Orange Cranberry Cookies

These Orange Cranberry Cookies are a soft and sweet cookie made with dried cranberries & topped with an irresistible orange icing. They are sure to become a new family favorite!

This recipe is yet another family favorite from my mom's recipe box. It is quite similar in softness to these cookies. There is something special about taking a handwritten recipe out of my mom's recipe box that connects me to her. Her recipes are foolproof, but how I wish I'd be able to ask her how she came up with these cookies and tell her how good they are.

Orange & Cranberry: A Perfect Match

Orange and cranberry together are a popular flavor combination that is a perfect match. The sweetness & tartness of both the oranges & cranberries combine to create a combination that is seen in everything from breads, salads, to these Orange Cranberry Cookies.

How to Make Cranberry Cookies

To start the cookies combine butter, sugars, sour cream, vanilla & eggs. The sour cream makes the cookies perfectly soft & moist. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat this mixture for 2 minutes until well combined. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and baking powder. I have a confession here: I hate sifting dry ingredients. I don't know what it is about it, but I avoid it at all costs and honestly, I feel I can get away with it in most recipes. Instead, I throw the dry ingredients in a bowl and use a wire whisk to mix it all up. Us non-sifters must stick together!

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter. Then, gently add in chopped cranberries. This cookie dough will be quite soft, but don't worry, this is how it's supposed to be!

Drop cookie dough by the tablespoon-full onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. With this cookie dough being so soft, using parchment paper ensures the cookies won't stick. You want the cookies to be at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet so they don't touch while baking. Bake 11-13 minutes until the edges are golden brown. 

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to rest on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough. Then it's time for the icing!

Easy Orange Icing

This orange icing is so quick to throw together and is loaded with orange flavor! In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, orange zest and orange juice. Orange zest has so much more flavor than the juice, so using both zest and juice really adds a ton of flavor to this icing. I like to start with 2 tablespoons of orange juice and add more if needed to reach the perfect consistency. You want the icing to be thick enough to spread on the cookie with a knife. Frost each cookie with the orange icing. 

Store these Orange Cranberry Cookies in an airtight container for 3-4 days, although they never make it that long in our house! I would not recommend freezing these cookies with the icing. These cookies are perfect with a cup of coffee or hot tea. 

Sharing these family recipes with all of you is such a joy. Thank you for allowing me into your homes and I hope I can inspire you to cherish your own family traditions or create some new ones. Down the road, you never know who just might cherish them the most.