Cranberry Shortbread

Name: Cranberry Shortbread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 53 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; ¾ cup sugar; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; ½ cup unsalted butter; 10 ounce cranberries; ¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice; 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest

A buttery shortbread base topped with a tart-sweet cranberry and grapefruit compote. This elegant dessert combines the crumbly texture of traditional shortbread with bright, festive cranberries.

12 servings

1 hr 10 min

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•1 cup all-purpose flour
•¾ cup sugar
•¼ teaspoon kosher salt
•½ cup unsalted butter
•10 ounce cranberries
•¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
•1 teaspoon grapefruit zest

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8x2" pan with parchment, leaving a 2" overhang on 2 opposite sides. Whisk flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Using your fingertips, rub butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal.
10 min
2.
Transfer to prepared pan; press evenly onto bottom of pan (using the bottom of a flat measuring cup works well). Prick dough all over with a fork.
5 min
3.
Bake shortbread until cooked through and pale golden, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely in pan. DO AHEAD: Shortbread can be made 3 days ahead. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
30 min
4.
Bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups cranberries, and grapefruit juice to a simmer in a small saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and mixture is syrupy, about 8 minutes. Stir in remaining cranberries and cook until skins begin to split, about 3 minutes. Let cool. DO AHEAD: Cranberry topping can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
15 min
5.
Spread cooled cranberry topping over shortbread. Scatter zest over. Using paper overhang, lift shortbread from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut shortbread.
10 min

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8x2" pan with parchment, leaving a 2" overhang on 2 opposite sides. Whisk flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Using your fingertips, rub butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal.

10 min

Transfer to prepared pan; press evenly onto bottom of pan (using the bottom of a flat measuring cup works well). Prick dough all over with a fork.

5 min

Bake shortbread until cooked through and pale golden, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely in pan. DO AHEAD: Shortbread can be made 3 days ahead. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

30 min

Bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups cranberries, and grapefruit juice to a simmer in a small saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and mixture is syrupy, about 8 minutes. Stir in remaining cranberries and cook until skins begin to split, about 3 minutes. Let cool. DO AHEAD: Cranberry topping can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

15 min

Spread cooled cranberry topping over shortbread. Scatter zest over. Using paper overhang, lift shortbread from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut shortbread.

10 min