Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

Here’s a terrific way to use up that bag of cranberries leftover from Thanksgiving. I like the idea of a stick shaped cookie on a cookie tray. They’re festive with the flecks of cranberry and orange zest, they’re delicious!

• 1 ¼ cup flour
• ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¼ cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped
• ½ tablespoon orange zest

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, mix flour, sugar, cornstarch and salt.
2. Add the butter cubes and mix  for about 3 minutes, until the butter is evenly distributed into the flour mixture. The mixture should look like wet sand and form into a ball when squeezed in your palm.
3. Stir in the cranberries and orange zest.
4. Turn the mixture onto a parchment paper and knead it into a smooth ball.  Place another sheet of parchment paper on top and roll out a 4″×12″ rectangle. Freeze for 20  minutes to firm it up.
5. Preheat oven to 325º. Slice the cookies into 24 sticks and place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes until the edges start to lightly brown. Cool on a wire rack.
6. If you want to glaze them, mix 2/3 cup of confectioners sugar and 3 teaspoons of orange juice until smooth. Transfer into a pastry bag and drizzle over cooled cookies.