It’s that time of year again! If someone were to ask me what fruit I felt best represents Christmas and the holiday season, I’d say it’s a tie between cranberries and oranges. But if you put them together? Well, together they make some of the best, most delicious cookies out there! Like these Cranberry Orange Icebox Cookies.

Cranberry orange cookies on a wooden ornament shaped cutting board with cranberries scattered around, Santa cocoa cups, and other Christmas decor.

What is an Icebox Cookie?

What are ice box cookies, you may ask? It’s simply a type of cookie in which once the dough is prepared, it’s then rolled into a log of dough shape and refrigerated until firm. It helps give the cookie that perfectly round shape and makes them much easier to cut. This buttery shortbread-like cookie is a classic and perfect for the holiday season.

I know some people find refrigerating dough inconvenient, but I actually love it! You can make a batch of icebox cookie dough ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze them, and then bake as many as you want at a time. You could finish the whole batch or bake just a few cookies at a time, making sure whenever you want some, they’re fresh and delicious!

How Long Can Icebox Cookies Stay in the Fridge?

In the fridge, they can stay for up to five days. The chilled dough ensures clean cuts when slicing the cookies.

Can You Freeze Icebox Cookies?

Yes, you can freeze the dough for up to a month. If you do that though, make sure that after you secure the log of dough in a rolled shape with plastic wrap, you place them in freezer bags. Otherwise, you could deal with freezer burn, and no one wants to ruin a good cookie that way.

Cookie dough on a counter being rolled up in plastic wrap

Ingredient Quality Matters

If you’ve visited this site before, you know I’m passionate about quality ingredients. A high-quality all purpose flour is a great base for a yummy cookie. I recommend organic unbleached. I also only use and recommend 100% vanilla extract. Not vanilla-flavored or caramel-colored. It’s more expensive to get the good stuff, but a little goes a long way and the flavor is worth it. Not to mention we should all be avoiding artificial dyes as much as possible.

Can You Use Fresh Cranberries Instead of Dried?

Yes! The best way to do this is to dice the cranberries into smaller pieces to be evenly distributed into the dough. They will also make a more tart cookie with fresh cranberries. The dried ones are usually sugared ahead of time, and even if they aren’t, dried fruit retains the sugar while the water in them is reduced, making them sweeter in that form than fresh. If using fresh, double the amount of cranberries in the recipe.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup dried cranberries (or 1 cup fresh, minced)
1 Tablespoon orange zest
Additional if wanted – dash almond extract

How to Make Cranberry Orange Icebox Cookies

Start by using an electric mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to cream butter together with both sugars. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, place together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly combine these dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Once incorporated, add in the cranberries and orange zest, and fold them into the dough.

log of cookie dough being rolled in decorating sugar.

Shaping into Dough Logs

I like to wet my hands before grabbing the dough as it helps the cookies not to adhere to your hands as much. Divide the dough into two sections and roll it out into a long log of dough shape. I try to keep mine about 2” in diameter. You can also make smaller logs of dough for a different size.

Once rolled out, set the logs of dough on plastic wrap, and fold the wrap over the dough, making sure to seal the ends well. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours but no more than 5 days. If you want to wait longer, freeze the dough in a freezer-proof bag.

Adding Nuts or Sugar to the Sides of the Cookies

If you want a fun addition to these cookies, consider rolling the log of dough over walnut pieces or garnishing sugar. This gives them a nice holiday touch and adds a unique twist!

slices of cookie dough that was rolled in decorating sugar.

Baking the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F and place parchment paper (or wax paper) on top of a cookie sheet. Once the oven is heated, remove the dough from the fridge and slice cookies into 1/4” rounds. Not super thick slices or they won’t cook even. If the dough is allowed to warm on the counter, the bottom will begin to flatten, and you won’t have that perfectly round shape. After every few slices, I’ll rotate the log of dough so the pressure of your cutting doesn’t create a flat side.

Place the cookies on prepared baking sheets and bake for 12 minutes or until the sides begin to brown. Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Orange Zest Glaze

This simple orange zest glaze is the perfect addition to the top of these cookies. And it couldn’t be easier. Mix 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar with 1 Tablespoon of fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a dash of vanilla extract. I’m talking only about 1/4 teaspoon. Mix together and drizzle over cookies. For a pretty, added effect, zest the orange a bit over the cookies and sprinkle a bit more decorating sugar over the top.

Storage Tips

Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. If you’re not planning to eat them all at once, you can also freeze them for later. For best results, enjoy them within a week of baking. Happy baking!

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