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
They’re truly delicious! I followed the instructions precisely, and the result was incredibly tasty. I couldn’t resist indulging, so I decided to share them with my friends. 🙂 The ingredients are readily available and easy to prepare. Perhaps I’ll experiment with raspberries instead of cranberries after the season ends? 🙂 Thanks a lot, chef!
I made these cookies this morning and they didn’t turn out the way the recipe says . I made them into balls and they never melted down I had to press them down with a fork
HI Gail, thats usually due to using too much flour. If you aren’t able to weigh the flour, check my post on how to measure ingredients for baking which should help.
The recipe was easy to follow and the cookies turned out fine. I used dried cranberries so they weren’t as colorful as your photo. My wife loved the cookies and asked if I would make them for Christmas along with your peanut butter cookies.
They were good but they stayed in a ball. What did I do wrong?
Hi Mitzi! The most common reason this happens is using too much flour. Be sure to measure correctly. I have a tutorial on How to Measure Ingredients (Wet and Dry) here.
I made these last Christmas, and they were so yummy! I will be making them again for sure!
Aren’t fresh cranberries too tart? I thought fresh cranberries had to be cooked.
They work really well with the sweetness in this recipe.
Instead of orange zest I think I am going to soak my craisins in orange juice. Although fresh cranberries seems nice. Do they have to be chopped? I feel that would make the batter runny?
Hi Heather. We coarsely chop them, and they are not too runny.
I made these last holiday season and loved them. This season I bought fresh cranberries as soon as I could find them in the stores because I couldn’t wait to make them again! My husband and I both love these and I plan to make them several times this season to share with everyone!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Sarah!
I made the cranberry /white choc. Chip cookies today. My husband taste tested and said they were good but hopefully they weren’t a substitute for the choc chip cookies!🤣 I reassured him they weren’t.
They are very good.
These are by far the best cookies! I had to make a second batch because my family and friends loved them so much! I’m going to take these to every special occasion. Use real cranberries – they make the cookie extra tasty! Best recipe ever!
This is such a unique taste and everyone loved these! For my dough, it was a little too soft for molding at first so I would recommend putting it in the fridge. Thank you for the recipe! 🙂
Thank you 😊 so much I cannot wait for this weekend to try them out they look amazing
I hope you love it, Amber!
All I have is craisins at the house do I need to soak those in the water for 15-20 minutes?
Hi Amber. Yes, that would be best.
Hi Natasha:
I am wondering about using rhubarb in cookies? Just wondering if I could substitute rhubarb for the cranberries? I love your recipes!
I haven’t personally tested that to advise. I’m pretty sure that it will work, as a substitute for cranberries.
I was wondering if you could use frozen cranberries and would they need to be defrosted?
Hi Melanie! I haven’t tested this with frozen cranberries, but here is what one of my viewers said: “I used frozen cranberries just fine! Just quickly chopped them in a food processor and folded them into the dough while they were still frozen so they didn’t get mushy.”
Wow, you gave me my answer! I have a bag in the freezer. Wondering if I could use them. You answered my question! I’ve made these before and I’ve been asked to make more!
Do you still need to put dried cranberries in hot water for 15-20 minutes
Hi Mandy! If you soak your cranberries in hot water for 15-20 minutes, you’ll get softer cookies. It’s not necessary, but recommended for better results.
Can these be made into a bar, if so what size do you suggest.
Hi Linda, I haven’t tried this recipe as bars so I can’t offer specific advice, but I think it could work well. If you test it out, please report back.
Outstanding cookie. I love cranberry/orange combo. Soft with crunchy edges. Shared as Christmas gifts. Lots of compliments. Your recipes turn out perfect.
These were delicious! Followed the recipe and came out great! Will be making again!
I’m so glad you loved this recipe, Kelly!
White Chocolate and Cranberries how could these be anything but DELICIOUS!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I used fresh cranberries yummy 👍
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Stacy!
They were delicious! A definite recipe keeper! Thank you
So happy to hear that, Robin!