How to make mini frosty "cranberry" cookies for a Christmas cookie treat

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How to make mini frosty “cranberry” cookies for a cute little Christmas cookie gift or treat.

cranberry cookies

I’m so happy to join the I’ll Bring the Cookies monthlong Christmas cookie celebration over at In Katrina’s Kitchen. I made these, frosty cranberry cookies, cute little easy-to-decorate cookie bites for Christmas.

This is a great Christmas cookie for beginning cookie decorators. (Or pro decorators in a hurry.)

Even though I actually made this post way back in November (because I’m a nerd that way), I purposely signed up for last minute cookie ideas because I’m all about decorating cookies as fast as possible.

Yep, no elaborate details for me (anymore, after a decade creating–yeah, I’ll say it, cookie masterpieces at the shop where I worked–I’m all about fast and easy now).

These frosty, snowy, bite-size, sparkly cranberry cookies for Christmas are more my speed.

I even found some cranberry extract that would be perfect added to these. “Found,” but didn’t “buy” at $10. But perhaps you find greater purpose in authenticity, whereas I’m fine with calling cookies “cranberry” cookies that only look like cranberries and don’t actually tastelike cranberries.

Check out the tutorial over at In Katrina’s Kitchen, or see below for the how-tos.

how to make cranberry cookies

1. step one: bake your cookies

Prepare cookie dough according to the recipe. If desired, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of flavored extract, such as raspberry or cranberry, along with the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Chill dough for two hours. Knead drops of red food coloring very well into dough, adding more as needed to turn dough red. Roll out about 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface, cut out mini circles and bake according to the recipe. Let cool.

2. step two: prepare your icing

Prepare royal icing and tint red. Prepare a decorating bag with coupler and tip, fill with the icing and close tightly with a rubber band.

3. step three: decorate your cookies

Pour sprinkles in a shallow bowl. Working with one cookie at a time, pipe a circle on a cookie, and pipe icing to fill the circle.

Holding the cookie on the sides, overturn and dip the top of the cookie in the sprinkles to completely coat the icing with sprinkles. Set on a tray to dry overnight.