Melt-in-your-mouth crisp gingerbread shortbread cookies with cranberries are an easy slice and bake cookie recipe and will be a hit at any holiday party.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Easy slice and bake cookie dough can be frozen, sliced, and baked whenever you want fresh cookies.
How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep and at least 30 minutes to chill.
Equipment you’ll need: mixer, baking sheet
Servings: makes 2 dozen
I’m on a gingerbread kick this season. Did you happen to see my gingersnaps (they’re the best!)? I knew I had to add gingerbread shortbread cookies to my baking list.
I have to say, I think these gingerbread shortbread cookies may be my favorite new cookie creation of this year. Thanks to a medley of warm spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves), gingerbread cookies are downright exciting to eat. Dried cranberries add a bit of chewiness as well as tartness that really balances the flavors perfectly.
Why You’ll Love This Shortbread Cookie Recipe
- They are super easy to make! It’s no secret that I love shortbread cookies. You can make the dough in less than 15 minutes with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. There’s nothing complicated about shortbread.
- Shortbread cookies taste so good! Butter is a KEY ingredient and you can tell by the way the cookie melts in your mouth. Of course, butter also gives wonderful flavor to the cookies. The warm spices and molasses are key components, too.
- You can make slice and bake cookies ahead. The very best part about shortbread cookies is that you can make the dough ahead of time and freeze it. Pull it out of the freezer any time you need freshly baked cookies. Slice and bake as many as you want. You can even use your toaster oven if you only want a few cookies.
- Freeze the dough. One of the features you’ll love about shortbread cookies is that you can make the dough and freeze it to bake later. Make the dough into a log (or shorter logs) and wrap it securely. It will keep for up to 3 months. Bake cookies as needed.
- Freeze baked cookies. After the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or put the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
More Slice and Bake Cookies
Recipe
Gingerbread Shortbread Cookies
Gingerbread shortbread cookies have all the flavor of gingerbread in a crisp buttery cookie. This slice and bake cookie dough can be frozen, sliced, and baked whenever you want fresh cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Icing (optional but recommended)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (see note 1), cream butter, powdered sugar, molasses, vanilla, and salt until creamy and light colored, about 2 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, softened, ¾ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture until combined.
- On wax paper or parchment paper, form the dough into a 12- to 14-inch log and freeze for 30 minutes or until firm (see note 2). If you freeze the dough longer than 30 minutes, it may become too hard to slice. If this happens, let the dough sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes to soften.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the shortbread dough into ¼ -inch slices; place them evenly on a baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until firm and set. Remove pan from oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Optional Icing: When cookies are cool, mix powdered sugar and milk (or water). Drizzle icing over cookies, using a spoon, fork, or a small plastic bag with the corner cut off (squeeze icing through the small hole). Allow icing to set before storing cookies in an airtight container.½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk or water
Notes
- Mixer: If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a hand mixer to blend the butter, sugar, molasses, vanilla and salt until smooth. You’ll probably need to stir the flour mixture in by hand unless you have a powerful mixer.
- Freeze the dough. Make the dough into a log (or 2 shorter logs) and wrap it securely. It will keep for up to 3 months. Let it set out at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing it. Bake cookies as directed.
- Storage: Once the cookies have completely cooled and icing has hardened, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or put the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie with icing, Calories: 85kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 30mg, Potassium: 25mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 143IU, Vitamin C: 0.002mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
These are so good! I used maple sugar instead of powdered and they were perfect!!! Making them as my cookie exchange pick!!!
Question, Once they are baked could I still freeze them or are they best frozen until baked?
Sp happy you liked them! You could definitely freeze them baked or unbaked
Thanks so much for allowing me to include your recipe in my round-up of 60 Ultimate Cookie Exchange Recipes on Taste As You Go! Happy Holidays!
Slice and bake cookies are my fave! And these sound fabulous!
as far as dried fruit in cookies go, I vastly prefer cranberries to raisins. These cookies look so addictive!