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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

    May 8, 2020(updated Jan 5, 2025)

    By Michelle Weiner

    The specks of red and white in these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies bring joy and merriment to every holiday celebration. So buttery, tart, and sweet, these Christmas cookies are perfect for parties, cookie exchanges, and Santa!
    5 from 10 votes
    Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes minutes
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Close up of shortbread cookies that have cranberries and chunks of white chocolate in them.

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    A Christmas cookie that’s merry and bright

    While these ​​Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are delicious year-round, I think they’re one of the best Christmas cookies. Classic buttery shortbread cookies are mixed with dried cranberries and white chocolate to not only speckle them with traditional Christmas colors but flavors as well!

    If you didn’t know already, dried cranberries and white chocolate happen to be a perfect pairing. Cranberries can sometimes be overly tart on their own, but the sweet and buttery white chocolate helps to tone this down and add balance to every bite.

    Whip up a batch of these cranberry and white chocolate cookies for cookie exchanges, gifting, or to put out for Santa! They, along with my Eggnog Shortbread, would be a great fit for any holiday celebration.

    rows of cranberry white chocolate shortbread cookies on a light grey background

    Christmas shortbread cookie ingredients

    This easy Christmas cookie recipe has 6 simple ingredients and makes a whole bunch of cookies. What could be better?

    Salted butter

    Wanna know the secret to deliciously soft shortbread? Butter! 

    Salted butter is key in this easy shortbread recipe because of the lack of moisture in the dough. Unlike lemon cupcakes or chocolate chunk candy cane cookies, making shortbread dough with salted butter means you don’t have to add the salt on its own. If you use unsalted butter and add salt, your cookies would likely be overly salty.

    Ingredients placed on a white service to make cranberry white chocolate shortbread cookies, including white chocolate bars, butter, vanilla extract

    Powdered sugar

    Making white chocolate cranberry shortbread cookies with powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar ensures they turn out light, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. If you were to use granulated sugar, the granules wouldn’t fully dissolve in the dough because there’s so little moisture.

    Vanilla

    Vanilla extract is needed to bring a warm flavor and balance to the shortbread. If you’re a big fan of vanilla and want to give these cookies an impeccable flavor, swap the extract for vanilla bean paste instead.

    All purpose flour

    A few cups of all purpose flour will bring the cookie dough together and leave you with light and airy cookies.

    shortbread cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet with multiple stacked on their sides in two metal baking tins

    Dried cranberries

    This tart and sweet raisin-like garnish is so perfect in shortbread! Don’t swap them for fresh cranberries or else there will be way too much liquid in the batter and cookies.

    White chocolate

    White chocolate and shortbread are so good together. Both are buttery, sweet, and rich. 

    Now, the true question is, “Should I make these cookies with a white chocolate bar or white chocolate chips?” Please, for the sake of delicious flavors, use a high quality white chocolate bar.

    The best white chocolate is made with a short list of ingredients, the most important being cocoa butter. According to Cook’s Illustrated, most big brand white chocolate chips “contain no cocoa butter and thus can’t be labeled ‘chocolate’”. For this recipe, chopping up a white chocolate bar is best.

    multiple shortbread cookies stacked on their sides in a metal baking tin

    How to make cranberry white chocolate shortbread cookies

    These slice and bake shortbread cookies are really easy to put together, can be made ahead of time, and can even be left in the freezer for months. Any home baker can master this recipe in a few simple steps:

    butter and sugar creamed together in a white bowl with hand mixer beaters next to it

    Step 1: Cream the powdered sugar, vanilla, and butter together.

    a white bowl filled with shortbread cranberry white chocolate cookie dough

    Step 2: Add in the flour, cranberries, and white chocolate. Slowly beat it all together until it looks crumbly.

    two logs of shortbread cookie dough on a cutting board

    Step 3: Turn the dough out onto the counter and form it into two logs.

    Wrap each log up in plastic and leave them to chill in the fridge.

    slices of cranberry white chocolate shortbread cookie dough on a baking sheet with a log of dough being cut at the top of the image

    Step 4: Slice up the cookies into rounds, then bake!

    rows of slice and baked cranberry white chocolate cookies on a piece of parchment paper

    Step 5: You’ll know the cookies are ready when they’re just slightly brown around the bottom edges.

    close up of a shortbread cookie with a bite taken of it and crumbs scattered around it

    Recipe

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    Close up of shortbread cookies that have cranberries and chunks of white chocolate in them.

    Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

    The specks of red and white in these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies bring joy and merriment to every holiday celebration. So buttery, tart, and sweet, these Christmas cookies are perfect for parties, cookie exchanges, and Santa!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Rate Pin
    Author: Michelle Weiner
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Scottish
    Keyword: christmas, cookie swap party, holiday
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Makes: 40 cookies

    Equipment

    • baking sheet
    • oxo cutting board
    • hand mixer

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup salted butter, softened
    • ¾ cup powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
    • 6 ounces white chocolate bar, chopped
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until it just becomes light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
    • Add flour, cranberry, and white chocolate. On low speed, beat until the dough just starts to come together, about 3 minutes.
    • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press together to form a log. Divide the dough in half and form each piece of dough into a 7-inch log. Wrap in parchment paper and chill for at least 2 hours, up to 3 days.
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • Slice each log into ¼ to ¾-inch slices and evenly space on the baking sheets. You should have about 40 cookies.
    • Bake until the bottom edges of the cookies just start to brown, 14-16 minutes.
    • Allow cookies to cool and serve!

    Watch the Video!

    Did you make this recipe?Share a pic and tag @cupofzest and use #cupofzest so I can see it!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 143IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

    « Bacon Spinach Quiche for Brunch
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    Comments

      5 from 10 votes (3 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

      Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe

      ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

      Not only will you be helping us out, but you'll also be spreading the love to other party planners looking for their next big hit!

      Your star rating and comment can make all the difference in helping others discover the perfect recipe for their next shindig. And let's be honest, who doesn't love a good party? So let's get this party started by sharing the love and making sure everyone has a delicious time. Thanks for being a part of the Party Food Crew! And remember, party more & stress less!

      🎉 Cheers,
      Michelle

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Valerie says

      May 04, 2025 at 4:58 pm

      Can you substitute white chocolate chips for this recipe

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        May 06, 2025 at 4:55 pm

        Yes you can! The cookies may not slice as easily, but they can be used.

        Reply
    2. Rose says

      December 23, 2024 at 1:39 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe! It will make baking shortbread cookies a lot easier at a very busy time of year!

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        December 23, 2024 at 4:40 pm

        You are SO WELCOME! Happy holidays!

        Reply
    3. andy says

      March 21, 2024 at 1:01 am

      5 stars
      tasty!

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        May 02, 2024 at 3:34 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Kelvin says

      March 07, 2024 at 6:29 pm

      Hello! How much salt would you add if using unsalted butter? Thanks 😊

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        March 08, 2024 at 7:00 pm

        Hi Kelvin!

        I haven't made this recipe in years with unsalted butter, but this is my educated guess!

        If you don't have salted butter on hand, I recommend using 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. This salt will dissolve best with the other ingredients. If you only have table salt, like Morton's, you may want to try a batch of the recipe with 1/4 teaspoon of salt to start.

        Hope this helps and I'd love to hear how to goes when you make a batch!

        Reply
    5. David Potter says

      January 02, 2024 at 6:45 pm

      5 stars
      My first time making shortbread. Made for New Years Eve. They were very popular.

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        May 02, 2024 at 3:35 pm

        Thank you for making them! I'm so glad they were popular!

        Reply
    6. Andrea says

      December 17, 2023 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      I added lime zest and rolled the log in red sugar crystals. This is a delicious and pretty cookie. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        December 19, 2023 at 1:07 pm

        OMG that addition of lime zest and the sugar coating sounds amazing! You definitely took these holiday cookies to a new level! Thanks for sharing and so happy you liked it!

        Reply
    7. Lana says

      December 06, 2023 at 8:14 am

      Can I use white chocolate chips instead of the bars?

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        December 06, 2023 at 9:11 am

        Great Q! I have not tried these with white chocolate chips, but Bunnie left a comment saying that they did use white chocolate chips and it worked well! Feel free to give it a go!

