Orange Cranberry Shortbread

When I make shortbread, I usually prefer to use the method of rolling the dough into logs, chilling them, and then slicing off the cookies. It's a quick and easy way to get uniform rounds.

These flavorful Orange Cranberry Shortbread cookies though called for a different method. You see, I knew the addition of lots of delicious and chewy cranberries would make the dough tough to slice through neatly. So for these, I used a 1-inch scoop and rolled the dough into balls that I gently flattened and chilled for a full hour before baking.

The size of them turned out to be a perfect fit for my macaron boxes. I was able to get six standard sized cupcake papers, each filled with three cookies, tightly packed into a single box. These are so good and the addition of orange zest makes them extra special. These are great to share with friends this holiday season.

Macaron boxes are just the right size for packaging these cookies.

Add a ribbon and tag and you've got a sweet holiday gift.

Here is the recipe:

Orange Scented Shortbread
(makes about 5 dozen)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons dehydrated orange peel (Note: If you can't find this, you can use 5 teaspoons of finely grated orange zest.)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1/3 cup sugar, for coating the tops of the cookies before baking

In a small container, combine the orange peel with the vanilla and let this set for about 10 minutes.

Cream together the butter, vanilla/orange mixture, sea salt and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Add the flour and mix just until it starts to combine and the mixture looks crumbly. Add the dried cranberries and continue mixing until the dough comes together.

With a 1-inch scoop, scoop a portion of the dough and then roll it in your hands to form a ball. Use your hands to gently flatten the ball and place it on a parchment or plastic lined baking pan that will fit into your fridge. Repeat until all the dough is used and place the cookies in the fridge to cool for at least 1 hour.

These are ready to go into the fridge to chill.

When you are ready to bake them, preheat your oven to 350-degrees, dip the top of each cookie in the 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and place them on baking sheets, spaced about 2-inches apart.

Bake for about 12 minutes or until the cookies just begin to brown around the edges. The cookies will firm up quite a bit as they cool. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Orange Scented Shortbread

A new find, a bottle of Orange Peel from Penzys Spices, was the inspiration that led me to create this delicious shortbread that I think I made even better with a dip in dark Belgian chocolate.

I found the unusual product on a shopping trip with my dear friend Pam who was visiting from Seattle. We were heading towards Powell's Bookstore when we walked by the shop on NW 10th Avenue and I suggested we go inside. 

Penzys is a company I want to support not only because it sells the best tasting and freshest spices, but because it's been very generous to The Wednesday Community Meal. In the past they've given us cases of black pepper, chicken stock, ham stock and beef stock — staples we need and use regularly at our meal.

At the store, there was a sample of the Orange Peel that I smelled and was immediately blown away. The orange scent was so strong and so fresh that I knew it was a product I wanted to try and use and that's how this shortbread came about. 

Before I added the peel to my shortbread dough, I re-hydrated it by soaking it in a tablespoon of vanilla. The smell of this vanilla orange combination was intoxicating, reminding me of the scent of a Creamsicle or Orange Julius. Why can't anyone make perfume that smells this good?

Here's the recipe:

Orange Scented Shortbread
(makes about 6 dozen)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons Penzys Orange Peel (Note: If this product isn't available, you can use 5 teaspoons of finely grated orange zest.)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar, optional (for rolling the cookies in before baking)

In a small container, combine the orange peel with the vanilla and let this set for about 10 minutes.

Mix the orange peel in the vanilla and set it aside for a bit.

The peel will soak up the vanilla and it will look like this.

Cream together the butter, vanilla/orange mixture, sea salt and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Add the flour and mix just until combined.

The mixed dough.

Divide the dough into thirds. Wrap each third in a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log about 1.5 inches in diameter. If you are having trouble shaping the logs, just do your best and then let the dough chill for 30 minutes to firm up — then re-roll and re-shape the logs. Let the logs chill for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If desired, roll the logs in raw sugar (I do this extra step because I like the crunch and look that the sugar gives the cookies), and cut 1/4-inch thick rounds from the logs. Then cut the rounds in half.

Cutting the cookies.

Ready for the oven!

Place the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2-inches of space between them. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden on the edges and set. Let the cookies cool completely before dipping.

Dipping the Cookies:
10 oz. dark chocolate, divided (I like Callebaut brand Belgian chocolate best)

First off, have your cookies at hand, ready to dip and a counter or sheetpans lined with parchement paper before you prepare the chocolate. You have to have a place to set your cookies after dipping.

