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White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Recipe
If you’re looking for a festive, bakery-style treat with chewy centers, crisp edges, and pockets of creamy white chocolate, this White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Recipe is going to be your new holiday favorite.
Full Recipe Introduction
These white chocolate cranberry cookies are everything I love in a dessert cookie recipe: soft and chewy on the inside, slightly crisp on the edges, and loaded with sweet white chocolate chips and tart dried cranberries. They’re the kind of homemade white chocolate cranberry cookies that look like they came from a fancy bakery box, but you can absolutely pull them off in your own kitchen, even on a busy weeknight.
I started testing this cranberry white chocolate cookie recipe years ago for our neighborhood cookie swap. I wanted a festive Christmas cookie that felt just a little different from the classic chocolate chip cookie, but still familiar and comforting. The combination of creamy white chocolate and tangy dried cranberries hits that cozy holiday note, without being over-the-top sugary.
What makes this White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Recipe extra special is the balance of flavor and texture. The brown sugar adds caramel notes and chew. The cranberries bring brightness. The white chocolate melts into sweet little pools. And a hint of orange zest (totally optional, but highly recommended) gives them that “holiday bakery window” vibe.
I tend to bake these throughout November and December, but honestly, they’re wonderful all year. They freeze well, travel beautifully, and they’re a great easy holiday cookie recipe when you need something reliable for parties, gift boxes, or office potlucks. My grown kids still text me every December: “Mom, sending a care package? Make the cranberry white chocolate cookies, please!”
So, let me walk you through how to make these chewy cranberry white chocolate cookies at home—without any fuss.
Why You’ll Love This White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Recipe
- Perfect holiday cookie: The red cranberries and creamy white chocolate chips look so festive on a cookie tray.
- Chewy and soft: These are soft white chocolate cranberry cookies with a tender center, not dry or cakey.
- Bakery-style look: Slightly thick, with golden edges and visible mix-ins—real bakery style white chocolate cranberry cookies right from your oven.
- Easy, straightforward ingredients: Simple pantry staples—nothing fancy or hard to find.
- Great for gifting: They pack and ship well, perfect for cookie boxes, teacher gifts, or neighbor goodie bags.
- Freezer-friendly: You can freeze both the dough and the baked cookies for quick “emergency dessert” moments.
- Customizable: Easy to tweak with nuts, orange zest, or even a little oatmeal for extra texture.
- Crowd-pleaser: They hit that sweet-tart balance, so even folks who say they’re “not into white chocolate chip cookies” usually come back for seconds.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you need for this White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Recipe. I’ll add little notes and substitutions, just like I would if you were baking in my kitchen with me.
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- Spoon and level your flour (don’t pack it) to keep the cookies from turning out dry.
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- If you use salted butter, reduce the salt to ½ teaspoon.
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- Soft, not greasy or melted—when you press it, it should give gently.
- 1 cup (210 g) packed light brown sugar
- Dark brown sugar works too and gives a deeper caramel flavor.
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- That extra yolk adds richness and makes the cookies extra chewy.
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Mix-Ins
- 1 ¼ cups (about 210 g) white chocolate chips or chunks
- I like Ghirardelli or Guittard white chocolate chips for smooth melting and flavor.
- 1 cup (120 g) dried cranberries
- Craisins or any brand; if they look very dry, you can soak them in warm water for 5–10 minutes and pat dry.
- 1–2 teaspoons fresh orange zest (optional, but lovely)
- This turns them into true holiday cranberry cookies—the orange makes the cranberries pop.
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped nuts – pecans, pistachios, or macadamia nuts (optional)
- Nuts add crunch and a bakery-style flair, but you can leave them out for nut-free cookies.
Optional Finishing Touch
- Extra white chocolate chips and dried cranberries for pressing on top before baking
- A light sprinkle of flaky sea salt on warm cookies (Maldon or similar)
You can see in the photo: lots of visible white chocolate chips and cranberries. That’s the secret to cookies that look as good as they taste.
Directions
Follow these steps and you’ll have oven baked cranberry cookies that are soft, chewy, and picture-perfect.
1. Prep your pans and oven.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This helps the cookies bake evenly and prevents over-browning on the bottom.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. This helps distribute the leavening so you don’t get random puffy or flat spots in your cookies.
3. Cream the butter and sugars.
In a large mixing bowl (a stand mixer with the paddle or a handheld mixer both work), beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 2–3 minutes. The mixture should look lighter in color and a bit fluffy. Don’t rush this part; it builds structure and adds air, which helps make your chewy cranberry white chocolate cookies rise nicely.
4. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla.
