Dessert
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
These gluten free shortbread cookies are filled with lots of tasty cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla! Topped with a refined sugar free icing and sprigs of fresh rosemary, these cranberry orange cookies are perfect to serve during the holidays, or any time of year.
Equipment
INGREDIENTS
- 2 c almond flour
- 1/4 c unsweetened dried cranberries (roughly chopped)
- 2 tsp grated orange zest
- 1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- Pinch of salt
- Topping: two sprigs of rosemary (leaves plucked from the stems)
- 1/2 c coconut butter*
- 1/2 c non-dairy milk
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
- Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, chopped dried cranberries, and orange zest so that the cranberries and orange zest are distributed throughout the flour.
- Add the honey, coconut oil, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Stir until a dough forms.
- Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out so it's about 1/8" thick.
- Remove the top piece of paper and, using a 1" or 2" round cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, until the edges begin turning golden brown.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. The cookies will harden as they cool.
- As the cookies cool, prepare the icing. Place all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the icing starts to bubble and thicken. Add a splash more non-dairy milk if the icing gets too thick.
- Remove the pan from heat and transfer the icing to a heat-proof bowl. Allow to cool completely.
- Drizzle a few drops of the icing on top of each cookie, and press a few pieces of rosemary on top to adhere.
- Feel free to enjoy the cookies immediately. The icing will harden as it cools.
Notes
*I have not yet tried this recipe with a gluten free flour substitute. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!
**Coconut butter can be found in most health food stores. If you can’t find it, then you can certainly make your own! You just need a package of dried, unsweetened coconut flakes. Pour the coconut flakes into a food processor and blend until the coconut flakes break down into a paste. This takes a while–about 10 minutes.