        Reply
        • Lana says

          December 06, 2023 at 9:15 am

          Thanks so much for the reply! Happy Holidays 💫

          Reply
    8. Bunnie says

      December 03, 2023 at 12:11 pm

      5 stars
      These shortbread cookies are delicious I used white chips instead of white bark you will not be disappointed great flavor and taste

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        December 06, 2023 at 9:09 am

        Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed them and that the white chocolate chips worked great! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

        Reply
    9. Carolyn says

      December 13, 2022 at 3:18 am

      Hello
      I froze the unbaked dough. Do I let it thaw in the fridge or on the counter before I bake?

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        December 15, 2022 at 6:15 pm

        Hi! I apologize for not getting to you sooner! Yes, thaw the dough in the fridge before baking!

        Reply
    10. rj says

      December 09, 2022 at 7:16 pm

      hi - instead of rolling the dough into a log, could i just scoop the dough into small balls and bake like cookies?

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        December 09, 2022 at 7:38 pm

        Great question!

        This dough is pretty crumbly. If you don't want to roll it into a log, you can try scooping it and baking like cookies, but you will need to press the dough down so it is in one even layer.

        The dough doesn't really spread like a normal cookie dough, so the shape will stay how it is scooped it after it's baked.

        I honestly have not tried scooping it, but the above is my educated guess as to what would happen.

        I do recommend you try the recipe as is, but if you want to go for the scoop method, please let me know how it works!

        Thanks for the comment and I hope you enjoy these cookies!

        Reply
    11. Joan says

      December 02, 2022 at 1:19 pm

      It looks like you are using 2 full sticks of butter, but you said 1 cup and the recipe also said 1 cup. I followed the recipe and my dough is soo dry and crumby I don't think it will slice after chilling. Help:)

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        December 02, 2022 at 1:43 pm

        Hi Joan!

        Yes, you need to use 2 sticks of butter. 1 cup of butter equals 2 sticks!

        If you get another stick of butter at room temp, beat it until it is light and fluffy and then mix it into the dough, it should work.

        Please let me know if you need more help!

        Reply
        • Joan says

          December 02, 2022 at 3:28 pm

          Hi Thanks for reply. Two 2/1 hours later the logs are as hard as rocks, and just crumble. (I did use the correct amount of butter, my butter comes shaped different) I doubled the recipe so have lots of wasted ingredients. Can I use the rolls for something else by adding something?

          Reply
          • Michelle Weiner says

            December 02, 2022 at 3:39 pm

            I am so so sorry that it didn't turn out for you.

            My best suggestion is to crumble and then press the dough into a baking pan lined with parchment, making sure the dough is no more than 1/2-inch thick, then bake at the time and temp the recipe calls for. Let it cool completely and then take it out of the baking pan and cut into pieces. It will still probably be very crumbly, but you hopefully will end up with something edible.

            Reply
    12. Anne-Marie Jordan says

      November 25, 2022 at 10:26 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for letting me know.
      I made the biscuits and they were delicious. A total winner.
      Will be making these shortbread biscuits as part of the goody bags I make for all my team mates during the last week of work, before we break for the Xmas summer holidays.

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        November 27, 2022 at 6:01 pm

        This is so great to hear! Thanks so much for making them and sharing that you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    13. Anne-marie. says

      November 18, 2022 at 3:20 am

      I'm looking forward to making these this weekend as a test run for Xmas. One query I have tho is that altho the ingredients convert into metric, the rest of the recipe remains in Imperial measurements - inches and Fahrenheit. Why does this not convert at the same time to cm and Celsius? Is there some glitch with the set up of your website?
      Thanks.

      Reply
      • Michelle Weiner says

        November 21, 2022 at 10:31 am

        So excited for you to make this recipe Anne-Marie!

        Unfortunately the software that I use only automatically converts the ingredients, it doesn't apply to the instructions. You'll have to convert that part on your own. I'll put a note in with the software provider to see if that is a feature they can add in for the future.

        Let me know if you have any other questions!

        Reply
    14. Ashley says

      December 25, 2021 at 9:49 pm

      5 stars
      These were my favourite out of all the Christmas cookies I made this year! So delicious, and very pretty as well. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Michelle Ferrand says

        December 27, 2021 at 10:32 am

        Ashley!!! You are so welcome! I'm glad this recipe brought you joy this year!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Michelle and welcome to the party!

    After of working in the culinary world for over 10 years, I'm sharing the skills I've learned with you here at Cup of Zest. I'm here to help you invite your friends over more and stress less when cooking for them. Glad you're part of the crew!

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