In the bowl of a stand mixer combine softened butter and sugar. Cream together for at least 3 minutes, scraping the sides as needed.

Add the almond extract and orange juice, mix until just combined.

Add flour, salt, zest, almonds, and cranberries if using. Mix until the dough resembles crumbly snow. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Use your hands to test the dough, it should stick together like a snowball. If it is too crumbly, add 1 teaspoon of water and mix. You should only need 1-2 teaspoons liquid (if at all) to reach the desired consistency.

Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper. Use your hands to gently press the dough into a round log about 12" long and 3" in diameter. Fold up the sides of the parchment paper and roll until smooth round log is formed. Chill for at least 20 minutes. Alternatively, press thee dough into a cookie press and chill for at least 20 minutes.

Once chilled, remove the dough and slice into ¼" - ½" thick rounds (depending on how thick you like your cookies). You will end up with about 3 dozen cookies.

Place the unbaked cookies on lined baking sheets leaving about ½" space between cookies and chill for an additional 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 300F.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 10-14 minutes (depending on cookie thickness), the ideal shortbread is light in color, so remove before they become too golden.

Cool before transferring to an airtight container, such as a Ball® mason jar. The cookies keep for several days.