookie sheet then put the in the freezer. When they're completely frozen drop the frozen cookie dough into a freezer container. I can have fresh cookies in minutes with no mess!

    • Walnuts are traditional in these - we just like pecans better. Macadamia nuts are also good.
    • The orange glaze is completely optional.
    • Don't chop the cranberries too finely or you'll have pink cookies with no texture.
    • The 2 ½ cups of flour works perfectly for me but if you think the dough is too soft or it runs together stir in an extra ¼ - ½ cup of flour.
    • If you will be shipping these overseas substitute dried cranberries for the fresh ones. They'll stay fresh longer.
    • Buy cranberries in season and freeze the bag for use later in the year.
    • Good, ripe cranberries will bounce so Bounceberry is an old timey name for them. This is because the berries have pockets of air inside - which also cause them to float. That's your trivia for today.
    Cranberry orange cookies on parchment paper.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions

    Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

    What makes cookies soft and chewy?

    Brown sugar, fruit, dried fruit - anything with a higher moisture content will help cookies stay soft. In this recipe the cranberries and orange zest combined with brown sugar does the trick!

    How can I keep cookies from spreading too much?

    Start with chilled dough, for one thing. Using a vegetable shortening like Crisco rather than butter can help, too.

    🥫 Storage

    Cranberry cookies store well baked or unbaked.

    • Store unbaked dough, tightly covered in the refrigerator for a day. After that the leavening will lose potency.
    • Unbaked dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
    • Baked cookies can be stored at room temperature for several days. Although these ship well they are not great for overseas shipping because if the box is held up too long they could go bad because of the fresh cranberries.
    • Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
    Cookies on a plate with a glass of milk to the side.

    📚 Related recipes

    Here are plenty of Christmas cookie recipes plus lots of information on storing, shipping and more!

    • Cranberry Moscow Mule: Delicious Holiday Drink
    • Coconut Cranberry Blondie Bars
    • Cranberry Daiquiri Cocktail
    • Cranberry Bliss Bar

    📞 The last word

    Keep in mind that shipping times are notoriously slow during the busy holiday season. If you'll be mailing these to loved ones send them early!

    Another one of our favorites for the holidays is this gingerbread snowball cookie recipe. Try it and let me know what you think!

    If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

    If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Plate stacked with cranberry cookies.
    4.59 from 12 votes

    Cranberry Nut Cookies

    Print Pin Recipe Save Go to Collections
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Tangy, sweet cranberry cookies are packed with holiday flavors. Full of fresh berries, orange zest and pecans! They freeze well and travel like the champs they are - which makes them perfect for cookie trays and holiday boxes.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Amercian Heritage
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings:36
    Calories:153
    Author:Marye Audet-White
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Equipment Needed

    • Baking Sheet

    Ingredients

    Cookies

    • 1 cup butter
    • 1 cup sugar
    • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
    • 2 tablespoons orange juice
    • 1 tablespoon orange zest, grated
    • 1 large egg
    • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoons baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup pecans, or walnuts - chopped
    • 2-½ cups cranberries, chopped

    Glaze

    • ½ teaspoon orange zest
    • 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
    • 3 tablespoons orange juice

    Instructions

    Cookies

    • Preheat oven to 375 F.
    • Grease baking sheets.
    • Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
    • Stir in orange juice and egg.
    • Mix in dry ingredients.
    • Stir in nuts and cranberries.
    • Drop dough by tablespoons about 2" apart on greased baking sheet.
    • If you are making these to bake later flash freeze them by placing the unbaked cookies on the cookie sheet and putting them in the freezer. When frozen add them to freezer bags.
    • Bake 10-15 minutes.
    • Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to wire cooling racks to cool completely.
    • Drizzle the glaze over the top when cool.

    Glaze

    • Mix glaze ingredients until smooth and drizzle on cookies.

