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Home » Recipes » Cookies

Sparkling Sugarplum Cranberry Cookies

Published: Oct 31, 2022 · Modified: Dec 31, 2024 by Tristin Rieken · 24 Comments

Sparkling Sugarplum Cranberry Cookies a chewy cranberry orange cookie made from fresh cranberries and oranges. With an all natural plum color and beautiful sparkle these cranberry cookies look just like sugarplums!

Sparkling Sugar Plum Cranberry Cookies are a soft chewy cranberry orange cookie recipe made from frozen or fresh cranberries baked with orange zest and dried cranberries. cranberry cookies | cranberry orange cookies | cranberry cookies recipe | sugarplum | sugar plum cookies
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Jump to:
  • Sugar plum cookies
  • Ingredients
  • Step by step instructions
  • White chocolate cranberry cookies
  • Yield
  • Shelf life
  • How to freeze
  • 📖 Recipe

Sugar plum cookies

These Cranberry Cookies were inspired by sparkling sugar plums. Sugar plums are a traditional candy made from a mixture of dried fruits and nuts rolled in sugar. And are most known as the treat that dances in children’s heads at Christmas. As well as on the stage as the dance of the Sugar Plum fairy in the Nutcracker ballet.

Sparkling Sugar Plum Cranberry Cookies are a soft chewy cranberry orange cookie recipe made from frozen or fresh cranberries baked with orange zest and dried cranberries. cranberry cookies | cranberry orange cookies | cranberry cookies recipe | sugarplum | sugar plum cookies

Sugar plum cookies like these are such a fun Christmas cookie to serve to little ones with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads. Natural, brightly colored, sparkling cookies that look like sugarplums and taste absolutely delicious. These sugar plum cookies are chewy and sweet with the best cranberry orange flavor.

Sparkling Sugar Plum Cranberry Cookies are a soft chewy cranberry orange cookie recipe made from frozen or fresh cranberries baked with orange zest and dried cranberries. cranberry cookies | cranberry orange cookies | cranberry cookies recipe | sugarplum | sugar plum cookies

Mix in white chocolate chips to make white chocolate cranberry cookies. Or you can even make cranberry almond cookies with diced dried plums to make them even more like a traditional sugarplum!

Ingredients

  • Frozen cranberries – to defrost and puree in order to get a thick cranberry sauce. Or you can substitute leftover homemade or canned cranberry sauce to make cranberry sauce cookies. Simply use cranberry sauce, either whole cranberry sauce or jellied cranberry, in place of the pureed cranberry orange mixture. And reduce the amount of granulated sugar in the cookie dough slightly.
  • Orange– to make fresh orange zest and fresh squeezed orange juice.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Unsalted butter – room temperature
  • All purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Craisins – dried cranberries make a great addition to this cranberry cookie recipe but you can make them with all other sorts of ingredients stirred in like chocolate, dried fruit, nuts and more.
  • Optional – coarse sanding sugar like clear or colored decorating sugar sprinkles give these cranberry cookies the best sparkle.
Sparkling Sugar Plum Cranberry Cookies are a soft chewy cranberry orange cookie recipe made from frozen or fresh cranberries baked with orange zest and dried cranberries. cranberry cookies | cranberry orange cookies | cranberry cookies recipe | sugarplum | sugar plum cookies

