Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Shortbread is a delicious classic with a twist.
You can’t go wrong with a cookie whose main ingredient is butter! These rich squares also boast diced, tangy dried cranberries. You can get extra creative and use a flavored option like I did with the Craisin cherry-infused dried cranberries. Of course, everything is better dipped in chocolate, and these tasty treats are no exception. A sprinkle of additional cranberries adds the finishing touch.
Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Shortbread – Backstory
It’s been a few years since I hosted a Fall Tea. These “hen party” events feature a variety of finger sandwiches and sweets. Now that I am on the other side of my caregiver journey, I have more free time for such gatherings. But I wanted to shake things up a little and try something new. That’s when I dug out a magazine called the Magnolia Journal Recipe Collection I had tucked away a few years ago. This shortbread cookie recipe also included an alternate version, swapping out the dried cranberries for pistachios and using white chocolate instead of semi-sweet.
Fall Tea Menu
The other delectable homemade treats on the tea menu include:
- A mini version of these Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting
- Coconut Shortbread Tarts with Coconut Cream and Fruit (vegan and gluten-free)
- Smoked Ham, Manchego, and Fig Butter Finger Sandwiches (mix fig jam with butter, spread on bread, and top with smoked ham and thinly sliced Manchego cheese.)
Tips & Tricks
Pastry Blender vs. Food Processor – I included an image of a pastry blender in case you’re unfamiliar with this tool. I have fond memories of watching my mom use hers to make the most delicious pie crusts. No offense to the classic way of doing things, but I am fond of using a food processor instead. After dividing the ingredients in half, I pulse them until they reach a nice uniform, crumb-like texture. But either option will work.
Chocolate & Dipping – the original recipe calls for dark or bittersweet chocolate chips. But this cookie is not overly sweet, so I indicated semi-sweet for my version of the recipe. You could also opt for white chocolate, which would be a festive Christmas option with the diced cranberries sprinkled on top. So feel free to use whatever you like best.
Dipping cookies in chocolate is always a bit of an art form. I’ve found using a smaller container for melting the chocolate works best (I used a 2-cup glass measuring cup.) This enables the volume of melted chocolate to be as deep as possible so you can get the cookie submerged far enough. I found I still had to tilt the cookie forward to get the chocolate to go up to the halfway point.
If using, add the sprinkle of diced dried cranberries on the chocolate side of the cookie. Then, allow the chocolate to set. I like to pop them in the frig for 30 minutes to hasten this process.
Make Ahead Option – I made these cookies a week in advance and froze them. Then I thawed and dipped the cookies chocolate the day before serving, storing them in the frig overnight. The original recipe says they can be frozen (undipped) for up to 3 months. You could probably dip them and freeze them as well. But in my experience, the chocolate does tend to discolor (although it tastes fine.)
Love Cookie Recipes?
If you’re interested in additional delicious cookie recipes, these are some my favorites, and you can also head to the dessert index for additional options.
Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Shortbread
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 2/3 c. finely chopped dried cranberries
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1 c. cold butter, cut up
- 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 2 tsp. shortening
- additional chopped dried cranberries, oprional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cranberries, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to stick together. NOTE – I used a food processor, which worked very well. I placed half of the flour mixture and butter in the processor and pulsed to reach the desired texture. Then I repeated this step with the remaining ingredients.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one-half of the dough into an 8-inch square (1/4 inch thick.) Using a pizza cutter, pastry wheel, or sharp knife, cut dough into 2-inch pieces. Place squares 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 15 minutes-17 minutes or until bottoms just start to brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
- In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the chocolate and shortening. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Then stir and microwave for 10-15 second intervals until the chocolate melts. Stirring as needed.
- Dip half of each cookie in the chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip off (I also scraped the edge of the cookie against the measuring cup.) If desired, sprinkle the chocolate side with finely chopped cranberries. Let stand until set (I pop them into the frig for 30 minutes to help them set faster.)
Thanks so much for this recipe. I make three dozen cookies every Christmas season for each of our food pantry recipients, and this year we have over 60 families using our small pantry. I needed some more cranberry ideas! Thanks again!
Kudos to you for helping out at the food pantry! I pray God blesses you for your generosity and kindness. Enjoy this recipe. It’s one of my new favorites and will be a annual holiday cookie at my house.
They look very yummy! Your holiday teas are always such a treat, I am sure everything was delicious š
We had a lot of fun at those teas. This year’s event (the first in several years) was small but lovely. I am hoping to continue this annual tradition and maybe branch out to do a spring tea as well. I do highly recommend this cookie recipe. It’s yummy.