Ring in the holidays with these festive Cranberry Orange Icebox Cookies. So easy to make and loaded with seasonal flavors you'll want to share with everyone!
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar for 1 minute until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.
At low speed, mix in the dry ingredients. Then the dried cranberries, ginger, and orange zest and mix until evenly combined.
Form the cookie dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 10-inch log. (I like to have squared-off edges instead of a rounded dough log.)
Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 10 hours. Or you can freeze it for 2 hours. (see note)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
Place the green sanding sugar onto a piece of waxed paper and unwrap one dough log. Roll the cookie dough into the colored sugar until completely coated on all sides. Repeat with the red sanding sugar and remaining cookie dough.
Cut each dough log into 1/4-inch slices - you want 12 slices from each dough log. Place the slices onto the prepared cookie sheets about 2-inches apart.
Bake for 14-16 minutes until the cookies are slightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
Notes
If you don't have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can substitute 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves.
You can keep the cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just add a layer of foil around the plastic wrap and then pop the logs into a gallon-sized food storage bag. Let the dough thaw overnight in the fridge before slicing and baking.
You can store the baked cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.