Chewy white chocolate cranberry cookies are so easy to make, but are really festive for the holidays! These make the perfect Christmas cookies because one batch makes 32, with minimal prep work, and only requires pantry staples! The flavors of the white chocolate and dried cranberries are pure bliss, and who doesn’t like soft-baked cookies?
With the holidays just around the corner, I am confident you already have the ingredients you need to make these delicious cranberry cookies! They also freeze well, so you can make them ahead of time to avoid some of the holiday stress. If you have leftover dried cranberries use them to make this easy stuffing recipe, or go with fresh ones in my favorite jello salad or sugared cranberries.
Desserts are one of my favorites to make, especially during the holidays. Mini pumpkin pies are simple and so cute. If needed, use up the rest of your macadamia nuts and chocolate chips to make cookie bars. Need to entertain the kids? Cutout sugar cookies and letting them decorate Santa cookies are super fun and they look amazing!
Why You’ll Love This Soft Baked Cookie Recipe
- Thick, chewy, and delicious.
- Quick and easy to whip up.
- Simple ingredients.
- Full of holiday flavors.
What Ingredients do I Need for Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies?
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- light brown sugar – when measuring pack the sugar down.
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- salt
- baking soda and baking powder – check your expiration dates! These leavening agents help to keep the cookies fluffy
- all-purpose flour
- dried cranberries
- white chocolate chips – plus a little extra to drizzle over top
- shortening – this is to help the chocolate melt for a smooth texture. Coconut oil can also be used in its place.
Before You Start: Allow the butter and eggs to come to room temperature so the cookie dough is easy to mix.
How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
PREP AND MIX THE COOKIE DOUGH: Preheat the oven and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars using an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla, then mix at high speed for 3-4 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir just until combined. Fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips.
SCOOP AND BAKE: For each cookie, scoop out a heaping spoonful onto the baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are slightly brown around the edges and the middle is set.
COOL AND TOP WITH CHOCOLATE: Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a couple of minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish. Combine the chocolate and shortening in a bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until it’s smooth. Transfer the chocolate to a plastic bag, snip the tip, and drizzle over the tops.
- If you are using a stand mixer, the paddle attachment works well for mixing.
- Feel free to add up to 1 cup of nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts.
- Do not over-mix the batter or overbake the cookies. We want them to have a chewy texture, not crispy.
- Creaming the butter, sugar, and eggs for a longer amount of time helps the cookies to hold their shape when baking.
- I used about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie to make them larger.
- Depending on what surface you bake the cookies on they may spread differently. I used parchment paper, but you could try a silicone baking mat.
- Chilling the dough isn’t necessary for this recipe. They spread enough on their own.
Fun Fact
20% of all cranberries that are consumed in the United States are during Thanksgiving week!
Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. They will also stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.
When you want a soft-baked cookie, brown sugar is the best! It’s not just a sweetener, but it helps with the texture. For this recipe, we use both sugars to keep the cookies soft and to help them slightly spread on the baking pan.
No. Fresh and frozen cranberries will alter the wet and dry ingredient ratio, so it’s best to use dried cranberries.
More Cookie Recipes You Can’t Resist!
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup white chocolate chips for optional drizzle
- 1 teaspoon shortening for optional drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy.
- Add in eggs and vanilla extract and beat on high for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and mix in just until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix again briefly until combined.
- Add the cranberries and white chocolate chips. Mix by hand or on low speed with the mixer until spread evenly throughout the cookie dough. Do not overmix.
- Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop mounds of dough onto lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes or until cookie has just browned around the edges and is set in the middle.
- Allow cookies to cool for 1-2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
- Combine remaining white chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Heat, 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
- Transfer melted chocolate to a plastic baggy or piping bag; snip a small hole in the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the cookies. Allow chocolate drizzle to set; then serve.
Notes
Store cookies in airtight container on the countertop for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Notes:
Follow the instructions precisely for creaming the butter, sugar, eggs together. A longer cream time will help the cookie hold its shape when baking. You can add up to 1 cup of your favorite nut into these cookies as well. I wanted cookies that were a bit larger, so I used a heaping 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop – about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough per cookie. Cookies will cook and spread differently depending on the surface they cook on. For best results, use parchment paper as instructed.
Nutrition
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