Butter Cookies with Cranberry Glaze
Butter Cookies with Cranberry Glaze start with my soft, buttery cut-out cookie dough and get topped with a naturally pink cranberry glaze that carries just a touch of fresh orange. The combination is sweet, buttery, citrusy, and festive in all the best ways.
What Makes These Cranberry-Glazed Cookies Different From Regular Butter Cookies?
This recipe starts with my buttery, tender Basic Cookie Dough but gets a festive upgrade from a smooth, jewel-toned cranberry glaze. The glaze adds a sweet-tart burst of cranberry, giving each cookie a naturally bright pop of pink. In short, these are classic butter cut-out cookies dressed up with color, flavor, and holiday charm.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These cookies feel special without being fussy, and they slot beautifully into any holiday cookie box or gifting tray.
- The glaze is naturally tinted from cranberries; no food coloring needed.
- Classic cut-out cookie cut just a bit thicker for a soft, tender bite.
- Fresh cranberries simmered in orange juice give the glaze a sweet-tart pop.
- Great for gifting: They hold their shape, pack well, and look impressive in cookie boxes.
- One dough, many flavors: Part of the Basic Cookie Dough series, so you can make several variations from one batch.
When I make any type of cut-out cookies, including these butter cookies, I save the leftover dough scraps and bake them into tiny dollhouse “loaves” for my daughter, just like my mom once did for me. She devours them instantly, of course, while I used to save mine and set them neatly on my dollhouse table. It’s a sweet, full-circle moment that brings back so many wonderful memories.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Basic Cookie Dough: One portion of my dough becomes the tender, buttery base for these cranberry-glazed cut-out cookies. It will make about 18 cookies.
- Cranberries: They bring natural color and tart flavor to the glaze. Either fresh or frozen berries are fine to use.
- Orange Juice: To simmer the cranberries in.
- Powdered Sugar: Helps thicken and set the glaze.
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
How to Make Cranberry-Glazed Cut-Out Cookies
1. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness, cut shapes, then gather scraps to re-roll.
2. Transfer cut-outs to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Simmer cranberries with orange juice until berries burst, then mash.
4. Strain the cranberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing firmly to extract the liquid.
5. Whisk cranberry liquid with powdered sugar until smooth, glossy, and slightly pourable.
6. Glaze cooled cookies by piping a thin border around the edges and then filling them in.
Substitutions & Variations
- These Butter Cookies with Cranberry Glaze adapt easily, making them ideal for holiday baking and cookie boxes. Use any shape cutter you like, just make sure the dough is chilled for easier handling.
- Change the citrus: Lemon juice can replace orange juice for a brighter, more tart cranberry glaze.
- Shortbread-style: Bake these a bit longer for a firmer, shortbread-style cut-out cookie.
- Swap the fruit: Raspberries or cherries can replace cranberries for the same jewel-toned glaze.
- Skip the glaze: Dust baked cookies with powdered sugar for a simple butter cookie option.
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Expert Tips
- Roll the dough between parchment instead; this keeps the butter cookies tender and prevents toughness.
- Cold dough is key for sharp cut-out cookies. Chill the dough periodically if it becomes too soft to work with.
- Lightly dip cookie cutters in flour if they start to stick.
- Do a spoon test for the glaze; it should form a slow ribbon when dripped from the spoon. If the cranberry glaze is too thin, whisk in more powdered sugar; if it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of orange juice at a time to thin.
- Cool completely before glazing; warm cookies will cause the cranberry glaze to slide off.
How to Store Cranberry-Glazed Cut-Out Cookies
Room Temperature: Store glazed butter cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week in a cool, dry place. Keep them away from direct sunlight so the cranberry glaze stays vibrant.
Refrigerator: Not necessary for these cookies. The glaze sets and holds best at room temperature.
Freezer: Freeze unbaked cut-out shapes on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Freeze baked, unglazed cookies the same way for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then glaze fresh for the best finish.
Recipe FAQs
No, these cookies hold their shape during baking. Make sure to chill the dough before putting them into the oven.
Yes. Add extra powdered sugar until it forms a slow ribbon when dripped from a spoon.
Yes. You can make these butter cut-out cookies ahead of time in several stages. The dough can be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months. Baked, unglazed cookies freeze well for up to 3 months and can be thawed at room temperature before glazing. For the best finish, add the cranberry glaze the day you plan to serve or gift them.
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Butter Cookies with Cranberry Glaze
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 portion 370g Basic Cookie Dough Recipe chilled
For the Cranberry Glaze
- 3/4 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
- 6 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar divided
Instructions
Making the cookies:
- Place the chilled Basic Cookie Dough between two sheets of parchment and roll to a ¼-inch thickness. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- While the dough is cold, cut out shapes with your favorite cookie cutters.
- Gather any dough scraps, roll them out again, and cut out more cookies, repeating this process until no dough remains.
- Transfer the cut-outs to a cold, parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes
- Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the bottoms are a light golden color. Avoid overbaking; these should stay soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Making the cranberry glaze:
- Add the cranberries and orange juice to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and release their juices. Mash the berries gently with a potato masher to release more color and flavor.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, extracting as much liquid as possible.
- Sift ¾ cup powdered sugar into the cranberry liquid, whisking until smooth and glossy. Add additional powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time, until the glaze is thick but still slightly pourable.
- Set a wire rack over parchment to catch drips. For clean edges, pipe a thin outline around each cookie, let it set, then fill it in with the remaining glaze.
- Allow the glaze to set before serving or storing.
Notes
Nutrition
If you’re enjoying these Cranberry-Glazed Cut-Out Cookies, explore the rest of my Basic Cookie Dough Series; each variation starts with the same master dough and turns into a completely different butter cookie:
- Spiced Shortbread Cookies
- Peppermint White Chocolate Dipped Cookies
- Orange Ginger Cookies with Crystallized Ginger
- Raspberry Jam Filled Sandwich Cookies (recipe coming soon)
- Lemon Curd Cookies (recipe coming soon)
They’re all built from the same dough, but each one has its own flavor, texture, and personality; ideal for holiday cookies, gifting, cookie trays, or stocking a festive cookie box.
I love the pop of color (and cranberry taste) on these soft butter cookies.