Bright, tangy orange meets creamy goat cheese and tart cranberry in a cookie that looks elegant but is very easy to make. These cookies are built for holiday spreads, afternoon tea, or any time you want a bakery-level treat at home.
The dough is soft and slightly cakey thanks to cornstarch and cake flour, while a crunchy almond streusel top and a glossy glaze finish create contrast. Expect sweet-tart fruit, floral almond notes, and a subtle savory finish from the chèvre.
They take a little finesse but reward you with bakery-style results that travel well and freeze beautifully.
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe
– Bright citrus flavor balanced by tangy goat cheese.
– Soft, tender crumb with a crisp almond streusel top.
– Easy make-ahead dough and freezer-friendly baked cookies.
– Elegant enough for gifts, simple enough for weeknight baking.
– Uses pantry staples with one special jar of jam for a flavor punch.
– A layered texture experience: creamy, cakey, crunchy, and glazed.
These cookies taste like an elevated tea cookie: the chèvre adds a gentle tang and richness that keeps the crumb tender, while orange zest and blood orange cranberry jam give lift and brightness. The streusel adds crunch and toasted almond flavor that contrasts with the soft interior.
"These were the hit at our office holiday exchange — delicate, not too sweet, and the orange-cranberry jam pockets were addictive. Five stars!" — Reader review
Key Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe
– Unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature: Butter provides structure and flavor. Use unsalted so you control salt; if substituted with salted, omit or reduce additional salt. Choose European-style butter for a more pronounced butter flavor.
– Chevre (4 oz), room temperature: Soft goat cheese adds tang and moisture, creating a tender crumb. If you substitute with cream cheese, cookies will be milder and slightly less tangy; mascarpone will make them richer but less acidic.
– Cake flour (2 cups) plus all-purpose flour (1 cup): Cake flour keeps these cookies light and tender while AP flour gives structure. Using only AP will produce a denser cookie; using only cake flour can make them fragile and too soft to hold the jam well.
– Cranberry blood orange jam (4 oz): The jam is the flavor anchor and provides those bright, jammy pockets. Standard cranberry jam works fine; marmalade would make them more bitter and less tart.
Full Ingredient List for Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe
– 1 stick unsalted butter – room temperature
– 4 oz chevre – room temperature
– 1 cup granulated sugar – 200g
– ¼ cup brown sugar – 50g
– 1 tspn orange zest – freshly grated
– 1 tbspn orange juice – fresh
– 1 tspn almond extract – pure
– 1 egg – room temperature
– 1 egg yolk – room temperature
– 2 tbspn cornstarch – for softness
– ½ tspn baking soda – leavener
– ½ tspn baking powder – leavener
– 2 cups cake flour – 240g
– 1 cup all purpose flour – 125g
– ½ tspn salt – sea salt
– 4 oz cranberry blood orange jam – or standard cranberry jam
– ⅓ cup flour – for streusel
– 2 tbspn melted butter – cooled
– 2 tbspn brown sugar – for streusel
– 1½ tbspn granulated sugar – for streusel
– 2 tbspn toasted almonds – chopped finely
– 1 tspn orange zest – for streusel
– ¼ tspn salt – for streusel
– ½ tspn fresh rosemary – chopped finely (optional)
– 1 cup powdered sugar – for glaze
– 1 tbsp buttermilk – for glaze
Step-by-Step Instructions for Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Streusel
Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, toasted almonds, orange zest, salt, and optional chopped rosemary in a bowl. Mix with a fork until evenly distributed. Add the cooled melted butter and fluff with the fork until coarse crumbs form; set aside at room temperature so it stays crumbly and easy to press.
Pro Tip: The streusel should look like damp sand with visible almond specks; if it clumps into a solid ball it’s too wet.
Step 2: Cream Fats
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and softened chèvre on medium-high for 5–7 minutes. Scrape the bowl halfway through to ensure everything incorporates evenly and the mixture becomes pale and airy.
Pro Tip: The fat mixture should be very light and fluffy, almost ribbon-like when the paddle lifts and falls.
Step 3: Emulsify
Add the egg, egg yolk, almond extract, orange zest, and orange juice to the creamed fats. Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the batter looks cohesive and glossy.
Pro Tip: The batter should look smooth and slightly glossy, with no white streaks of unmixed egg.
Step 4: Combine Dry
Sift together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two additions and mix until just incorporated to avoid overworking the dough.
Pro Tip: When ready, the dough will be soft and slightly sticky but hold its shape when scooped.
Step 5: Portion
Using a 2-ounce (about 60g) cookie scoop, portion the dough into 12 even mounds spaced on parchment-lined baking sheets. The dough will be slightly sticky; chill for 5 minutes if it’s too loose to shape.
Pro Tip: Each mound should form a domed disc about 1.5 inches tall — not flat or runny.
Step 6: Fill
Press a 1-inch deep well into the center of each dough mound using your thumb or the back of a small spoon. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of cranberry blood orange jam into each well, keeping the jam centered.
Pro Tip: The jam should sit in a tidy pocket without spilling over; if it runs, your wells are too shallow or dough too warm.
Step 7: Top
Firmly press a generous pinch of almond streusel over each jam-filled well, covering the jam and the surrounding dough so the topping adheres during baking.
Pro Tip: The streusel should press tightly and not fall off; it will brown and crisp in the oven.
