Chop cranberries by hand or by pulsing in the food processor. Set aside.
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla in food processor.
Add orange zest and pulse until mixed in evenly.
Add cranberry mixture to creamy mixture and pulse until mixed evenly.
Add flour to mixture by pulsing gently until evenly mixted.
Put dough on a floured wooden or counter surface and roll into a log.
Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil.
Place in a ziplock bag and chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Remove log from refrigerator and wrappings.
Slice into 1/4 to 1/3 inch slices. Slice thinner for crisp cookies and thicker for chewy cookies.
Place cookies 2" apart onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cook thin cookies for 12 minutes and thicker cookies for 15 minutes until the cookies begin to brown around the edges.