Description
Cranberry Orange Soft Winter Star Cookies — tender, citrus-scented star-shaped cookies studded with ruby dried cranberries and finished with a light dusting of sugar. These soft winter cookies are inspired by nostalgic holiday baking: bright orange zest lifts the buttery dough while chopped cranberries provide bursts of tart-sweet flavor. Perfect for holiday cookie trays, gifting, tea-time, or a quiet winter morning. Simple pantry ingredients, quick to make, and easily adaptable with white chocolate or nuts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries (chopped if large)
- Optional: 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and orange zest and mix until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together; gradually fold into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in the chopped dried cranberries (and any optional add-ins).
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, roll to about 1/3 inch thickness, and cut into star shapes.
- Place stars on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 1 inch apart.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden but centers remain soft.
- Cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Dust with granulated or powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
- Use room-temperature butter for proper creaming and a tender crumb.
- If dough is too soft to roll, chill for 15-20 minutes until manageable.
- Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling to avoid a dense cookie.
- Chop larger dried cranberries so they distribute evenly and don’t tear the dough when cutting shapes.
- For a festive finish, press a few extra cranberries on top of each star before baking or dust with powdered sugar when cool.
- These cookies keep well in an airtight container for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
Keywords: cranberry orange cookies, star cookies, holiday cookies, soft cookies, citrus cookies, winter baking, festive cookies