These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are so delicious and festive. These soft and chewy cranberry cookies are studded with white chocolate chips, orange zest, and tangy cranberries.
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Helpful Reader Review
“These are by far the best cookies! I had to make a second batch because my family and friends loved them so much!” – Tracey ★★★★★
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
These soft-baked cookies will be a favorite on your Christmas cookie platter this year. Arrange them with your Sugar Cookies and Gingerbread Cookies, and your holiday treats will steal the spotlight at any cookie swap and make the perfect gift for neighbors, friends and teachers.
If you love easy cookies like Chocolate Chip Cookies or Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, this recipe is for you. These easy-to-make cookies are delicious and effortlessly beautiful with bright red cranberries and snow-white chocolate chips poking through.
You can use fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries in this recipe, though fresh cranberries are preferred for a softer and brighter cookie (see the comparison below).
Cranberry Cookies Ingredients
These cookies call for pantry and refrigerator staples, especially during cranberry season, but you can use fresh or dried cranberries to enjoy them year-round.
- Butter – unsalted and softened, and at room temperature
- Sugars – brown sugar adds a chewy texture and golden color. Granulated sugar creates crisp edges.
- Dry Ingredients: Flour, baking powder, and salt. Use all-purpose (or substitute GF flour) and be sure to measure flour correctly.
- Orange Zest – adds a fresh citrus zing. It’s an easy to way to add great flavor.
- Vanilla – I use my homemade pure Vanilla Extract (These make great holiday gifts too!)
- Egg – should be large and room temperature
- White Chocolate Chips – add pockets of melted chocolate in every bite.
- Cranberries – fresh or frozen, coarsely chopped, or substitute with 1 cup dried cranberries if necessary. If you soak your dried cranberries in hot water for 15-20 minutes, you’ll get softer cookies.
Variations
You can get creative with the add-ins for these cranberry cookies. Try chopped macadamia nuts or walnuts, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, lemon zest, or even a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.
How to Make Cranberry Cookies
- Prepare – Preheat the oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Cream Butter and Sugars- Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well to incorporate. Beat in the zest and vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is mixed in.
- Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and beat just until combined and the cookie dough comes together.
- Fold in Cranberries and Chocoalte – Using a stiff spatula, just until incorporated. Don’t overmix, you don’t want to smoosh the cranberries.
- Shape and Bake – Shape into 1-inch balls (a small cookie scoop makes it easy), and place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown at the edges. Don’t overbake if you want soft cookies. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Pro Tip:
Cookies with dried cranberries will bake faster since they have less moisture, so be sure to watch your cookies in the oven to prevent them from overcooking. Watch for the edges to turn golden brown and you’ll know they’re done to perfection.
I hope you enjoy these Merry and Bright Cranberry Cookies. Sending you the merriest wishes on your Christmas baking journey. May your oven be precise, your ingredients be plenty, and each cookie be a sweet reflection of the joy and warmth of the season.
Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (12 Tbsp or 1.5 sticks)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp grated orange zest
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, or use your favorite GF flour, measured correctly
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 cups white chocolate chips
- 2 cups fresh cranberries (8 oz. bag), coarsely chopped, or frozen cranberries, or substitute 1 cup dried cranberries*
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the butter and both sugars for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well to incorporate. Beat in the zest and vanilla extract.
- Add Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture and beat just until combined and dough comes together.
- Add Cranberries and Chocolate: Using a stiff spatula, stir in the cranberries and chocolate chips just until incorporated. Shape into 1-inch balls (a small cookie scoop makes it easy) and place 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown at the edges (Cookies with dried cranberries will bake faster, about 11-13 minutes). Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- To store baked cookies: store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
- Make-ahead: Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 72 hours. To bake, bring to room temperature until it softens enough to scoop then bake as directed.
- To freeze cookie dough: Place cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet, cover, and freeze for an hour or until solid, then transfer to a large freezer-safe bag and freeze up to 3 months.
- To bake frozen cookie dough: Place the frozen cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake from frozen, adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
If you love these Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies, then you’ll want to try these other tried-and-true Christmas cookies. Try one, or try them all, and have the most beautiful holiday spread.
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Chocolate Truffles
- Russian Tea Cakes
- Almond Snowball Cookies
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Angel Wing Cookies
- Toffee Recipe
- Baklava
- Homemade Biscotti
This is off the topic of cookies, but I was wondering if you have a recipe for Struffoli ? I always trust your recipes. I make the Baklava every Christmas and it’s the best and so authentic. I was hoping you had one for Struffoli too.
Thank you so much and Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Hi Gail! I’m so glad to hear that. I do not have a recipe for Struffoli.
I loved these cookies and they came out perfect following this recipe! Thank you so much!
You’re very welcome, Evelyn!
These are soooo good! I’ve never baked with fresh cranberries so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
These have turned into a favorite cookie in our home!
