I’m off to a late start with holiday baking this year, but I’m going to see if I can get even slightly close to baking a few of the bookmarked cookie recipes on my list before we embark on another holiday journey. I have collected most of these recipes to try out in an effort to gather a chosen few to give as gifts.
These Lemon Cranberry Shortbread bars are perfect holiday cookies. Shortbread, in my opinion, is always a good gift choice; you can bake them in large batches, they keep well, and the flavor combinations are endless. I wanted to make a shortbread with lemon and dried cranberry, and I found this recipe while researching. I stuck to the original recipe for the most part, but finished them off by dipping one of the ends in tempered white chocolate and sprinkling with finely chopped dried cranberry. The cranberry adds a nice tartness to this crisp buttery cookie and the festive red specks throughout each bar make this a great holiday treat.
Lemon Cranberry Shortbread Bars
Adapted from Good Housekeeping
- 3 lemons
- 3/4 cup(s) (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut up (no substitutions)
- 1/4 cup(s) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup(s) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup(s) dried cranberries
- Lemon-peel curls, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat oven to 300° F. Line 13″ by 9″ metal baking pan with foil, letting foil extend 2 inches at ends.
- From lemons, grate 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon peel and squeeze 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon juice.
- In food processor with knife blade attached, blend butter, granulated sugar, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon peel, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until creamy. Add flour and pulse until dough begins to come together. Add cranberries and pulse until evenly mixed into dough (most cranberries will be chopped, a few will remain whole). With fingertips, press dough evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake shortbread 35 to 40 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and top is pale golden. Cool shortbread in pan on wire rack. Using foil, transfer shortbread to cutting board. Cut lengthwise into 3 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 12 bars.
Here is a great tutorial on tempering chocolate.
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
merry Cristmas lisa!! this is sooo perfect!!
Hi KCC,
The remaining cup of sugar goes towards a glaze for the cookies which I did not use. I dipped them in white chocolate instead. If you prefer to use the glaze, click on the recipe link in my post and it will take you to the original recipe and glaze.
Sorry about the confusion. I hope you enjoy these!
I’m giving these a try today as gifts for co-workers, but am confused about the amount of confectioner’s sugar. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 C. , but the instructions only mention using a 1/2 C…..where did the other 1 C. go?
These need to be in a professional bakery. They are so perfect and beautiful.
MMMMMM,….these cranberry shortbread bars look amazing & so delicious too! So Christmassy!
These look so cute! A great combo of flavors. I can see these packaged up as a nice office gift or something.
What a gorgeous recipe Lisa!
I know my mum would love these and I happen to have these ingredients to hand so thankyou! 
Those are gorgeous! They’d be perfect gifts!
They look fantastic!
It’s so soothing to look at your blog. Must be the photos. They always look perfect. The bars are perfect! A little hot chocolate would go nicely with them.
They’re lovely Lisa! Dipping them into the white chocolate and sprinkling them with chopped dried cranberries sealed the deal!
Btw, thanks for the tempering link!
~ingrid
I need a little treat for my long plane ride home later this week…this is perfect. Love the chopped dried cranberry on the white chocolate. I just tried adding cinnamon/dried cranberry to my shortbread recipe last week, but wasn’t feeling the cinnamon in it. Lemon zest is so much of a better idea.
Dipped in white chocolate makes them look so beautiful. Whoever gets this holiday cookie gift is so lucky!
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Sophia,
These are perfect with coffee or tea!
Wendy,
I have not tried cutting shapes yet but it’s a great idea. Let me know how it goes!
Sheba,
Thank you for visiting =)
Im speechless….too beautiful
Mmmm I’m definently going to make this, prehaps for my family as they don’t like chocolate much. I’m sure they’ll love this fruity combo! Do you think rolling the dough out and cutting out simple shapes and baking them will work? (I don’t have a baking pan)
Gosh…these look so delightful…little bites of joy! I can just tell that they’ll just MELT in my mouth…wouldn’t I like a box of these with a cup of coffee!
Oysterculture-
Thank you– I will have a fabulous time. Can’t wait to get out of town again!
Meeta, Veggiegirl, Lita, Natasha-
Thanks, they’re so good and not too sweet. Perfect for the holidays with all the other treats that are sure to be around!
Soma-
Thanks again! You’re posts always inspire me and I have so many of them bookmarked already!
Tia-
Thanks for visiting!
Mary Brooke-
I think dark chocolate would be incredible with these!
Cookie and Madame Sucre-
Thanks for stopping by and do let me know when you try these out!
Deeba-
Happy Holidays to you too! Cheers!
PigsCorner-
Thank you!
Diva-
Thanks miss diva! Happy Holidays to you too!
i love a good shortbread and this definitely looks and sounds it!
yum to lemon and cranberry. a match made in heaven. food porn this is! Happyy Christmas 
They are beautiful! Love the flavours!
Wonderful cookies, very festive!
Happy holidays Lisa…love that you’ve begun holiday baking & this is a fabulous beginning! I want to make them right away! Beautiful!
How elegant and simple! very festive.. I promise you I will attempt this VERY VERY SOON. I’ll get back to you when I do so.
These look SO good! I love how pretty the white and the red are together.
Oh my god do I love shortbread, and the chocolate might just tip it over. I’d be afraid of keeping these around, though…way too tempting.
I wonder how they’d work with dark chocolate instead of white? The whole dark chocolate/cran combination is just aces to my taste buds, and I’ve been “sampling” a lot of dark lately while promoting the “Year of Godiva Giveaway” at godivagiveaway.com (if you sending free virtual gifts to friends could win ya a “year of chocolate”). Man, I’m getting hungry over here…
Also, thanks for that link on “tempering”…it’s definitely an art form.
i would love to receive a box of theses! they look picture perfect.
These are so very pretty and I love the lemon and the cranberry you got together. Bookmarked.. i am bookmarking so many recipes for christmas; don’t know if I will get to do them in time. Love your diving pictures.
Scrumptious bars! Wonderful with lemon & cranberry and perfect dipped in chocolate!
Yummy!! Shortbread cookies are one of my favorites. Goes great with tea and hot chocolate and they do make great gifts.
Great start to the holiday baking!
ooohh these look great! i love the flavors here! gotta try them!
Looks like heaven, I have to say I have a weakness for shortbread and lemon, now when the too are married together, oh my! Have a fabulous time on your journey.
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