Step 8: Bake
Bake the cookies at 375°F (190°C) for 12 minutes, or until the edges are a pale gold and the tops look set. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven has hot spots.
Pro Tip: When done, edges will be pale golden while the centers remain slightly soft; overbaked centers will dry out.
Step 9: Cool
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes so they set and the jam firms slightly. Transfer carefully to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Pro Tip: The cookies should feel set and just slightly warm when you move them; if they slump, they need more cooling time.
Step 10: Glaze
Whisk the powdered sugar and buttermilk until smooth and pourable. Drizzle or thinly coat each cooled cookie with the glaze and let it set for 10–20 minutes before serving or stacking.
Pro Tip: The glaze should dry to a matte sheen in 10–20 minutes and not remain tacky.
Expert Tips for Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe
– Chill briefly if the dough becomes too soft; 5–10 minutes in the fridge firms it enough to handle without affecting rise.
– Use room-temperature ingredients for the smoothest emulsion; cold eggs or chèvre can lead to a curdled-looking batter that won’t trap air as well.
– Sift dry ingredients to avoid lumps and to keep the texture light and even.
– If your cookies spread too much, reduce oven temperature by 10–15°F or chill scooped dough for 10 minutes before baking.
– For even baking, rotate sheets halfway and don’t overcrowd the pan; 12 cookies per sheet spaced well is ideal.
– Use a light hand when mixing after adding flour — over-mixing develops gluten and will make cookies tougher.
– Use a bench scraper to transfer cookies if they’re fragile; it supports the base during the move.
– Toast the almonds until just fragrant; raw nuts can taste chalky and will change the streusel texture.
Storage & Freezing for Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place parchment between layers to prevent sticking. For the fridge, store in a sealed container for up to 7 days to preserve freshness and keep the chèvre notes bright.
To freeze baked cookies, arrange in a single layer on a sheet and freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container with parchment layers; freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30–60 minutes before serving. For best texture, refresh frozen-thawed cookies for 4–6 minutes at 300°F to re-crisp the streusel.
You can also freeze unbaked scooped dough on a tray for 1–2 hours, then bag: bake from frozen adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
Variations & Substitutions for Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe
– Lemon-Thyme Goat Cheese Cookies: Swap orange zest and juice for lemon zest and 1 tablespoon juice; omit rosemary. Result: brighter lemony zip and herbaceous thyme is a savory-sweet match.
– Orange Marmalade and Pistachio: Replace cranberry jam with orange marmalade and almonds with chopped pistachios. Result: a more citrus-forward, slightly bitter-sweet cookie with a jade-green nut crunch.
– Cream Cheese Version: Use 4 oz cream cheese instead of chèvre and add 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. Result: milder tang and creamier richness, slightly sweeter profile.
– Chocolate-Cranberry Twist: Mix 1/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips into the dough and use plain cranberry jam. Result: a chocolaty counterpoint to cranberry with extra texture and indulgence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe
Q: Can I make the dough ahead and refrigerate overnight?
A: Yes. After scooping into mounds, cover the tray tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature for 10 minutes if too firm before making wells and filling, then add a minute or two to the bake time if very cold.
Q: Why did my streusel fall off after baking?
A: Streusel can fall if it was too dry when pressed, if you didn’t press it firmly enough, or if the cookie rose dramatically and separated from the topping. Press firmly before baking and use slightly more melted butter if crumbs are too loose.
Q: Can I use a different jam or fresh fruit instead?
A: Yes. Thick jams work best because they stay in the pocket; fresh fruit creates moisture that can make the cookie soggy. If using fresh berries, toss them with a teaspoon of cornstarch to reduce bleeding and moisture.
Q: My cookies spread and lost their shape — what went wrong?
A: Common causes are overly soft dough, too-warm oven, or too little flour. Chill dough briefly, verify your oven temperature with an oven thermometer, and ensure you measured flours properly by spooning and leveling rather than scooping.
Q: How do I stop the glaze from running into the streusel?
A: Wait until glaze is slightly thickened and the cookies are fully cooled. Use a drizzle rather than a full dip; if glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it holds shape.
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Final Thoughts on Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe
These Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies Recipe are a festive, bakery-quality cookie that balances tang, sweetness, and crunch with minimal fuss. If you loved the flavor pairing, try a fresh salad like an orange-and-fennel salad to serve alongside for brunch.
For more jammy cookie inspiration, compare with a cranberry streusel cookies variation, and if you want the exact chèvre flavor, check availability of cranberry chèvre goat cheese at Trader Joe’s.
If you make these, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and pin this recipe to Pinterest.
Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, toasted almonds, orange zest, salt, and optional rosemary in a bowl. Mix with a fork until evenly distributed. Add the cooled melted butter and fluff with the fork until coarse crumbs form; set aside.
- In a stand mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and chèvre on medium-high for 5–7 minutes until pale and airy.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, almond extract, orange zest, and orange juice. Mix until the batter is cohesive and glossy.
- Sift together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Add the dry ingredients in two additions and mix until just incorporated.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough into 12 mounds on parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill for 5 minutes if too loose to shape.
- Press a well into the centre of each dough mound and fill with cranberry jam.
- Firmly press streusel over each jam-filled well.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12 minutes until edges are pale gold.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Whisk powdered sugar and buttermilk until smooth. Drizzle or coat each cooled cookie with glaze and let it set for 10–20 minutes.