Step by step instructions

  1. Measure frozen cranberries and allow to defrost at room temperature for several hours or overnight, refrigerated, until soft and juicy. The longer you can allow the berries to thaw and release their juices, the better. Alternately speed up the process by heating cranberries slightly either over a low stovetop or short intervals in the microwave.
  2. Zest orange then squeeze the orange to make fresh squeezed orange juice.
  3. Add thawed cranberries and all their juices to a food processor or high powered blender with 2 tablespoons orange juice and orange zest. Then measure cranberry orange mixture. Adding the additional orange juice if necessary to fill to ⅔ cup total cranberry puree.
  4. Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer whip butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  5. Add cranberry orange mixture to whipped butter and continue whipping forcefully on high speed until cranberry orange mixture is fully emulsified and incorporated.
  6. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Reduce speed to low and gently stir in dry ingredients being careful not to over mix. Then add dried cranberries.
  7. Cover cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill stiff and no longer slack, at least 30 min.
  8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare several parchment lined baking sheets.
  9. Scoop cookie dough into small balls using a cookie scoop or spoon. And roll in granulated sugar, or sparkling sugar, until fully covered. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Sparkling Sugar Plum Cranberry Cookies are a soft chewy cranberry orange cookie recipe made from frozen or fresh cranberries baked with orange zest and dried cranberries. cranberry cookies | cranberry orange cookies | cranberry cookies recipe | sugarplum | sugar plum cookies
  1. Bake until lightly golden around the edges but not yet brown about 8-10 minutes.
  2. Remove cookies from oven and cool slightly before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.
  3. Enjoy!
Sparkling Sugar Plum Cranberry Cookies are a soft chewy cranberry orange cookie recipe made from frozen or fresh cranberries baked with orange zest and dried cranberries. cranberry cookies | cranberry orange cookies | cranberry cookies recipe | sugarplum | sugar plum cookies

White chocolate cranberry cookies

These delicious cranberry cookies are delicious as is with dried cranberry. But there are all sorts of ingredients to add to cranberry cookies! Make white chocolate cranberry cookies, similar to these blueberry, apple and strawberry cookies recipes.

Or make cranberry chocolate chip cookies, cranberry pecan, macadamia, or pistachio cookies. You can even roll in cranberry sugar.

There are also many ways to top cranberry cookies after they’re baked. You can make cranberry orange cookies like they are and add an orange glaze made from confectioners’ sugar and the remaining fresh orange juice.

Or make the stunning red and green Christmas cookies by dipping the naturally red cookies in green matcha white chocolate after they’re cooled. Or try them dipped in dark chocolate as a sweet Valentine’s day dessert recipe.

Yield

This recipe yields 24 small cranberry cookies. But you can easily double or triple the recipe.

Sparkling Sugar Plum Cranberry Cookies are a soft chewy cranberry orange cookie recipe made from frozen or fresh cranberries baked with orange zest and dried cranberries. cranberry cookies | cranberry orange cookies | cranberry cookies recipe | sugarplum | sugar plum cookies

Shelf life

The high moisture content of this cookie makes them extremely soft at first. But once cookies cool they firm up and become chewy. Stored uncovered at room temperature they will maintain their chewy texture for up to five days.

How to freeze

To make ahead of time chill dough then scoop into little balls and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover and freeze until firm and transfer to a freezer bag to store until ready to bake. Bake from frozen adding a few minutes to the overall cook time.

📖 Recipe

Cranberry cookies that are bright maroon red and covered with coarse sanding sugar to look like sparkling sugar plums are stacked high on a plate with fresh cranberries scattered around the foreground.

Sparkling Sugarplum Cranberry Cookies

Sparkling Sugarplum Cranberry Cookies a chewy cranberry orange cookie made from fresh cranberries and oranges.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 1 day day 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 day day 30 minutes minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 143kcal
Author: Tristin Rieken

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups frozen cranberries
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • ¼ cup orange juice divided
  • ⅔ cup unsalted butter
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup Craisins dried cranberries

