Description
Cranberry Orange WinterGlow Crème Cookies — soft, tender holiday cookies scented with bright orange zest, studded with ruby cranberries and finished with a creamy swirl of sweetened cream cheese. These nostalgic winter treats bake into pale, slightly golden rounds with a melt-in-your-mouth center and a light sugar sparkle on top. Perfect for cookie trays, gifting, or an afternoon with tea.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 orange (about 1 tsp)
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened (for swirl)
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries (or frozen/chopped fresh)
- Optional: 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, sanding sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and orange zest and mix until combined and fragrant.
- Whisk together the flour and baking powder; gradually fold into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Spoon small blobs of softened cream cheese (about 1/2 teaspoon) and gently swirl into portions of dough or press a small dollop onto each dough ball.
- Fold in the cranberries (and white chocolate if using) gently so they distribute without coloring the whole dough.
- Scoop rounded cookie dough portions onto the prepared sheets, gently flattening slightly and adding extra cranberries on top for a festive look.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and tops are pale golden; avoid overbaking to retain a creamy center.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 4–5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Optionally dust with sanding or powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- If using frozen cranberries, toss them in a little flour before adding to prevent sinking.
- If dough is too soft to scoop, chill for 10-20 minutes for cleaner portions.
- For a stronger orange flavor add 1/2 teaspoon orange extract or 1 tablespoon orange juice.
- To make the cream cheese swirl: soften cream cheese well and spoon small amounts into the dough balls, swirling lightly with a toothpick.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze baked cookies 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: 180
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: cranberry orange cookies, cream cheese swirl cookies, holiday cookies, winter baking, soft cookies