Beat in the egg, then the egg yolk, and the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so everything is well combined. The mixture should look creamy and smooth.
5. Add the dry ingredients.
Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Mix just until no dry streaks remain. If you’re using a stand mixer, stop when you still see a bit of flour, and finish folding by hand with a spatula. Overmixing here can give you tough cookies.
6. Stir in the white chocolate and cranberries.
Fold in the white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, orange zest, and nuts (if using). Make sure everything is evenly distributed so each cookie is generously filled. At this point, the dough will be fairly thick and a bit sticky—perfect for bakery style white chocolate cranberry cookies.
7. Chill the dough (recommended).
Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to 48 hours.
- For thick and chewy cookies, I like 1–2 hours of chilling.
- If you chill overnight, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before scooping.
Chilling keeps the cookies from spreading too much and deepens the flavors.
8. Scoop the cookie dough.
Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop (or a rounded tablespoon) and portion the dough onto your prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. For that bakery look, roll each portion into a ball, then press 2–3 extra white chocolate chips and a few cranberries on top.
9. Bake the cookies.
Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft and slightly underbaked.
- If your oven runs hot, check at 9 minutes.
- Rotate the pan halfway through if you notice uneven browning.
10. Shape while warm (optional but helpful).
Right when the cookies come out of the oven, you can use a round cookie or biscuit cutter (slightly larger than the cookie) and gently swirl around each cookie to nudge it into a neat circle. This little trick makes them look very professional.
11. Finish and cool.
If you like a sweet-salty contrast, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each warm cookie. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They’ll firm up as they cool, so don’t panic if they seem very soft right out of the oven.
And that’s it—you’ve got your own white chocolate cranberry chip cookies ready to enjoy or share.
Servings & Timing
- Yield: About 24 medium cookies (more if you make them smaller, fewer if you make them bakery-big)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 30–60 minutes (can go up to 48 hours for make-ahead dough)
- Bake Time: 10–12 minutes per sheet
- Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes, including chill time (less if you shorten the chill and bake in batches)
If you’re making multiple batches for a cookie exchange, I like to double the recipe and keep one bowl of dough chilling while the other batch bakes.
Variations
Once you’ve tried the classic version, it’s fun to play with flavors. Here are some easy twists:
- Orange Pistachio Cranberry Cookies: Add 2 teaspoons orange zest and ½ cup chopped pistachios for a bright, bakery-style twist.
- Oatmeal White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies: Replace ½ cup flour with ½ cup old-fashioned oats for extra chew and texture.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use a good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend and chill the dough at least 1 hour before baking.
- Dark Chocolate Cranberry Cookies: Swap half (or all) of the white chocolate chips for dark or semi-sweet chips for a richer flavor.
- Almond Bakery Cookies: Add ½ teaspoon almond extract and top with sliced almonds for a softer, nutty cookie.
- Extra Festive Christmas Cookies: Add ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg—just enough to whisper “holiday” without tasting like gingerbread.
Feel free to mix and match; this dough is very forgiving.
Storage & Reheating
You know what? This might be my favorite part: these cookies hold up beautifully.
Storing Baked Cookies
- Let cookies cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days.
- For the softest texture, place a small piece of bread or a slice of apple in the container; it helps keep the cookies moist (just replace it as it dries out).
Freezing Baked Cookies
- Place cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container.
- Freeze for up to 2–3 months.
- To “refresh,” warm a few cookies on a baking sheet at 300°F for 4–6 minutes; they’ll taste almost freshly baked.
Freezing Cookie Dough Balls
This is my secret for “instant” white chocolate cranberry dessert when guests pop in.
- Scoop cookie dough into balls and place on a parchment-lined sheet.
- Freeze until firm, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag.
- Label with the bake temp and time (350°F, about 11–13 minutes from frozen).
- Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the time; no need to thaw.
Make-Ahead Advice
If you’re planning a big holiday baking day, you can make the dough up to 2 days ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge, then scoop and bake when you’re ready. Let the chilled dough rest on the counter for about 10–15 minutes so it’s easier to scoop.
Notes
A few personal tips from lots of test batches (and a few flops):
- Chill really does matter. You can bake these right after mixing, but the chilled dough gives you thicker, chewier homemade white chocolate cranberry cookies with better flavor.
- Check your cranberries. If your dried cranberries are very hard or shriveled, give them a quick soak in warm water or orange juice for 5–10 minutes, then pat them dry. They’ll plump up in the cookies instead of staying tough.
- Watch the bake time. The trick to soft white chocolate cranberry cookies is pulling them when the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll continue baking from the residual heat on the pan.
