Make these decadent Dark Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread cookies this holiday season. Buttery shortbread with cranberries and dark chocolate.
Bringing you another holiday cookie recipe to give you some more ideas for the upcoming season. When I made these recently, my husband ate eight in a row. Eight! They were the perfect combination of buttery shortbread with a Christmas twist of cranberries.
Check out my Shortbread Cookie Collection!
What Are These Cookies Like
- Difficulty – Although these cookies have only six ingredients, they are well known for bakers having troubles getting them just right. Make sure to read the recipe tips so that your cookies turn out just like the ones you see here! They are a little delicate and may break if you don’t store them away carefully.
- Taste – These cookies are light, buttery and they melt in your mouth.
- Serving – I used a two inch circle cutter and rolled my dough to 1/2 inch thickness. So these are thick cookies. I got 20 cookies from this recipe. In the recipe card you can easily scale the recipe up or down.
Ingredients
- Flour – I used regular all purpose flour for these cookies.
- Salt – Regular table salt.
- Butter – This recipes uses unsalted real butter at room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – This is a super fine sugar that you may know as icing sugar or confectioner
- Dried cranberries – I added chopped dried cranberries to the cookie dough.
- Semi sweet chocolate – These cookies are dipped in melted dark/semi sweet chocolate. You can use any brand.
NOTE, The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour with the salt.
- Make cookie dough – In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter on high speed for about a minute. Sift in the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and the chopped dried cranberries (reserve about 2 tablespoons of cranberries for topping after baked), and stir in until just incorporated.
- Divide dough and chill – Divide the dough into two portions. Wrap each dough ball in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about 1/2 hour to chill.
- Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Cut cookies – On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 2 inch circle cutter, cut out as many as you can from each disk. Dough can be re rolled and cut again. Chill unbaked cookies for 5 minutes.
- Bake – Bake chilled cookies for about 12 – 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t let the cookies brown. If you notice the edges start browning, remove from the oven.
- Melt chocolate – Place the chocolate in a double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until it melts. This will take about 3 minutes or so.
- Top cookies – When the cookies have cooled, turn them upside down and dip them in the melted chocolate. Place dipped cookies on a baking rack. Immediately sprinkle over remaining chopped hazelnuts.
- Store cookies – Allow the chocolate to dry completely, this will take about one hour. Store in layers in a tupperwear box between sheets of parchment paper.
Recipe Tips
- Measure ingredients correctly – I know many people prefer using cups for measurements, but weighing is much more accurate. If you have kitchen scales, use them for this recipe. In the recipe card you can change the measurements from cups to metric.
- Chill the dough – It’s important to chill the dough otherwise wise the cookies will spread out and bake flat.
- Don’t over bake the cookies – These cookies will be fully baked when you see a slight golden colour at the edges like seen here. Mine baked in exactly 12 minutes.
- Melting chocolate – This needs to be done in a double boiler. Or a glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the chocolate as it melts and remove from heat when it’s melted.
- Gently dip cookies – These cookies are light and therefore will break apart easily if you handle them roughly. Delicately dip them in the chocolate and place on a baking rack set over parchment paper to catch chocolate drippings.
- Allow cookies to set before storing – These cookies will take about an hour to set on the counter. Don’t store them in a container until they have fully hardened.
Substitutions
- Cookie dough – I don’t recommend making any changes to the shortbread cookie dough.
- Cranberries – You can use chopped dates, raisins, walnuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts or almonds.
- Semi sweet chocolate – Feel free to opt for white chocolate or milk chocolate. You can half dip the cookies or drizzle over the chocolate.
Serving & Storage
Serve these cookies as part of a big cookie platter, give them as gifts, bring them to holiday parties or even serve them as a dessert after a Christmas dinner.
How to store these cookies
- On the counter – These will keep in an airtight container for about 3 days on the counter at room temperature.
- In the fridge – Store in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. For best results, bring to room temperature before serving.
- In the freezer – Once cooled completely, you can freeze these cookies. Place the cooled cookies in a freezer proof container. Place parchment paper between the layers and freeze up to two months. Allow to defrost at room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use powdered sugar?
Powdered sugar will help keep the cookies soft for longer and it helps to keep the cookies from spreading while baking.
What’s the difference between a butter cookie and a shortbread cookie?
The main difference between butter cookies and shortbread cookies is that butter cookies have more sugar and are sweeter.
What are the main ingredients in shortbread cookies?
Traditionally, shortbread cookies consist of three ingredients. Flour, butter and powdered sugar.
Can you substitute margarine for butter in shortbread cookies?
Shortbread really does require butter for it’s taste and texture, so it’s best to avoid margarine.
Chocolate Dipped Whipped Shortbread
These decadent and light Chocolate Dipped Whipped Shortbread cookies are the perfect holiday cookie. A buttery whipped shortbread cookie, dipped in dark chocolate and topped with a few toasted almonds.
Check out this recipe
Milk Chocolate Drizzled Almond Shortbread
Shortbread cookies are an absolute holiday favourite. And these Milk Chocolate Drizzled Almond Shortbread cookies are no exception. Buttery shortbread filled with toasted almonds and topped with a drizzle of milk chocolate and extra chopped almonds!
Check out this recipe
Chocolate Christmas Tree Shortbread
Dress up these Chocolate Christmas Tree Shortbread cookies with a basic sugar glaze and fun sprinkles. They make a great cookie to add to a platter or to give as a gift this holiday season.
Check out this recipe
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread
Make these decadent Dark Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread cookies this holiday season. Thick and buttery shortbread filled with chopped dried cranberries and topped with dark chocolate.
Servings: 28 cookies
Calories: 151kcal
Ingredients
- 2 Cups all purpose flour
- Pinch salt
- 1 Cup butter unsalted
- 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
- 8 oz semi sweet chocolate roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour with the salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter on high speed for about a minute. Sift in the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and stir in until just about combined. Stir in the chopped cranberries, reserving about 2 tablespoons for decorating the tops.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Wrap each dough ball in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about 1/2 hour to chill.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Using 2 inch holiday cookie cutters, cut out as many as you can from each disk. Dough can be re rolled and cut again. Chill unbaked cookies for 5 minutes.
- Bake chilled cookies for about 12 – 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t let the cookies brown. If you notice the edges start browning, remove from the oven.
- Place the chocolate in a double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until it melts. This will take about 3 minutes or so.
- When the cookies have cooled, turn them upside down and dip them in the melted chocolate. Place dipped cookies on a baking rack. Immediately sprinkle over remaining chopped cranberries.
- Allow the chocolate to dry completely, this will take about one hour. Store in layers in a tupperwear box between sheets of parchment paper.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Nutrition Facts
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 151
Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 18mg6%
Sodium 2mg0%
Potassium 60mg2%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 207IU4%
Vitamin C 0.01mg0%
Calcium 9mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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