• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Fearless Dining
  • New to GF? Start Here
  • GF Resources
    • Safe Gluten Free Dining Tips
  • Recipes
  • GF Cookbooks
    • Pantry
  • About Me
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • New to GF? Start Here!
  • Recipe Index
  • Check Out My Gluten Free Cookbooks!
  • Gluten Free Dining Tips
  • About Fearless Dining
  • Contact Me
  • Follow Along

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Cookies and Bars

    Gluten Free Cranberry Shortbread

    Published: Nov 11, 2021 · Modified: Nov 11, 2021 by Sandi Gaertner · 6 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    a pinterest pin image

    One bite of this buttery crisp gluten free cranberry shortbread with dried cranberries and pistachios and you will be hooked! This simple gluten free slice and bake cookies make a delicious treat for the holidays!

    A stack of four gluten free cranberry shortbread cookies
    Jump to:
    • Why you will love these cookies:
    • Ingredient notes:
    • How to make gluten free cranberry cookies:
    • Make it fancy:
    • Tips and Recipe FAQ:
    • More gluten free cookie recipes:
    • Recipe
    • Community

    I am really excited about these gluten free citrus shortbread cookies with pistachios. They are buttery and full of flavor. I love to use lime zest instead of orange zest when baking with cranberries. It adds delicious tanginess.

    You can find dried cranberries all year long, I love to use Ocean Spray cranberry to make my shortbread cookies. There are lots of other brands of dried cranberries as well, but our grocery store seems to carry this one brand mostly.

    If you prefer to try a regular drop-style cookie, these gluten free cranberry white chocolate cookies are also really good.

    Why you will love these cookies:

    1. They are full of buttery shortbread goodness. They melt in your mouth!
    2. These cookies are made with dried cranberries, so you can enjoy it all year long.
    3. You can cut them out in circles, or use your favorite cookie cutters!
    4. They are made with only 5 simple ingredients.

    If you are looking for the perfect gluten free slice and bake cookies, this is a great easy recipe to make. If you love cookies as much as we do, check out all of my delicious gluten free cookies recipes.

    These homemade cookies are easy to make for Thanksgiving, these are the perfect gluten free Thanksgiving cookies! I also have an amazing traditional Gluten Free Shortbread recipe that is really easy to make.

    Ingredient notes:

    cranberry shortbread ingredients
    • Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. For some reason, the Bob's blend needed a little more flour. If you notice the dough is a bit wet using the Bob's 1 to 1, add a little more flour. (That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours and I can not guarantee the recipe will work if you use other mixes.)
    • Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
    • Butter - To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
    • Cranberries - Use dried cranberries because fresh will add too much moisture.
    • Pistachios - If you are nut-free, omit them. You can also use other types of nuts like pecans.

    How to make gluten free cranberry cookies:

    photos of steps 1 and 2 of making the cranberry shortbread cookies

    Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend them all together.

    To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon method or leveling method. In a perfect world, people weigh their flour, but most do not own a kitchen scale.

    Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.

    Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.

    Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.

    photos of steps 3 and 4 of making the cranberry shortbread cookies

    Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix them into a dough.

    Step 4: As I mentioned above, for some reason I found the Bob's GF 1 to 1 blend was a bit wetter than with the King Arthur blend. If you notice this, it is okay to add more flour so the dough isn't too sticky.

    photos of steps 5 and 6 of making the cranberry shortbread cookies

    Step 5: Form the dough into a log and wrap it with plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Remove the dough and preheat the oven to 375º F. I use a higher heat so that the cookies are set quickly and don't spread.

    Step 6: Slice the cookies into circles and put them onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

    Step 7: Bake at 375º F for 8-10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't overbake.

    Make it fancy:

    Make your citrus cranberry shortbread fancy by drizzling or dipping half of the cookies in melted white chocolate. You can sprinkle them with crushed pistachios or sprinkles.

    Tips and Recipe FAQ:

    What is the difference between shortbread and sugar cookies?

    The main difference between shortbread and sugar cookies is that sugar cookies have eggs and shortbread does not.

    Can you use fresh cranberries in this shortbread cookie recipe?

    Unfortunately, you can't use fresh cranberries in this recipe. They add too much moisture for the shortbread.

    Can you make shortbread dairy-free?

    You can make these gluten free pistachio and cranberry shortbread cookies dairy-free by using vegan butter.

    How long will these cookies keep fresh?