Instructions

  • Measure frozen cranberries and allow to defrost at room temperature for several hours or overnight, refrigerated, until soft and juicy. The longer you can allow the berries to thaw and release their juices, the better. Alternately speed up the process by heating cranberries slightly either over a low stovetop or short intervals in the microwave.
    1 ½ cups frozen cranberries
  • Add thawed cranberries and all their juices to a food processor or high powered blender with 2 tablespoons orange juice and orange zest and blend smooth. Measure ⅔ cup cranberry orange mixture, adding additional orange juice if necessary to fill.
    ¼ cup orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer whip room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
    ⅔ cup unsalted butter, ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • Add cranberry orange mixture to whipped butter and continue whipping forcefully on high speed until cranberry orange mixture is fully emulsified and incorporated.
  • Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Reduce speed to low and gently stir dry ingredients into the emulsified cranberry butter mixture, being careful not to over mix. Once combined stir dried cranberries into the dough.
    2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup Craisins
  • Cover cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill stiff and no longer slack, at least 30 min.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare several parchment lined baking sheets.
  • Scoop cookie dough into small balls using a cookie scoop or spoon. And roll in granulated sugar, or sparkling sugar, until fully covered. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Bake until lightly golden around the edges but not yet brown about 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove cookies from oven and cool slightly before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 168IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Made this recipe? Please share!Mention @freshflavorful or tag #FreshFlavorfulLife
Nutrition Facts
Sparkling Sugarplum Cranberry Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 143 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 26mg1%
Potassium 43mg1%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 0.5g2%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 168IU3%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Comments

    4.84 from 24 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Ann

    November 30, 2023 at 12:31 pm

    5 stars
    These cookies are absolutely delicious! Everyone loved them not only because of their taste but the lovely color and sparkling sugar. A definite hit!

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      December 01, 2023 at 12:55 pm

      Thank you so much for the sweet comment about my cranberry cookie recipe. I’m so glad everyone loved them 🙂

      Reply
  2. Margaret Toma

    December 10, 2023 at 1:13 pm

    5 stars
    Lovely cookies. Hubby said they improve with age. I used dried cherries and a double batch went in 2 days. Will be making these all winter long with frozen cranberries. The sparkly sugar does make the difference. Lovely and yummy.

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      December 11, 2023 at 8:45 am

      Ahh Thanks so much for your review 🙂 I’m so glad you and your husband both loved them.

      Reply
  3. Beth

    December 11, 2023 at 10:59 am

    Can’t wait to bake these. My store does not have the frozen cranberries, would fresh work?

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      December 12, 2023 at 7:55 am

      Absolutely! Fresh cranberries are only available for a short time and are amazing in these cranberry cookies. To use fresh cranberries instead of frozen, you can either 1. heat the cranberries in short intervals in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat until the cranberries release their juices, then puree the juicy cranberries with orange juice as directed, making sure that the cranberry orange puree is completely cool proceeding with the recipe. Or, 2. freeze the fresh cranberries then follow the recipe directions.

      Reply
  4. Tomba

    December 13, 2023 at 3:01 pm

    I’m about to make these, but realized that there are no eggs, right?

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      December 16, 2023 at 7:21 am

      Yes, that is correct this is an eggless cookie recipe where the emulsified cranberries give stability and add moisture rather than eggs.

      Reply
  5. Wendy

    December 17, 2023 at 8:07 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! I won the Christmas cookie contest with these little tasty bites!

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      December 17, 2023 at 2:21 pm

      Yay!! I LOVE that these are now ‘award winning’ cranberry cookies 🙂

      Reply
  6. Sandi Reviakin

    January 05, 2024 at 4:11 pm

    Good day I made these today. It took longer to bake – maybe I made the cookies too big? What size do you make your cookies? Also my cookies were a pale color. Your cookies look so vibrant and delicious.

    Any feedback would be appreciated. Have a great and safe weekend.

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      January 07, 2024 at 3:17 pm

      Regarding the pale color.. did you use frozen cranberries and allow them to fully defrost then combine ALL the cranberry juice and cranberries into a thick puree? Using the cranberries frozen or not using the cranberry juice from the defrosted cranberries would cause the cookies to not be so vibrantly colored and would be more dry and crumbly rather than soft and chewy. You also want to make small cookies using a tablespoon or a small #60 scoop and make sure not to overbake the cookies. They will still be soft when you remove, but will set up and be soft and chewy once cool.

