Christmas Cranberry Orange Sandies Balls – Buttery Holiday Cookies 🎄

If you’re dreaming of a festive cookie that captures the holiday spirit with bright citrus, tart cranberries and buttery goodness, these Christmas Cranberry Orange Sandies Balls are exactly what you need. With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can create little bites of holiday magic tender, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits bursting with cranberry-orange flavor. Whether it’s for your Christmas cookie platter, a cozy family baking night, or a sweet gift for friends, these sandies bring warmth, joy, and easy deliciousness. Get ready to sprinkle some festive cheer on your kitchen this season.

Pour un apéritif festif : Christmas Stuffed Mushrooms

Pour des bouchées savoureuses : Christmas Tree Spinach Tortilla Roll-Ups

Pour un snack original : Christmas Tree Pinwheels Cranberry and Feta

Pour un plat salé festif : Christmas Cranberry Meatballs

What Is / Why It’s Special

The “sandie” is a classic shortbread-style cookie: buttery, crumbly, and lightly sweet. The twist here cranberry + orange zest transforms it into a vibrant, festive treat perfect for the holidays. The cranberry gives a tart burst, the orange adds brightness and freshness, and the buttery dough melts in your mouth. Combine that with the red-green colors of holiday season, and you’ve got a cookie that tastes as good as it looks.

What makes it special

• Simplicity & accessibility – everyone has or can get the few ingredients needed (butter, flour, sugar, cranberries, orange).
• Festive flavor combo – cranberry + orange is a classic holiday flavor pairing that tastes like Christmas.
• Great for gifting or cookie trays – small balls are perfect for sharing, swapping, gifting in tins, or serving à-la-carte.
• Customizable & flexible – you can add nuts, dip in chocolate, roll in sugar or sprinkles, adjust sweetness or textures, even adapt for gluten-free or vegan diets.

Ingredients You’ll Need

⭐ Basic Sandie Dough

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded orange zest (zest of 1–2 oranges)

⭐ Optional Festive / Texture Add-ons

• ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (for crunch)
• Red & green nonpareils or sanding sugar (for holiday look)
• Half dip in melted white or dark chocolate after baking (for indulgence)
• Pinch of salt (to balance sweetness)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Preheat & Prepare Baking Sheets

Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2 – Cream Butter & Sugar

In a large bowl, beat softened butter with powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape the bowl sides. Add vanilla.

Step 3 – Add Flour, Cranberries & Zest

Gradually add flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Gently fold in chopped cranberries and orange zest (plus optional nuts if using).

Step 4 – Shape Dough into Balls

Roll dough into 1-inch (approx.) balls. For a festive twist, roll balls in sanding sugar or nonpareils before baking. Place balls about 2 inches apart on parchment-lined sheets.

Step 5 – Bake

Bake for 14–16 minutes just until the bottoms begin to turn lightly golden. Do not overbake (cookies should stay soft and sandy inside).

Step 6 – Cool & Decorate

Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Once cool, optionally dip in melted white or dark chocolate, drizzle, or decorate with extra zest or sprinkles.

Tips / Variations / Why You’ll Love It

⭐ Tips for Best Results

• Use real unsalted butter gives better flavor and texture.
• Finely chop cranberries so they distribute evenly and don’t create moisture pockets.
• Use fresh orange zest (not bottled) brighter flavor and aroma.
• Don’t overbake remove when bottoms are lightly golden to retain sandy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• For sweeter cookies: roll in extra powdered sugar after baking or dip in chocolate.

⭐ Variations / Upgrades

• Nutty Sandies: add pecans or walnuts for crunch and depth.
• Chocolate-Dipped Sandies: half-dip cooled cookies in melted white or dark chocolate; let set great for gifting.
• Gluten-Free Option: use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour. May slightly alter texture.
• Vegan Version: swap butter for vegan butter, powdered sugar free of bone char, and use dried fruit still delicious.
• Festive Packaging: layer in tins or cellophane bags with red/green ribbons perfect for gifts or cookie swaps.

⭐ Why You’ll Love It

Because these cookies:
✔ Are buttery & melt-in-your-mouth
✔ Have a festive cranberry-orange zing
✔ Are easy to bake in batches
✔ Are perfect for gifting & holiday plates
✔ Are versatile simple tweak gives new version

🌟 Holiday Gift & Cookie Swap Strategy

Looking for affordable but impressive holiday gifts? These Cranberry Orange Sandies Balls are ideal. Bake a double batch, decorate half with sanding sugar or chocolate dip, and package 12–15 cookies per small tin or holiday cellophane bag with festive ribbon. Add a small tag or festive sticker you’ve got a homemade gift that feels gourmet but costs just a few dollars. For cookie swaps, this recipe stands out: the cranberry-orange flavor, the soft sandy texture, the holiday look it’s a crowd-pleaser that travels well.

🌟 Kid-Friendly Baking Party + Gluten-Free Friendly

This recipe is perfect for a family baking session. Kids can help cream the butter, fold in cranberries, roll dough balls, and decorate with sprinkles or sanding sugar no knives needed, minimal mess. For families needing gluten-free options, replacing flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend transforms these into inclusive treats without losing the buttery, festive soul of the cookie. Easy, fun, kid-approved and everyone joins the holiday fun.

❓ FAQs

🎁 Conclusion

These Christmas Cranberry Orange Sandies Balls bring buttery comfort, bright cranberry-orange flavor, and festive charm to your holiday table. Easy to bake, delightful to share, perfect for gifts or cookie swaps they’re sure to become a Christmas classic in your recipe box.