Place 8 oz. of the chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl. You need to use a bowl that adequately holds the chocolate but is small enough so that the chocolate isn't too spread out. You need depth for the dipping.

Microwave the chocolate in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring after each until the chocolate is thoroughly melted. Immediately add the remaining 2 oz. of chocolate and stir until it's also thoroughly melted. This is called the seeding method and is a simple way to temper the chocolate.

Dip a cookie about 1/4 into the melted chocolate and give it a gentle shake to remove any excess. Place the cookie on parchment and keep working quickly until all the cookies have been dipped. Leave the cookies on the parchment until the chocolate is completely set.

Chocolate Dipped Espresso Shortbread

I found a way to make my Espresso Shortbread cookies even better — Dip them in Dark Belgian chocolate!

I know this isn't that genius of an idea since chocolate makes just about anything and everything better, but these cookies really are extra special. They were among six kinds of cookies I made for a recent special coffee hour at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and they were the first to disappear, by a mile.

The best thing though is that they are a breeze to make using the "icebox cookie" method of rolling the dough into logs, chilling and then slicing the cookies for baking.

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Dipped Espresso Shortbread

Espresso Shortbread
(makes about 5 dozen)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons espresso powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup raw sugar, optional (for rolling the cookies in before baking)


Cream together the butter, espresso powder, vanilla, sea salt and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Add the flour and mix until combined.

Divide the dough into thirds. Wrap each third in a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log about 1.5 inches in diameter. If you are having trouble shaping the logs, just do your best and then let the dough chill for 30 minutes to firm up — then re-roll and re-shape the logs. Let the logs chill for at least 2 hours before slicing.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If desired, roll the logs in raw sugar (I do this extra step because I like the crunch and look that the sugar gives the cookies), and cut 1/4-inch thick rounds from the logs. Place the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 2-inches of space between them. Bake for 18 minutes or until the cookies are golden on the edges and set. Let the cookies cool completely before dipping.


Dipping the Cookies:
10 oz. dark chocolate, divided (I like Callebaut brand Belgian chocolate best)


First off, have your cookies at hand, ready to dip and a counter or sheetpans lined with parchement paper before you prepare the chocolate. You have to have a place to set your cookies after dipping.

Place 8 oz. of the chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl. You need to use a bowl that adequately holds the chocolate but is small enough so that the chocolate isn't too spread out. You need depth for the dipping.

Microwave the chocolate in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring after each until the chocolate is thoroughly melted. Immediately add the remaining 2 oz. of chocolate and stir until it's also thoroughly melted. This is called the seeding method and is a simple way to temper the chocolate.

Dip a cookie about 1/3 into the melted chocolate and give it a gentle shake to remove any excess. Place the cookie on parchment and keep working quickly until all the cookies have been dipped. Leave the cookies on the parchment until the chocolate is completely set.

Pink Vanilla-Almond Shortbread

Because the flavors of almond and cherry taste so similar and these cookies are pink, I almost named them "Mock-Cherry Shortbread." And, when I asked my husband what flavor he thought they were, cherry was his very first guess.

No matter the name, these pink shortbread cookies are pretty, delicious and simple to make. Using the slicing method you can have these cookies ready to go into the oven in no time.

I also coated the cookies with pink sanding sugar for a glitter effect and extra crunch. If you don't have pink sanding sugar (I bought mine at a baking supply store), use turbinado sugar, it works just as well.

Here's the recipe:

Pink Vanilla-Almond Shortbread

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 1/2 cups flour
a few drops pink food coloring (I like the gel paste coloring)
1/2 cup pink sanding sugar or turbinado sugar

The coloring and sanding sugar that I used.

In a stand mixer combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, sea salt and pink coloring. Whip until well-combined and light and fluffy.

Add the flour and mix just until combined.

Divide the dough into thirds and wrap each in plastic wrap and roll into a log. Refrigerate the rolls for at least 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line four baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the logs from the plastic wrap and roll in the sanding sugar, using your hands to gently press it in and evenly coat the logs.

Slice off 1/4 inch rounds and place them on the baking sheets, spacing them 1-inch apart. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown just along the edges.

Chocolate Shortbread

I had such success with creating a recipe for Espresso Shortbread Cookies that I decided I should come up with another version of the recipe and that's how these Chocolate Shortbread cookies came about.

What makes them different and in my mind better than traditional chocolate shortbread is that I used finely chopped dark chocolate in the dough instead of cocoa powder. The tiny bits of chocolate enhance the texture of the cookies by adding flecks of melted chocolate goodness.

