Sometimes we just need to mix things up. Instead of your usual go-to cookie recipe, give these white chocolate cranberry cookies a try. They’re moist and chewy and delicious!
Love cranberries? Try this easy lemon cranberry loaf, too!
White chocolate and cranberries go together like, well, rama-lama-ding-dong. The tang of dried cranberries paired with white chocolate chips makes a divine combination, perfect for stirring into a batch of cookies.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Recipe
Sure, these flavors are super popular during the holiday season. (Why is that??) Don’t get hung up on that, though. These cookies are sure to become a family favorite any time of year!
Ingredients
Flour: When I bake with all-purpose flour I opt for the unbleached version. Bleached flour is very white, but it’s also treated with bleaching agents that I don’t really need in my food.
Sugar: You’ll use a combination of both white and brown sugar for this recipe. The addition of light brown sugar provides a little bit of rich molasses flavor.
Eggs: Use large eggs.
Butter: Allow the butter to come to room temperature for easy mixing. I used salted butter; if you prefer unsalted, that will work fine.
White chocolate chips: Technically, these sweet chocolate chips are not chocolate. They tend to be sweeter than actual chocolate chips. If you can’t find white chocolate chips, you can pick up a white chocolate bar and break it into pieces for white chocolate chunk cookies. Feel free to substitute milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips in this recipe.
Cranberries: The addition of dried cranberries provides a little tangy, chewiness to the cookies.
Baking soda: This is the ingredient that causes the cookie dough to rise.
Making the Cookies
You can stir this recipe together with a sturdy wooden spoon (you’ll get a bit of a work out this way!) or use a stand or hand mixer.
Start by combining the dry ingredients in one bowl. In a second bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) cream the sugars and butter together until smooth and somewhat fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until incorporated, then add the dry ingredients. Once combined, add the white chocolate and cranberries mixing to distribute them in the dough.
Use a cookie scoop or kitchen spoon to scoop golf-ball-sized cookie dough balls onto baking sheets. Bake the cookies on parchment paper for easy clean up. If you have a silicone baking mat, use that!
Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container.
Storage
Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze.
Cookies at the ready
If you love convenience, here’s a little trick for you. Once the cookie dough is completely mixed, turn it out onto a flat surface and form it into a log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap; freeze cookie dough for your very own slice-and-bake cookies!
This also comes in handy during the busy holiday baking season. Make the dough in advance, and you’ll be ready to bake up a storm closer to the holiday. Perfect for gifting fresh cookies!
To bake frozen cookie dough, let the cookie dough log sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Slice 1/2″ rounds from the log and place on a baking sheet and bake as directed. Easy, peasy!
★ Did you make these cookies? Don’t forget to give them a star rating below! ★
White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cranberries
These delicious cookie are moist and chewy and perfect for indulging!
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet (or two, to save time) and preheat oven to 350 degrees. You can line it with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat.
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk gently.
- In a separate mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine butter and sugars. Beat until fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just incorporated.
- Add the white chocolate and cranberries, then mix until evenly distributed in the dough.
- Scoop cookie dough into golf-ball sized rounds and place on prepared baking sheets, leaving room for cookies to spread out.
- Bake for 12 minutes, remove from oven, place on cooking rack immediately to cool.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
Serving size: 2 cookies
For a more caramelized, chewy bottom, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet.
To freeze the cookie dough:
Once the cookie dough is completely mixed, turn it out onto a flat surface and form it into a log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and freeze for your very own slice-and-bake cookies!
To bake frozen cookie dough, let the cookie dough log sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Slice 1/2″ rounds from the log and place on a baking sheet and bake as directed.
These cookies would be a delicious addition to a cookie exchange or holiday dessert buffet. They’re good for shipping too! Check out these tips for shipping cookies successfully.
Originally published September 2020; this post has been updated.
