Get festive with these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks. These melt-in-your-mouth treats disappear fast… you may want to double the recipe!
Love cranberry treats? Be sure to try our ready favorite cranberry bliss bars and cranberry white chocolate cookies next.
Why This Cookie is Best
Today’s cookie recipe is my favorite type. Shortbread.
At Christmas, when everyone else is rushing to get their share of Chocolate Chip Cookies or the Cut Out Sugar Cookies, I’m going straight for the shortbread. I love the buttery flavor and the crisp bite that dissolves into sugary crumbs in your mouth.
Shortbread is so versatile, too! You can add so many mix ins, toppings and icings to create a variety of flavored shortbread desserts.
For this recipe, I turned shortbread cookies into Cookie Sticks perfect for dipping into coffee. Because every cookie is better when you can eat it with a cup of coffee.
I’ve packed these with some dried cranberries and topped them with melted white chocolate for a festive touch. These were a hit on my cookie platter this year!
- Just SIX ingredients needed!
- Classic shortbread dough sliced into cookie sticks.
- Baked to perfection with a crisp consistency and buttery texture that melts in your mouth.
- Filled with sweetened dried cranberries and drizzled with melted white chocolate, making them a perfect winter treat!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter – I use unsalted butter as I do with most of my baking. Use a good quality butter if you can as it’s flavor is central in shortbread. Use our guide on how to soften butter quickly.
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar, this melts perfectly into the dough for a smooth consistency.
- Vanilla Extract – A store bought PURE vanilla (not imitation) is fine, but you’ll love the flavor of homemade vanilla extract in these cookie sticks.
- All Purpose Flour – It’s important to carefully measure your flour for best results!
- Dried Cranberries – I use Craisins but any similar brand will do. Just make sure they are fresh and haven’t gotten stale.
- White Chocolate – You can use white chocolate chips or white chocolate melting wafers for this recipe.
Easy Instructions
Make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add in flour and beat until combined. Fold in dried cranberries.
Bake the shortbread. Drop the dough into center of baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using the heels of your hands, press the dough into a large rectangle. Keep pressing until you have a rectangle about 12×10-inches and about 1/4-inch thick throughout. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 F, until edges begin to lightly brown.
Cut into bars. Remove the shortbread from the oven and immediately cut into strips using a pizza cutter. Let cool completely.
Drizzle and garnish. While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate. Once cooled, drizzle each shortbread cookie stick with melted white chocolate and add sparkly white sanding sugar for a garnish if desired. ENJOY!
Recipe FAQs
Once cooled and drizzled, store the shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Yes, you can freeze these cookies in a freezer-safe ziplock bag for up to 1-2 months, but they will lose some of their crispiness. I prefer them served soon after baking.
The white chocolate drizzle adds a festive touch, but you can definitely use milk chocolate or dark chocolate if you prefer. Or do both white and dark chocolate drizzles!
Favorite Dessert Recipes
- Lebkuchen
- Coconut Shortbread Cookies
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Mocha Latte
- Snowball Cookie Recipe
- No Bake Cheesecake
More Easy Cookie Recipes
See all Cookies recipes
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Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup dried cranberries Craisins
- ¾ cup melted white chocolate chips
- white sanding sugar for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Line a 15×10-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degree.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Add in flour and beat until combined. Fold in dried cranberries.
- Drop dough into center of baking sheet, and using the heels of your hand, press dough into a large rectangle. You want the dough to be the same thickness throughout, so keep pressing until you have a rectangle about 12×10-inches and about 1/4-inch thick.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until edges begin to lightly brown. Remove from oven and immediately cut into strips using a pizza cutter. Once cooled, drizzle with melted white chocolate and add sparkly white sanding sugar for a garnish. ENJOY!
Notes
- Melting chocolate: To melt the chocolate chips, I microwave them in a glass bowl in 30 second increments. Stir the chocolate between each interval until it’s completely melted and smooth.
- Use softened butter. Cold butter is more difficult to work into the dough and disrupts the consistency of the shortbread cookies.
- Storing: Store covered at room temperature. You can freeze these cookies but they will lose some of their crispiness, so I prefer them served soon after baking.
- No pizza cutter? You can use a very sharp knife to cut these bars. Cut carefully to keep the shape of the sticks and make clean lines.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Served with your after dinner coffee or as a pick-me-up any time of day, Shortbread Cookie Sticks are guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit!
Hi….
Any particular reason why you press to a 12×10 rectangle versus using a 9×13 pan?
Thank you!
Love white chocolate and cranberries!
Thank you Becky! These are great for the holidays!
These cookies sound absolutely delicious. I will definitely have them on my cookie plate this year. Thank you and have a very Merry Christmas!
Why did you not give the recipe for the white chocolate chips and cranberry cookies? You only gave the recipe fot the cookie sticks. Please give the one for cookies
You are commenting on the recipe for the shortbread cookie sticks. If you want the recipe to the white chocolate cranberry cookies, go here: https://www.shugarysweets.com/white-chocolate-and-cranberry-cookies/
I could not get anything to stick on top. They are delicious but I think I will put the white chocolate chips in before baking next time.
All were gone off of my cookie plate christmas eve.
Love it 🙂
These are SO good. They melt in your mouth and I like that they’re in stick form which is different than my other cookies. Luckily, I checked them at 18 minutes and mine were finished so I guess I have a hot oven. These will definitely be made again before Christmas Day. And after! Great recipe to finish out the year.
My cup of tea ! Thank you and have a very happy holidays !
Can you flatten out the dough and freeze it and bake it later?
Oh yum! What a great combination! Very Christmassy! Is that a word – delicious and festive! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing they look delicious. I hope your Christmas is full of love, laughter and togetherness and the New Year brings you an abundance of blessings.
These look delicious Aimee. Enjoy your much needed time off.
Looks delish! Thanks for sharing the recipe.