I like these a lot and they are simple to make. Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Shortbread
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1  tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
10 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped (use a food processor to do this)
1/2 cup turbinado sugar (for coating the cookies before baking)

Cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla and sea salt. Add the flour and mix just until the dough begins to come together. Add the chocolate and mix until a soft dough forms.

Add the finely chopped chocolate after the flour has been mixed for a bit and the dough is just about ready to come together.

The finished dough will look like this.

Divide the dough into thirds and place each third on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the dough and shape into even-sized logs or long rectangles about 1.5-inches in diameter.

Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Place the turbinado sugar on a piece of parchment or plastic wrap. Roll each of chilled logs into the sugar, being careful to coat them evenly. You might need to use your hands to help press the sugar into the dough.

The turbinado sugar and a chilled log of dough.

The log after being evenly coated with sugar.

Slice the logs into 1/4-inch-thick cookies. Place the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, being sure to leave at least 1-inch of space between them.  Bake the cookies in a 350 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool for a bit on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.

Slicing off the cookies.

Make sure you leave space between the cookies since they will grow during baking.

Let the cookies cool for a bit before transferring to a cooling rack.

Espresso Shortbread Cookies

These Espresso Shortbread Cookies were inspired by Trader Joe's Kona Coffee Cookies.

My brother Josh brought us a box recently and our whole family loved them. I knew though that they would be an easy cookie to duplicate at home. I just needed to make an espresso-infused shortbread dough.

I really like how my version turned out. They aren't quite as sweet as the ones from Trader Joe's but they are crisp, buttery and rich with coffee flavor. I also skipped dipping half of each cookie into an icing because that wasn't the part of the cookie I loved most — it was the coffee shortbread.

I also like how fast my version can be made because I nixed rolling out the dough and instead just formed logs and sliced off the cookies.

Here's the recipe:

Espresso Shortbread Cookies
(makes 60 plus cookies)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons espresso powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup raw sugar, optional (for rolling the cookies in before baking)

Place the butter, espresso and vanilla in a mixing bowl and whip until smooth and creamy. This takes about 5 minutes.

It will look like this.

Add the sugar and salt and whip again. It will look like this.

Finally, add the flour and mix until a soft dough forms.

Using plastic wrap, shape the dough into logs that are 1.5 x 1-inch rectangles. Place the logs in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.

If you want to coat the edges with raw sugar, which I like because it adds a nice crunch to the cookies, spread the sugar on a large piece of parchment or plastic wrap.

Press the sugar evenly all over the log of dough.

Slice the log into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet, being sure to leave at least an inch of space between the cookies.

Bake the cookies in a 350 degree oven for 18 minutes or until golden brown.

As you can see, the cookies grow quite a bit during baking. Transfer the baked cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving. Keep the cookies stored in an airtight container.

Packaged in a cellophane bag with twine and a tag, these cookies make a sweet gift.

Simple Shortbread

An unlikely pair: Glamorous chocolate mousse and simple shortbread for dessert.

Okay - when it comes to cookies, plain-Jane shortbread isn't going to win a beauty contest. But as we all should know, that's not what's most important.

It's what's on the inside that counts, and in my mind shortbread wins the hospitality award every time. Its sweet buttery deliciousness is comforting, welcoming and people love it.

For a recent dinner, I put a slice of shortbread next to a fancy homemade chocolate mousse and although the latter was delicious, I kid you not, it really was the shortbread that I loved most.

The shortbread was also way easier to make that's why I'm calling the recipe Simple Shortbread.

Here's how to make it:

Simple Shortbread
(makes 16 cookies)

2 cups flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons granulated sugar


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly coat a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Cream together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Add the salt and baking powder and mix well. Finally add the flour and mix until a soft dough forms.

Mix the dough just until it comes together.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pie pan and press it evenly into the pan.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan that has been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Using your hands, press the dough evenly into the pan.

Use a sharp knife to score the dough into 16 wedges. Use a fork to prick the dough. Sprinkle the top with the granulated sugar.

Score the dough into 16-wedges.

Prick the wedges with a fork.

Almost ready for the oven.

Finally, sprinkle on the two tablespoons of granulated sugar. Now it's ready to bake!

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Following the score marks, cut the shortbread into wedges. It's important to cut the wedges while the shortbread is warm.

While the shortbread is warm, follow the score marks and cut into wedges. Let the cookies cool before removing from the pan and serving.

Let cool before serving.