Delicious!
Great to hear that! Thank you so much for trying out recipe, we’re so glad that you enjoyed it!
These cookies are DELICIOUS! I made these for a family function, and every time I opened the box, everyone jumped up to get another cookie! They were an absolute hit! I did use whole fresh cranberries instead of chopping them. It gave the cookies an extra “punch” of flavor. I also added macadamia nuts for a little crunch. You will love this recipe!
Hello Debbi, thank you for sharing that with us. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed these white chocolate cranberry cookies!
Delicious! I used a small 1” cookie scoop and got 80 cookies. No complaints because they’re that good! We tend to make smaller cookies, just reduce the baking time by about 2 minutes. Theses will be a staple on my cookie trays!
Thanks a lot for sharing, Joan. We’re glad that you enjoyed these cookies!
Omg!! Let me tell you I have tried other recipes very similar to yours however these are by far the best white chocolate cranberry cookies I have eaten. Thank you so much for the recipe
You’re very welcome, Erika! I’m so glad to hear that.
These were the best cookies ever! Everyone loved them ❤️ Easy to make. I forgot the brown sugar when I mixed them but added it at the end and they still tasted amazing 🤩
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Linda!
Happy with the metric!! ☺️ Question: can I make it without the brown sugar and substitute regular or would that change too much? And do I need to soak dried cranberries?
Hi there, brown sugar helps to give a chewy texture and richer color, I don’t recomment skipping it.
Thanks for the answer! Just got some brown sugar, definitely want to give it my best shot then 🙂
In order to give them a distinctly yuletide presence; I added pistachios. And so as to not overcrowd each cookie, I cut back slightly on the amounts of the nuts, the chips,and the berries.
Cinnamon and nutmeg put the ribbon on it.
A new Christmas tradition has begun!
That sounds wonderful! Thank you for sharing that with us!
I just made these this past weekend for an event I went to with Hallmark actors and everyone absolutely LOVED them! One actress even said it was the best cookie she’s ever had! So, thank you for making me look good. 😆
Wow, that’s great feedback! Thank you so much, I appreciate you sharing that with us.
Wow! Sent some of these with my daughter-in-law to the hospital she works at. Everyone loved them and asked for the recipe! ( I directed them to your website) One doctor said these were the best cookies he’s ever had! Thank you for all of the great recipes
Love it! It’s always inspiring to see great feedback like this one. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ve made several of your recipes and all have been delicious but I have never left a comment. These are worthy of a comment! I have been wanting to try a cranberry cookie and these are amazing! The orange zest really makes them pop – they are not too sweet, a little bit tangy and overall just right! I am now making them to take to a party but might have to make another batch because my family won’t stop eating them.
Hello Kim, thank you for taking the time to share your review. It means a lot to me and I’m happy that you enjoyed this one!
Excellent cookie. My husband and family ate them all up!! Love your recipes. Instructions are clear and easy to follow. Can I store cookies in a cookie can or should these cookies be stored in aTupperware container ?
Hi Sandra! You’re very welcome! These can be stored in an air-tight container of your choice.
Among all the recipes of white chocolate cranberry cookies, these are by far the best!! Thanks a lot!
Thank you, Emilie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Beware that if you change the amount of cookies you want to bake (I chose 72), the resulting ingredient amounts don’t translate well (like 1-1/5 cups butter)!
Hi Abby! 1 and 1/2 cups butter would be correct for 72 cookies because that would be doubling the original recipe (3/4 cup x 2). My notes in parenthesis next to the butter amount will not change- the website doesn’t have that feature.
These are definitely on my Christmas list from now on! The combination of orange zest and cranberries creates the perfect contrast with the super sweet white chocolate chips! Thank you for this recipe!
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you liked it!
Looking at the pictures it looks like you chopped the cranberries in half, is that correct?
Yes, I did! I hope you love the recipe!
When you mention dried cranberries are you referring to Craisins?
Yes, or any other brand.
What is the best way to chop fresh cranberries for this recipe? I tried the food processor, but I think it chopped them too much.
Hi Johna, I just like to use a knife to coarsely chop the cranberries.
I did use the food processor and chopped them into little bits. They came out just right. I bag of cranberries made too much so I’m freezing the rest. They never got golden brown at the edges. When I baked them for 15 minutes they got extra brown on the bottom.
I plan to mix these this weekend and would like to freeze them. Do you know if the bright color of the fresh cranberries holds up to freezing? It will just be for a week or two before Christmas.
Hi Penyy, the cookie dough is freezer friendly and should hold up well. I hope you love this recipe.
Natasha: I’m using this recipe for a holiday cookie baking competition because I’m an amateur but this looks simple and delicious…wish me luck. 🙂
Hi Eve! That’s great. Let us know how it turns out!