These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are the perfect addition to any holiday cookie platter. Cranberry and orange combine in a buttery and delicious drop cookie that will leave you wanting more!

This post is sponsored in conjunction with ChristmasSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the ChristmasSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

It’s day 2 of #ChristmasSweetsWeek and I am on a roll with the cranberry and orange combination. Don’t worry, this will be the last cranberry-orange combo for the week – I have more deliciousness coming your way! Cranberry Orange Meltaways are one of my favorite cookies because they are so easy to make – and even easier to eat.

These light and buttery cookies have the perfect amount of citrus and tart cranberries. If you’d like it a little sweeter, a dusting of powdered sugar would be a great addition. Since these cookies are so tender and soft, it is best to bake them on a day when there isn’t a lot of humidity. That can be quite difficult living in Florida, so I usually only make these on cold Winter days.

Cranberry and orange is one of my favorite holiday flavor combinations, like my Easy Cranberry Orange Madras from yesterday. It’s tart and sweet and fresh – something a little different than the usual heavier Christmas cookies.

One of my most-used kitchen tools is a small cookie scoop. I can’t live without it because it makes portioning out cookies so easy. Every one is uniform and you don’t have to worry about them baking at different times, since they are all the same size.

Here are some tools used to make this recipe:

Cranberry Orange Meltaways

By Love and Confections

Ingredients

1/2 cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1 cup unsalted Cabot butter, softened
zest from 1 medium navel orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries
Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar for garnish, optional

Instructions

Heat oven to 350F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment.
In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream sugar, powdered sugar and butter 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add in zest, vanilla, and egg, and mix to combine, scraping down the sides as necessary.
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time.
Place cranberries in food processor and pulse a few times until small pieces. Fold in chopped cranberries.
Using a cookie scoop, portion out dough onto cookie sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until bottoms are light golden brown.
Cool on tray for 5 minutes then move to wire rack to cool completely. If desired dust with powdered sugar.

Yield: 4 dozen

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#ChristmasSweetsWeek recipes:

Beverages:

Candy Cane Crunch Milkshake from The Redhead Baker
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Toddy from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
Frozen Blue Hot Chocolate from For the Love of Food
Grumpy Grinch Punch from For the Love of Food
Merry Mistletoe Cocktail from Who Needs A Cape?
Raspberry Thyme Prosecco Punch from Take Two Tapas
Vanilla Milk Punch from Cooking with Carlee

Breakfast:

Cranberry Orange Make Ahead French Toast Bake from With Two Spoons

Candies:

Cookie Butter Balls from The Bitter Side of Sweet
Homemade Peppermint Patties from Everyday Eileen
White Chocolate Bark from Family Around the Table

Desserts:

Apple Cheddar Hand Pies from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Sparkling Wine, Cranberry, and White Chocolate Layer Cake from Cheese Curd in Paradise
Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies from Kate’s Recipe Box
Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Tart from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Cranberry Orange Crinkle Meltawats from Love and Confections
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake from The Crumby Kitchen
Gingerbread Cookie Cups from Moore or Less Cooking
Gingerbread Sprinkle Cookies from Daily Dish Recipes
Grandma’s Chocolate Pie from Tip Garden
Italian Butter Cookies from April Golightly
No Bake Eggnog Pie from Our Good Life
Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Bread from Sweet Beginnings

Thank you ChristmasSweetsWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, Lorann Oils & Flavors, Torani, Joyjolt, and Sweets & Treats Boutique for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for ChristmasSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The ChristmasSweetsWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six (6) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The ChristmasSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the ChristmasSweetsWeek posts or entry.