Shortbread cookies are highly underrated in my opinion. Perfectly crisp and tender without being too crunchy, rich and buttery with a touch of salt, and filled with layers of buttery perfection. They are the ultimate cookie for pairing with coffee or tea, not overpowering yet infinitely comforting. For these Cranberry Thyme Shortbread Cookies, I decided to take that delicious base shortbread dough and swirl in the festive flavors of fresh thyme and dried cranberries. These cookies make for an unexpected but delightful addition to a cookie platter at holiday gatherings, a beautiful and unique gift, or simply a classic cookie with a twist to leave out for Santa.
The base of these cookies is the same as any shortbread: butter, sugar, and flour. This makes these cookies super simple to make and easy to whip up on short notice. You likely have those three ingredients on hand already, so spicing them up just takes a couple of extra ingredients.
I am a huge fan of thyme, so I love it in these cookies. If you aren’t sure about it, you could always add less than is called for just to give it a try. Or, if you’re like me, feel free to add extra! Thyme is a flavor that seamlessly transitions from savory to sweet given the right environment, and I think it fits right in with the buttery base of these cookies.
These cookies are also easy to adjust if you have different ingredients on hand. Swapping in rosemary for the thyme or dried figs for the cranberries is always an option. Any festive herbs and fruit you have on hand will work nicely with the sturdy, flavorful shortbread dough.
Looking for other cookies? Try these:
Nana’s Almond Shortbread Cookies
Salted Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter and Jelly Macarons
Another great thing about shortbread cookies is how stable they are. They hardly change shape at all when baking, so you can fit more cookies per baking sheet. Plus, they are easy to stack and store for traveling or gifting stacks of cookies.
The white chocolate is optional, as these cookies are just as delicious plain, but I do think the touch of sweetness adds something special and festive. Plus, the light drizzle dresses them up and makes them pretty enough for any holiday party or Christmas cookie tray.
I hope you love these Cranberry Thyme Shortbread Cookies! If you loved this recipe, leave a comment and let me know what you thought or feel free to ask a question! I’d also love to see what you made! Tag me in your food pics #fortheperfectbite on Instagram.
Cranberry Thyme Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 sticks salted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 3 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 oz. white chocolate
- ½ tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In a medium bowl, or in an electric mixer, combine the room temperature butter, sugar, and vanilla, until smooth. Mix in the fresh thyme leaves and cranberries.Stir in the flour and salt, a heaping spoonful at a time, until all the flour has been incorporated.
- Dust the dough with flour, form into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes,
- On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Using cookie cutters or just a knife, cut the dough into cookies of any shape you'd like (I usually do diamonds).Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, until set and lightly browned on the bottom.
- In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the white chocolate in 20 second increments, mixing in-between, until melted. If the chocolate isn't melting nicely, stir in the coconut oil, until smooth and glossy.Drizzle the cookies with the white chocolate.
- Allow the chocolate to harden, about 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
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