Description
Sweet and tangy lemon cranberry cookies bring zesty Mediterranean sunshine to classic holiday baking. Crisp edges, chewy centers, and tart cranberry jewels make these cookies an irresistible treat you’ll crave all season long.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (150g) fresh cranberries, diced
- 1 cup (227g or 8 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsps lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- 2 ¼ cups (290g or 10.2 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (60g or 2.1 oz) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Zesty Dough Preparation: Infuse granulated sugar with lemon zest by rubbing until aromatic. Cream softened butter into the lemon-sugar mixture using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Incorporate egg and vanilla extract, then gently fold in flour mixture and diced cranberries until just combined.
- Dough Conditioning: Refrigerate the prepared dough for 30 minutes to firm up and enhance flavor melding.
- Baking Process: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into tablespoon-sized balls, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes until edges turn golden brown. Allow cookies to rest briefly on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Citrus Glaze Finish: Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice into a smooth, glossy glaze. Once cookies have cooled completely, artfully drizzle the lemon glaze across the tops. Permit glaze to set before serving, allowing the elegant citrus notes to shine.
Notes
- Gently rub lemon zest into sugar to release intense citrus oils and maximize flavor depth before mixing with butter.
- Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading and ensure cookies maintain structured shape during baking.
- Fold cranberries gently by hand to prevent breaking fruit and maintain even berry placement throughout cookie dough.
- Adjust lemon juice gradually when making glaze to achieve perfect drizzling thickness – start with small amounts and incrementally add until desired smooth texture is reached.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg