These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are soft, buttery, and made with simple ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips. Double the recipe and share with friends, family, or freeze for last-minute cookie cravings.
Soft and Fluffy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
I originally shared this cookie recipe four years ago. Deciding that this post was in need of a little facelift, I figured it was the perfect excuse to do a little baking before the holidays arrive. Soft, fluffy, and perfectly golden, these phenomenal cookies are some of the easiest to bake. Simple ingredients like flour, eggs, sugar, and butter, plus tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate chips help keep the shopping list low, and flavors focused. Easy to store or freeze, the whole family will love these white chocolate cranberry cookies!
How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
To make these delicious cranberry-studded cookies, you’ll need the following tools and equipment:
For the full list and amounts of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1. Make your cookie dough
In a medium-size mixing bowl whisk together your dry ingredients (the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon). Set aside. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for an additional 30 seconds. Next, add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition for approximately 30 seconds.
With the mixer on slow, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined (avoid over-mixing). Remove bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon to fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips until combined.
Step 2. Roll your dough into balls and chill
Scoop approximately 1.5 tablespoons of cookie dough from the bowl using a cookie scoop or spoon and roll between the palm of your hands to form dough balls. Transfer to your prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I added 12 cookies per baking sheet), and transfer baking sheet and cookie dough balls to the refrigerator to chill for at least 20-30 minutes. Repeat this process with the remaining cookie dough.
- If you started with warm or melted butter, chill your dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling into dough balls.
Step 3. Bake
One baking sheet at a time, bake your cookies at 350°F for 11-13 minutes, or until edges of the cookies are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Repeat with your remaining baking sheet of chilled cookie dough balls.
- Pro-tip: If you know your oven has ‘hot spot’ you may want to rotate your baking sheet halfway through baking.
Add a little flair to your cookies by gently pressing a few additional white chocolate chips and dried cranberries into the tops of your cookies immediately after they come out of the oven and while they are still warm.
Tips & Tricks
- Butter – For best results, allow your butter warm to room temperature before mixing with your sugar. It should dent just slightly with your finger when pressed but should still maintain its shape. If you do start with warm or melted butter, that’s ok, however, you may want to chill your dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling into dough balls.
- Sugar – This recipe can be made with either light or dark brown sugar. I tend to gravitate toward light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar is nice if you like a little toffee flavor in your cookies.
- Chocolate – This recipe has been made with white chocolate chips. If you’re not a fan, feel free to use your favorite chocolate variety.
- Dried Cranberries – Raisins are also great- though slightly less festive.
- Chill your dough – This is really important. WHY? If your butter is too warm at the time of cooking, they’re more likely to spread all over the place. Chilling allows them to bake higher, and bake fluffier.
- Baking Time – Oven temperatures can vary and some come with hot spots, so adjust your cooking time accordingly and rotate your baking sheet if necessary. If you prefer crispier cookies, bake for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- How to make gluten-free – To make this recipe gluten-free use certified gluten-free all-purpose flour.
More Cookie Recipes,
- Sprinkle Confetti Cookies
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Best Ever Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Lemon Raspberry Cookies
- Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
If you try making this White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
RECIPE CARD
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups all-purpose-flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup salted butter - at room temperature
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar - packed
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs - at room temperature
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries - or more if you really love cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars. Beat on medium until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes, scraping the sides when needed. Add the vanilla and beat for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the eggs and beat until just combined, approximately 30 seconds.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined (avoid over-mixing). Use a wooden spoon to fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips until thoroughly combined.
- Scoop approximately 1.5 tablespoons of cookie dough from the bowl using a cookie scoop or spoon. Roll the dough between the palm of your hands to form dough balls then transfer to your prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I added 12 cookies per baking sheet). Transfer baking sheet and cookie dough balls to the refrigerator to chill for at least 20-30 minutes. Repeat this process with the cookie dough and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill.
- One tray at a time, bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes, or until edges of the cookies are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Repeat with your remaining baking sheet of chilled cookie dough balls.
Jessica's Notes
- Baked cookies: Your baked cookies will stay fresh in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4-6 days.
- Cookie dough: You can store leftover cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow your cookie dough to come to room temperature before scooping and baking.
- To freeze baked cookies: Transfer cookies to a large ziplock bag and place it in the freezer for up to three months.
- To freeze leftover cookie dough: To freeze your cookie dough roll it into balls, transfer to a baking sheet, and freeze before transferring to a large ziplock bag. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. When ready to bake allow an extra minute of bake time- no need to thaw.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
these cookies turned out amazing. This recipe was easy to follow and the cookies are delicious! The dough was easy to portion using 2 spoons to portion the dough onto the pan.