    Notes

    Expert Tip: These freeze beautifully! I like to drop them on the cookie sheet then put the in the freezer. When they're completely frozen drop the frozen cookie dough into a freezer container. I can have fresh cookies in minutes with no mess!
    • Walnuts are traditional in these - we just like pecans better. Macadamia nuts are also good.
    • The orange glaze is completely optional.
    • Don't chop the cranberries too finely or you'll have pink cookies with no texture.
    • The 2 ½ cups of flour works perfectly for me but if you think the dough is too soft or it runs together stir in an extra ¼ - ½ cup of flour.
    • If you will be shipping these overseas substitute dried cranberries for the fresh ones. They'll stay fresh longer.
    • Buy cranberries in season and freeze the bag for use later in the year.
    • Good, ripe cranberries will bounce, so bounceberry is an old fashioned name for them. This is because the berries have pockets of air inside - which also cause them to float. That's your trivia for today.

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 172IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

    Sign up for the emails and never miss another recipe!!

      We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.

      First published November 2008. Last updated December 2, 2020 to improve readability, add more tips, and better images.

      « Air Fryer Keto Meatloaf
      Honey Buttermilk Bread »

      About Marye

      With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Elaine

        November 12, 2021 at 6:59 am

        Sounds delish. Just to confirm....this calls for fresh cranberries, correct?
        Not cooked or dry.
        Thank you.

        Reply
        • Marye

          November 12, 2021 at 11:12 am

          Yes! Fresh cranberries.

      2. Becky

        November 09, 2021 at 10:50 pm

        Folks!!!!!!!
        She shares her recipes with us!!! It is a privilege that she does so!
        Don’t be so petty as to be asking for a recipe to be changed just to fit your dietary needs. If you need a dietary change then….you need to change the recipe yourself.

        Thanks for sharing all your recipes with us! Quite often it is an old recipe of mine which I forgot…..you just shake up the ol’ rocks!
        Keep on keeping on!!

        Reply
      3. Rose

        October 04, 2021 at 12:34 am

        Hi Marye I'm bothering you again, I wanted to suggest to show your measurements in grams as well--for instant,you can't really measure a cup of butter unless it's melted, anyway, I'm still waiting for a couple replies from you. I wish I could turn all your recipes in to gluten free, paleo and keto

        Reply
        • Marye

          October 05, 2021 at 10:01 am

          Hi Rose. I know. I would except I am not proficient in measuring in grams and I would never want to mess up anyone by giving them the wrong measurements.

        • Marye

          October 05, 2021 at 10:01 am

          Also a cup of butter is 2 sticks, 16 tablespoons - no need to melt.

      4. Elaine

        November 25, 2015 at 10:26 am

        You forgot the milk in your directions as to when it goes in.. I found that I had to add more milk in this,about 1/3.

        Reply
        • Marye Audet

          November 27, 2015 at 1:57 pm

          I am sorry. The recipe should not have called for milk. I've fixed it.

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Love it? Give it 5 stars!




      Primary Sidebar

      Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

      Hey Y'all, I'm Marye.

      NY Times bestselling author. Written over 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Army veteran. Nothing fazes me & together we're going to get the kind of meals on your table that you (and your family) have been dreaming of. 

      More about me →

      Summer Fun

      • Patriotic Fruit Salad
      • Patriotic Jello Poke Cake
      • Plain Cheesecake Recipe- No Fail NY Style
      • How to Make a Watermelon Basket - It's Seriously Easy

      Newest Meal Plan

      • Meal Plan 23: May 28 - June 3

      Popular Recipes

      • Crockpot Ranch Chicken (Easy Weeknight Recipe)
      • Southern Chicken Spaghetti with RoTel
      • Crispy Fried Potatoes
      • Sex in the Driveway: Bright Blue Cocktail
      • Saltine Cracker Recipe (Soda Crackers)
      • Copycat Red Robin Campfire Sauce Recipe
      • Chicken Casserole with Stovetop Stuffing
      • No Bake Lemon Icebox Pie: Grandma's Favorite

      Creamy Chicken Recipes

      12 Creamy Chicken Recipes the Family Will Love

      Footer

      ^ back to top

      About

      • About Marye Audet-White
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Accessibility Policy
      MaryeAudet Whiteandherchildren Dec

      Featured in:

      Companies that Marye Audet-White and Restless Chipotle have been affiliated with.

      Contact Marye

      • Contact
      Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

      Copyright ©2021 Restless Chipotle Media, LLC