      Reply
      • Sandi

        January 08, 2024 at 12:23 am

        Thanks for responding. Yes I used frozen cranberries and all the juice. The cranberries defrosted overnight. I measured out 1/4 cup of orange juice and then removed 2 tbsp to put with the cranberries and orange zest to blend. The purée was very thick and I had more than the required 2/3 cups of purée. I could not see where to add the rest of the orange juice so I added it to the butter mixture after I added the cranberry purée. I used the 5 cm med scoop from pampered chef to scoop out the cookie dough.

        I loved the flavor; so did my family. I will make again and hopefully I get that beautiful color that your cookies have. Can you let me know when I add the orange juice. Or if I should use the smaller cookie scoop next time. Thanks. Have a great and safe week.

        Reply
  7. Sandi

    January 08, 2024 at 2:14 pm

    Good afternoon I did use frozen cranberries and all the juice. I added 2 tbsp of orange juice and the zest. I mixed in food processor and got over 2/3 cups of purée. I added 2/3 of a cup of puree and the leftover orange juice to the butter mixture. There were no directions when to add the juice. So I added the juice after the puree to the dry ingredients and then folded in the craisins.

    I did use a 5 cm pampered chef cookie spoon to mesure out the cookies. Maybe I will try the smaller scoop next time.

    Please advise if you notice in my details that I made an error so I can correct it next time.

    I loved the cookies; so did my family so I will definitely make them again. Any pointers after reading what I did so my cookies turn out better and more vibrant in color

    Thanks. Have a great and safe week

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      January 09, 2024 at 8:20 am

      Hi Sandi! Thank you so much for your reply, I appreciate your detailed response and I *think* I may have found what caused the cookies to not be very vibrantly colored and to have to bake longer than directed…. the issue may lie in the orange juice. You were absolutely correct to add the 2 tablespoons of orange juice to your defrosted cranberries in the food processor BUT since you already had 2/3 cup of the puree there was no need to add the additional orange juice to cookie dough. That is only listed in ingredients in case additional juice needs to be added to the puree to reach 2/3 cup total. Thanks so much for reaching out, I will review my recipe instructions to make this part less confusing 🙂

      Reply
  8. Becky

    November 10, 2024 at 11:25 am

    5 stars
    Made my first batch of these today and they are delicious! Can’t wait to add these to our Christmas cookie trays this year! They are so pretty and will add some beautiful color to the trays!

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      November 12, 2024 at 7:45 am

      Ahhh yay! I’m so glad that you loved them 🙂 I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment and review. Thanks so much!

      Reply
  9. MOLLY D

    December 19, 2024 at 3:40 pm

    Can you bake these ahead of time and then freeze them?

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      December 31, 2024 at 8:37 am

      Hi Molly! Apologies for the late reply. These bake beautifully from frozen, but I have never tried baking then freezing.

      Reply
  10. bridget

    December 20, 2024 at 6:30 pm

    can you use fresh cranberries?

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      December 31, 2024 at 8:39 am

      Hi Bridget, yes, you can use fresh cranberries but you will need to soften them in order to release the juices so that the batter will emulsify correctly- I suggest warming in a microwave or on stovetop over low heat until the berries soften and release their juices. Then cool completely before using.

      Reply
  11. MOLLY

    December 20, 2024 at 6:39 pm

    Hi, can you make these ahead of time and then freeze them after baking? I only saw instructions for freezing before baking.

    Reply
  12. Monique Walczak

    December 22, 2024 at 11:35 am

    I’m about to try these cookies, was curious if I needed to lower the granulated sugar if I use homemade cranberry sauce? My homemade sauce has orange juice and sugar in it already. Thank you so much, these looks so tasty!

    Reply
    • Tristin Rieken

      December 31, 2024 at 8:50 am

      Great question, Monique! I’ve substituted my homemade cranberry jelly and store bought versions (both the canned stuff and the higher end sauces) in this cookie recipe and have had great results with reducing the sugar in the cookie dough from 2/3 to 1/2 cup. I will update the recipe notes to include this. Thanks for asking 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Tristin Rieken, Welcome to Fresh Flavorful where I hope to inspire you with simple seasonal recipes and ideas to eat deliciously, entertain easily and adventure often.

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