    These cookies will keep fresh up to 3 days in an air-tight container. They will keep up to 4 months in a freezer bag in the freezer.

    baked cranberry shortbread cookies on a baking sheet

    More gluten free cookie recipes:

    • Easy Gluten Free Gingerbread Melting Moments
    • Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies
    • Gluten Free Chocolate Espresso Cookies
    • Buttery Gluten Free Pecan Cookies

    Recipe

    A stack of four gluten free cranberry shortbread cookies

    Gluten Free Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

    Sandi Gaertner
    Delicious buttery melt in your mouth gluten free cranberry shortbread cookies. These cookies are easy to make and are perfect any time of the year.
    5 from 2 votes
    an egg free allergen icon
    gluten free allergy icon
    soy free allergy icon
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections Save RecipeSaved!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Chill Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
    Course Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 cookies
    Calories 294 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
    • ½ cup sugar
    • dash salt
    • 1 cup butter softened to almost melted
    • 1 cup dried cranberries
    • ⅓ cup pistachios removed from the shells and chopped
    • 2 teaspoon lime zest
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    • Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend them all together.
    • Add the wet ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.
    • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix them into a dough.
    • Note: or some reason I found the Bob's GF 1 to 1 blend was a bit wetter than with the King Arthur blend. If you notice this, it is okay to add more flour so the dough isn't too sticky.
    • Form the dough into a log and wrap it with plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
    • Remove the dough and preheat the oven to 375º F. I use a higher heat so that the cookies are set quickly and don't spread.
    • Slice the cookies into circles and put them onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
    • Bake at 375º F for 8-10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't overbake.
    • Remove from the oven to a cooling rack.
    • Optional: drizzle or dip in white chocolate.

    Notes

    1. I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours. You may need a bit more of Bob's blend so the dough isn't too wet.
    2. Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
    3. To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
    4. To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon method or leveling method. In a perfect world, people weigh their flour, but most do not own a kitchen scale.
      Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.
      Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.
    5. These cookies will keep for up to 3 days in an air-tight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookieCalories: 294kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 3gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 136mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 3gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 487IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

    lemon e-cookbook cover image

    If you love the recipes you are finding on my blog, I would love for you to sign up for my newsletter (and get my free gluten free lemon desserts e-cookbook!)

    « Gluten Free Gingerbread Melting Moments Cookies
    Gluten Free Cranberry Hand Pies »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ida

      December 19, 2021 at 9:43 am

      Hi there! Would you share the weights for each ingredient? I prefer to weigh out my ingredients. Can’t wait to make these cookies!!

      Reply
      • Sandi Gaertner

        December 19, 2021 at 9:52 am

        Hi Ida, unfortunately, I do not weigh my ingredients. Every gluten free flour blend weighs something different and I do not have the resources to buy and test a lot of gluten free flour blends to weigh and test multiple gluten free flour blends.

        Reply
    2. Diana

      November 11, 2021 at 12:56 pm

      thanks for sharing this recipe! I was looking at the nutrition and wondered whether the calories are right, 1 cookie 294 kcal??
      Regards,
      Diana

      Reply
      • Sandi Gaertner

        November 11, 2021 at 1:25 pm

        It is hard to say if that 294 is 100% correct. Shortbread has a lot of butter, but not a lot of sugar. No nutrition calculator is ever 100% accurate. Also, everyone makes different-sized cookies and different thicknesses. I suspect the number is a bit high, the recipe probably makes 14 cookies if cut thinner. Calorie content also depends on whether someone uses sugared dry cranberries or unsweetened.

        Reply
        • Lisa Canning

          March 24, 2022 at 6:03 pm

          Oops! I froze the dough instead of chill! Hoping it will be ok. Smh!

        • Sandi Gaertner

          March 25, 2022 at 2:10 pm

          It should be fine Lisa. I think cutting the roll will be a bit hard if it is totally frozen.

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    A picture of my face standing in front of landscape bushes

    Welcome to my blog! I am so glad you are here. I have created hundreds of delicious family-friendly gluten free recipes with easy step-by-step directions. Many recipes are also dairy-free. A gluten free lifestyle has never been easier!

    More about me →

    Easy Dinner Recipes:

    • Easy Gluten Free Stuffed Peppers
    • Gluten Free Skillet Lasagna
    • Gluten Free Quiche with Sausage and Tomato
    • Italian Gluten Free Meatloaf Recipe
    • How to Fire-Roast Hatch Chiles and The 12 Best Hatch Chile Recipes!
    • How to Make Gluten Free Ramen Soup

    More Dinner Recipes!

    Trending Gluten Free Recipes:

    • 8 Tasty Ways To Enjoy Shishito Peppers {Easy Recipes}
    • The Best Gluten Free Blueberry Scones
    • Proposition Chicken's Gluten Free Fried Chicken Recipe
    • Sweet Gluten Free Apple Fritters
    • The Best Flaky Gluten Free Biscuits
    • The Best Gluten Free Bread Machine Bread {Dairy Free Too!}

    Click for more Trending Recipes.

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Web Stories

    Copyright © 2014-2022 Fearless Dining