Orange Cranberry Slice and Bake Cookies

This is a delicious slice-and-bake cookie dough that can be made in advance and frozen. Just like those tubes of cookie dough you buy at the store, this one is convenient. But it’s cheaper and healthier, too!

Can I Make my Own Slice and Bake Cookies?

Maybe you’ve asked yourself this question. You love the ease of a quick store-bought slice-and-bake cookie but you never seem to have them on hand when you need them.

Rest easy! This is one of those recipes you can make up to two months in advance, place in the freezer, then slice and bake on the spot.

Best of all, this recipe is delicious and light in texture.

This is an eggless cookie with no baking soda or powder. In some ways it’s almost pie-crust like in texture (light, buttery, and flaky). 

Did I mention it’s delicious?

Orange Cranberry Cookie Ingredients

You will find a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need. These are simple ingredients you’ll likely find in your pantry or fridge.

• room temperature butter, salted or unsalted, your choice
• granulated sugar
• almond extract
• orange zest
• orange juice
• cornstarch
• all-purpose flour
• cranberries (Criaisins), chopped (processed)
• chopped almonds

How to Make Orange Cranberry Slice and Bake Cookies

These came together so quickly and easily! I’m so excited to have this new recipe on hand (and to have slice-and-bake options in my freezer).

Start by setting your oven on 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add sugar, almond extract, orange juice, and orange zest. Mix on medium speed until fluffy. 

Add dry ingredients (flour and cornstarch) and lightly mix on low speed, only until incorporated. 

Add chopped Craisins and slivered almonds and mix until incorporated. 

Place on a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a 2” tube. 

Freeze for 1 hour. 

Slice and place on parchment lined baking sheet. I use Nordic Ware pans, along with the perfect parchment sheets that are pre-cut to fit the half-sheet perfectly!

Bake for 14 – 15 minutes or until golden brown. 

Place cookie sheet on wire rack to cool.

Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Cookies can be frozen, but it’s even better to freeze the dough to use as slice-and-bake.

What to Expect from this Delicious Cookie

The addition of the crunchy almonds and chopped Craisins gives this cookie a distinctive sweet and nutty flavor and texture. And can I just say that the buttery pie-crust texture is absolutely dreamy!

They’re light, they’re flaky, and they are beyond delicious, especially with that luscious almond flavor and the bite of those chopped cranberries!

This is a perfect treat. This is one of those great recipes you’re going to use again and again, especially for cookie exchanges!

It’s especially great to know that these cranberry almond shortbread cookies can be whipped up in five minutes’ time and then frozen for later use.

Variations on this Delicious Recipe

This is one of the best cookie recipes I’ve made in a while! That said, I’m always looking for ways to change things up! Here are some ideas:

Not a fan of Craisins? Why not use dehydrated cherries or even raisins.

Looking for a white chocolate kick? Add white chocolate chips to this recipe in place of the almonds.

Looking for more orange flavor? Skip the almond extract and add more orange zest to the recipe. (Orange and cranberry just go together!)

Want more depth of flavor? Use brown sugar instead of granulated.

Use this cookie as a base for any of your favorite flavors, including chocolate chip, pecan, or anything you like! Just swap out the Craisins and almonds for the flavors you enjoy.

More Slice and Bake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

I always keep chilled cookie dough in my freezer, ready to go. Some of these recipes will work as slice and bake. Others can be frozen in dough balls. Refer to the individual recipes to know for sure.

• White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
• Copycat Lofthouse Cookies
• Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter
• Peanut Butter Ranger Cookies
• Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
• Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

Follow this link for a comprehensive post listing more of my fall cookies and bars, perfect for autumn!

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That’s it for this simple recipe, friends. I hope you enjoyed these delicious Cranberry Almond Slice-and-Bake Cookies. They’re quickly becoming one of my favorites.

See this recipe at

Full Plate Thursday 

Weekend Potluck

Busy Monday

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.