These soft Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies are filled with sweet dried cranberries, fresh orange zest, and creamy ricotta cheese. Finished with a simple orange glaze, they’re a lovely addition to your Christmas cookie trays, fall gatherings, or holiday afternoon tea parties.
There is something about cranberry and orange together that makes me think of the holidays. The colors are beautiful, the flavors complement each other, and they make even a simple cookie feel a little more special.
Now that our holiday gatherings are often smaller, I enjoy finding recipes that are easy to make but still pretty enough to share with family and friends. These cranberry orange cookies are just that! They’re soft, lightly sweet, and perfect with a cup of tea.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Orange Cookies
- What Are Ricotta Cookies?
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies
- Tips for the Best Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies
- Variations and Substitutions
- Serving These Cookies for Fall and Christmas
- How to Store Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Holiday Recipes You’ll Love
- A Little Holiday Baking Inspiration
- Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies
Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Soft and tender: Ricotta cheese gives these cookies a delicate, cake-like texture.
- Wonderful holiday flavors: Tart cranberries and fresh orange zest are a delicious combination.
- No chilling required: You can mix the dough and bake the cookies without waiting for them to chill.
- Simple orange glaze: Just two ingredients create a pretty finishing touch.
- Perfect for sharing: Serve them at Christmas, package them as gifts, or add them to an afternoon tea menu.
What Are Ricotta Cookies?
If you’ve never baked with ricotta cheese, you’re in for a treat!
Ricotta is a mild, creamy cheese that adds moisture to baked goods. In these cookies, it helps create a soft, tender texture that’s a little different from a traditional sugar cookie.
They don’t spread as much as some cookies, and they stay fairly pale while baking. Think of them as little cake-like cookies with delicious bits of cranberry throughout.
The fresh orange glaze adds just enough sweetness to finish them off.
Ingredient Notes
For the Cookies
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cookies their structure.
- Butter: Use softened, unsalted butter for easy mixing.
- Ricotta cheese: Whole-milk ricotta is my preference for a rich, tender cookie.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness without overpowering the cranberry and orange.
- Orange zest: Fresh zest gives these cookies their bright citrus flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Complements the orange and cranberry.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Baking powder: Helps the cookies rise.
- Egg: Holds the ingredients together.
- Dried cranberries: Add little bursts of tart, fruity flavor.
For the Orange Glaze
- Powdered sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet glaze.
- Fresh orange juice: Adds citrus flavor and thins the glaze.
- Orange zest: A little sprinkled on top makes these cookies extra pretty.
Candiland Baking Tip: Zest your orange before squeezing it for juice. It’s much easier, and you’ll have everything ready when it’s time to make the glaze.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies
These cookies come together in just a few simple steps, and you don’t need to chill the dough.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for about 2–3 minutes, until well combined and creamy. Add the orange zest and vanilla extract.
Step 2: Beat in the ricotta cheese until combined. Add the egg and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then add to the wet mixture.
Step 4: Next, add the chopped cranberries and mix until combined.
Step 5: Using a medium cookie scoop (approximately 1½ tablespoons), drop evenly sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Bake for approximately 13–15 minutes, or until the tops appear set and the bottoms are lightly golden.
Step 6: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and fresh orange juice until smooth.
If the glaze is too thick, add a few drops of orange juice. If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
Step 7: Drizzle the orange glaze over the cooled cookies and sprinkle with fresh orange zest.
Allow the glaze to set before serving or storing.
Tips for the Best Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies
Use fresh orange zest. Fresh zest gives these cookies a much brighter flavor than bottled orange flavoring.
Choose whole-milk ricotta. It creates a tender texture. If your ricotta has excess liquid on top, drain it before measuring.
Chop the cranberries. Roughly chopping them helps distribute the fruit evenly so you get a little cranberry in every bite.
Don’t overmix. Once the flour goes in, mix just until combined to keep the cookies tender.
Watch the baking time. The tops should look set, but they will remain fairly light in color.
Let the cookies cool before glazing. Otherwise, the orange glaze will melt and run off.
Variations and Substitutions
These cookies are delicious as written, but here are a few ways to change them.
