White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies: Chewy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are tangy and creamy, chewy and hearty, and the perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Dried cranberries bring a touch of tangy tartness, while the white chocolate chips offer bursts of creamy sweetness, all wrapped up in my favorite oatmeal cookie dough as a base.

Whether you like to eat your cookies in dough form (anyone besides me???), or whether you enjoy baking up a big batch and eating them while they are hot and gooey or pop them in the freezer for a dessert all week, these cookies will not disappoint.

And research about the health benefits of cranberries abounds – so they’re good for you, too!

I’ve been making these cookies lately, utilizing my favorite basic oatmeal cookie base recipe (adapted from an old Betty Crocker recipe I memorized as a child that I now can’t find published anywhere), and I love to try different add-ins to vary the flavor based on the season or my mood.

I use this basic recipe in my dark chocolate and cranberry walnut oatmeal cookies, as well as my raspberry white chocolate cookies. Both are delicious, but this combination of cranberries and white chocolate is perfect for the holidays. It reminds me of Starbuck’s cranberry bliss bars, but in cookie form.

So if you’re looking for the perfect Christmas cookie or you just happen to really love dried cranberries and white chocolate, these cranberry white chocolate chip cookies are going to make your day! Let’s dive in to how to make them!

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Why You’ll Love These Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

What’s to love about these cranberry white chocolate chip cookies? Here are my favorite things, which I think you’ll enjoy as well:

• Sweet and tart: the dried cranberries balance the sweetness of white chocolate chips.
• Soft and chewy: oats give these cookies their classic oatmeal texture.
• Simple ingredients: these are cookies that rely on common pantry goods for the basic dough. The pop for these cookies comes from the flavorful mix-ins.
• Perfect for sharing: this recipe makes a good quantity of cookies! I love that, because I like to freeze half the dough and save it for later, but they would also make great holiday gifts, or they’d be a lovely addition to a Christmas cookie platter.

Ingredients You’ll Need for White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies:

I enjoy baking, so I keep almost all these ingredients on hand, but even if you aren’t an avid cookie maker, you’ve probably got everything you need in your cupboard right now! Here’s what you’ll need to make these cranberry white chocolate chip cookies:

• Old-fashioned rolled oats: this contributed to the hearty, chewy texture. However, I’ve also made these with quick oats, and they turn out delicious.
• Flour: I have used all purpose flour or whole meal flour in this recipe successfully. You can pick!
• Butter and sugar: Of COURSE you have to have butter and sugar in a cookie recipe! I use salted butter (you can totally use unsalted too, if you want, but I like plenty of salt in my cookies), and whatever kind of sugar I have on hand: white sugar, raw sugar, or brown sugar are all pretty successful. If you use brown sugar, you may want to reduce or eliminate the molasses if you prefer a more subtle molasses flavor. I like molasses, so I keep it, even when using brown sugar.
• Egg and vanilla extract: For structure and flavor. I almost always have room temp eggs, but you can make it from refrigerated eggs as well.
• Baking soda, baking powder, and salt: Standard cookie ingredients here.
• Dried cranberries (Craisins): Two cups for cranberries in every cookie. If you like extra cranberries, feel free to add more!
• White chocolate chips: Two cups to balance the tart cranberries with creamy sweetness. Mini or regular size work just fine.

You should be able to locate all these ingredients at almost any grocery store!

How to Make Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Making these cookies is pretty straightforward. I use all one bowl, and do the following steps:

1. Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Cream or mix the butter and sugars
3. then add the eggs and vanilla until it is all well mixed.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the flour, oats, and remaining dry ingredients.
5. Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate. Stir in two cups of each until evenly distributed.
6. Scoop and bake. Using a teaspoon for small cookies or a tablespoon for larger ones, scoop your spoon full to overflowing, and then place evenly spaced on a baking sheet.
7. Cool and enjoy. Let the cookies set before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Tips for Making the Best Chewy Oatmeal Cookies:

There are a few things that will help make these white chocolate cranberry cookies be all they can be!

• First, measure the oats and flour accurately. I really prefer to use my food scale, rather than rely on my measuring cup
• Distribute the cranberries and white chocolate evenly throughout the dough.
• Avoid overbaking if you want a soft, chewy center. I like to start with 10 minutes if I’m baking the cookies from room temp, but I do use a very well rounded tablespoon to make fairly large cookies. Adjust the time down to 8 minutes if you are using a teaspoon to scoop your dough.
• If desired, press a few extra white chocolate chips or cranberries onto the tops of the dough balls before baking for a prettier finished cookie.

How to Store these White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies:

Storing these white chocolate cranberry cookies is easy!

• Room temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.
• Freezing baked cookies: These cookies are best frozen after they have completely cooled, and then laid on a tray or cookie sheet to freeze solid. Since they are chewy, if you freeze them piled together, they’ll form a large lump of baked dough that will be tough to separate.
• Freezing cookie dough: I love to freeze these cookies in cookie dough form! I spoon them out to the right size as if I was planning to bake them, then I just allow the dough to freeze in their balls. Thaw thoroughly before attempting to bake.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use dried cranberries instead of Craisins? Yes, you can! Craisins are a specific brand of dried cranberries, and you can use whatever kind of dried cranberries you like.
• Can I use white chocolate chunks instead of chips? Absolutely – you can choose your white chocolate portion sizes based on your own preferences
• Can I freeze these oatmeal cookies? Yes, you can, and they are delicious consumed either frozen OR thawed.
• Are these cranberry white chocolate cookies good for Christmas baking? These cookies are delicious cookies to make for Christmas, but I certainly make them at other points in the year as well.

More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes to Try

Love oatmeal cookies and want to try all the add ins? Here are some other ways to use this basic recipe but with different flavor mix-ins:

Easy Chewy Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Cookies with Craisins and Walnuts

For those of you who prefer rich dark chocolate and a little crunch from walnuts.

Oatmeal White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

If you love a raspberry cheesecake, you might enjoy these delicious, spring-inspired oatmeal cookies!

Please share this recipe on Pinterest or your social medias if you enjoy it, and leave me a rating and a comment!

Yield: 48 cookies

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

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These cookies are chewy, crunchy around the edges, and loaded with gooey chocolate chips, tangy craisins, and crunchy walnuts.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter, softened (450 grams)
• 2 cups sugar (400 grams)
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp molasses
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups flour
• 6 cups oats
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 2 cups dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F Convection (160 °C fan forced)
2. With a hand mixer or stand mixer (or a strong arm muscle), mix butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, scraping down sides as needed, until sugar is well incorporated
3. Add eggs and continue mixing for 2-3 more minutes, until mixture is starting to get fluffy
4. Add salt, vanilla, molasses, soda, and powder, and mix until thoroughly incorporated
5. Add flour and mix just until flour is incorporated
6. Add oats - if using a hand mixer, you may need to transition to using a wooden spoon
7. Add white chocolate chips and dried cranberries and mix until evenly distributed
8. Drop dough by large spoonful onto baking paper lined cookie sheet
9. Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are turning golden
10. Allow to cool completely before storing or serving

NOTE: Chilling the dough before baking for several hours results in cookies that are a little taller. Baking them when the dough is room temperature will cause cookies to spread out more.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

48

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 257Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 229mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 17gProtein: 4g

Nutrition information is based on estimates and isn't always accurate.