- Use good white chocolate. Not all white chocolate tastes the same; some brands can be waxy. If white chocolate has ever tasted too sweet to you, try a higher-quality brand or use white chocolate baking wafers or chopped bar chocolate.
- Cookie size matters. Larger scoops (about 2 tablespoons) will need an extra minute or two and will spread a bit more. I like medium-sized cookies for lunchboxes, and slightly bigger for gift boxes.
- Salt is your friend. That ¾ teaspoon in the dough plus a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top keeps the cookies from feeling cloyingly sweet. Don’t skip it if you love balanced flavor.
Honestly, if your first tray looks a little wonky, don’t be discouraged. The second tray is usually where you really hit your stride.
FAQs
Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried?
I don’t recommend it for this dried cranberry cookie recipe—fresh cranberries release a lot of moisture and can make the cookies soggy and patchy. Stick with dried for this one.
Can I make these cookies without chilling the dough?
Yes, but the cookies will spread more and bake thinner. If you’re in a rush, even a 15–20 minute chill while the oven preheats helps.
What if my cookies spread too much?
This usually means the butter was too soft or the dough was too warm. Next time, chill longer and be sure to measure the flour correctly. You can also add 1–2 tablespoons extra flour to firm up the dough.
Can I make these dairy-free?
You can use a good dairy-free butter substitute (the stick type, not spreadable) and dairy-free white chocolate chips. The texture will be slightly different, but still very good.
Can I use white chocolate chunks instead of chips?
Absolutely. Chopped white chocolate bars or baking wafers melt beautifully and give you those nice pockets of melted chocolate in your white chocolate cranberry cookies.
How do I keep my cookies soft for days?
Store them in an airtight container and add a small piece of bread or a slice of apple. The cookies absorb the moisture and stay soft longer—just don’t forget to change that slice after a day or two.
Can I make these cookies larger for big bakery-style cookies?
Yes! Use about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie and bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are puffy and slightly soft.
Are these cookies good for shipping?
Yes, they travel very well. Let them cool completely, pack tightly in a tin or sturdy box, and cushion with parchment or tissue. They’re a wonderful easy holiday cookie recipe to send to friends or college kids.
Conclusion
These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are everything I look for in a holiday (or any day) treat: soft, chewy, pretty enough for a cookie tray, and simple enough for a Tuesday night craving. The mix of creamy white chocolate and tart cranberries makes them stand out in a sea of regular chocolate chip cookies, and the recipe is reliable enough to keep in your “must-bake” rotation.
Give this White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Recipe a try, then come back and tell me how they turned out for you—did you add nuts, orange zest, or maybe swap in some dark chocolate? I love hearing your tweaks. And if you’re in cookie-baking mode, you might also enjoy browsing my other holiday favorites on the blog; there’s a whole lineup of festive Christmas cookies waiting for you.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 280 g, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if using salted butter
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 170 g, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar 210 g, packed; dark brown sugar may be used
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100 g
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips or chunks about 210 g
- 1 cup dried cranberries 120 g; soak briefly and pat dry if very dry or hard
- 1 teaspoon orange zest up to 2 teaspoons, optional
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts 60 g; pecans, pistachios, or macadamia nuts, optional
- extra white chocolate chips and dried cranberries for pressing on top of cookies before baking, optional
- flaky sea salt for sprinkling on warm cookies, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to promote even baking and prevent over-browning on the bottoms.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt until well combined. Set aside.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a large mixing bowl, using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until lighter in color and slightly fluffy.3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the egg, then the egg yolk, followed by the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed and mix until the mixture is smooth and creamy.1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until no dry streaks of flour remain. If using a stand mixer, stop when a few streaks remain and finish folding the dough together by hand with a spatula to avoid overmixing.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Fold in the white chocolate chips or chunks, dried cranberries, orange zest (if using), and chopped nuts (if using) until evenly distributed. The dough will be fairly thick and slightly sticky.1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips or chunks, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 cup chopped nuts
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 48 hours. For thicker, chewier cookies, chill 1–2 hours. If chilling overnight, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before scooping.
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the mounds about 2 inches apart. For a bakery-style look, roll each portion into a ball and press a few extra white chocolate chips and dried cranberries on top.1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips or chunks, 1 cup dried cranberries, extra white chocolate chips and dried cranberries
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft and slightly underbaked. If your oven runs hot, start checking at 9 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through if you notice uneven browning.
- Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, use a round cookie or biscuit cutter slightly larger than the cookies to gently swirl around each one, nudging it into a neat circle for a more professional, bakery-style appearance.
- If desired, sprinkle each warm cookie with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will firm up as they cool.flaky sea salt