Lemon Cranberry Ricotta Cookies: Replace the orange zest and juice with fresh lemon zest and juice for a slightly different citrus flavor.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies: Add ¼ cup of mini white chocolate chips for an extra touch of sweetness.
Without the Glaze: Leave the cookies plain for a less sweet option. They’re still delicious with tea.
Gluten-Free Option: Try substituting a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend containing xanthan gum. Results may vary depending on the brand, so this variation should be tested before publishing it as a guaranteed substitution.
Serving These Cookies for Fall and Christmas
One of my favorite things about these cranberry orange cookies is how easily they fit into holiday entertaining.
For Fall Gatherings
Serve these cookies with hot tea or coffee after a fall dinner. The orange and cranberry flavors are a lovely change from pumpkin and apple desserts.
They’re also a nice treat to bring when visiting friends.
For Christmas Cookie Trays
The little pieces of red cranberry and fresh orange zest make these cookies especially pretty on a Christmas dessert platter.
Pair them with Christmas Snowball Cookies for a combination of different textures and flavors.
I also love the idea of placing a few in a small holiday gift box with parchment paper and a pretty ribbon. Just remember to keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to give them away.
For a Holiday Afternoon Tea Party
If you’re planning a Christmas afternoon tea, these cookies would make a beautiful addition to your dessert tier.
Arrange them on a pretty plate alongside other small sweets and serve with Earl Grey tea or a favorite black tea.
You can find more entertaining inspiration in my Ultimate Christmas Tea Party guide.
How to Store Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies
Refrigerator: Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the unglazed cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months as a suggested quality guideline. Separate layers with parchment paper.
Thaw the cookies in the refrigerator, then add the fresh orange glaze before serving.
Make-Ahead Tip: If you’re preparing these for a Christmas party, bake the cookies a day ahead and glaze them on the day you plan to serve them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dried cranberries are best for this recipe because they add sweetness without introducing extra moisture. Fresh cranberries are more tart and contain much more water, so they aren’t a direct substitute.
Ricotta cheese adds moisture, giving these cookies their signature soft, cake-like texture. They aren’t meant to be crispy like traditional butter cookies.
Yes. For this recipe, I recommend keeping them in an airtight container in the refrigerator because of their moist texture and ricotta content.
You can prepare the dough and refrigerate it, covered, for up to 24 hours as a practical make-ahead option. The chilled dough may need a little extra baking time.
That’s completely normal! Ricotta cookies usually remain pale on top. Look for set tops and lightly golden bottoms rather than waiting for the entire cookie to brown.
More Holiday Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy baking for the holidays, here are a few more Candiland favorites to try.
- Cranberry Orange Scones — Another delicious way to enjoy cranberry and orange, especially for breakfast or afternoon tea.
- Christmas Snowball Cookies — A classic holiday cookie that looks beautiful on Christmas cookie trays.
- Grinch Cookies — A fun and colorful addition to your Christmas baking.
A Little Holiday Baking Inspiration
Whether you’re making a big tray of cookies for Christmas or just a small batch to enjoy with your afternoon tea, these Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies are a lovely recipe to keep on your holiday baking list.
I think some of the best holiday memories happen around the kitchen table, sharing something homemade with the people we love.
Do you enjoy cranberry and orange together, or do you have another favorite Christmas cookie flavor? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Until next time, keep life sweet—one bite at a time.
Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1/2 orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg large
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- Fresh orange zest for garnish
Instructions
Cookies
- In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and sugar. Beat for a few minutes.
- Add the orange zest and vanilla extract, beating until evenly incorporated.
- Add the ricotta cheese and beat again until smooth.
- Add the egg and beat until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and roughly chopped dried cranberries. Mix with a spatula until you have a smooth dough. There's no need to chill the dough.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, form equal-sized balls of dough and place them on the baking sheet, leaving space between each one.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until the tops are cooked through. The dough doesn't brown much.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Icing
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and orange juice. Stir until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add a few drops of orange juice. If it is too thin add a little more powdered sugar.
- Drizzle the orange glaze over the cooled cookies and finish with a little fresh orange zest.
