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White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are a festive cookie recipe for the Christmas season! They are thick and chewy, with the perfect amount of dried cranberries and white chocolate in every bite. Even if you’re not a cranberry lover you’ll love these – I inhaled them!
Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
I have to admit that I struggle to choose which cookies to make for the holidays – there are always so many great ones I want to make! I love to make a variety for my holiday cookie tray, and I usually switch things up every year, but there is one recipe that’s always on the list: white chocolate cranberry cookies. Just the name says “Christmas” to me, and the colors are perfect – red and white. It doesn’t get any more holiday than that!
These are thick and chewy white chocolate chip cookies that are better than Subway! The tart cranberries with the sweet white chocolate is a classic flavor combination. Once you try them, you’ll want to make them every year, too! They have soft centers and crisp edges and tons of flavor.
Ingredients
- Butter: I love to start my cookies with melted unsalted butter instead of room temperature butter.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar and Light brown sugar – make sure to pack the brown sugar in the measuring cup
- Large egg – Buying the right size egg is important
- Vanilla extract – Always buy pure vanilla extract
- Baking soda – the way I leaven my cookies – these stay nice and thick!
- Salt – needed since we’re using unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour: measure it with the spoon and level method!
- White Chocolate Chips and Sweetened Dried Cranberries (Craisins)
How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. You can stir this by hand or use an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the baking soda and salt, and then slowly mix in the flour. Stir just until the batter comes together and is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed in.
- Add the cranberries and white chocolate chips and fold to incorporate them into the batter.
- Scoop two tablespoons of the dough using a cookie scoop to form each cookie ball. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mats. You don’t need to worry about spacing them out since you will chill them in the refrigerator.
- Chill the cookie dough balls for at least two hours.
- Once chilled, space them two inches apart on baking sheets and bake them 11 to 15 minutes at 350°F.
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Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Plan Ahead: This cookie dough needs to chill, so be sure to plan the time for that. It only needs two hours in the fridge, or you can make the dough, refrigerate it overnight and bake the cookies the next day.
- Mixing Tips: You can make the dough in a stand mixer, with a hand mixer, or mix it by hand.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. It makes a big difference! Since the dough has melted butter, it needs to be refrigerated so the butter firms up before baking it. Otherwise, your cookies will spread too much when they bake.
- You know the cookies are done because the baked cookies are light golden brown and are no longer glossy in the center.
- Want some extra flavor? Add a bit of orange zest to the batter.
- This would also be amazing with macadamia nuts added!
- Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter or place them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
FAQs
The cookies are done when the tops are no longer glossy, and the edges are lightly golden. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes before removing them.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter , melted
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips
- ¾ cup (98g) dried cranberries
Instructions
- Place melted butter in a large bowl (you can use a hand or a stand mixer or mix this by hand). Add granulated and brown sugars stir until the mixture is smooth. Stir in egg and vanilla extract until combined.
- Stir in baking soda and salt, then slowly mix in flour and mix just until the batter is smooth and comes together. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl during mixing. Slowly mix in white chocolate and cranberries.
- Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough onto the cookie sheet. Spacing doesn’t matter because you will be chilling the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a second cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove the chilled cookie dough balls from the refrigerator and space them 2-inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 11-15 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden and the tops are no longer glossy. Let cool on the cookie sheets at least 10 minutes before removing.
Recipe Notes
- Be sure to use the spoon and level method to measure your flour. This will ensure you get the right amount, so your cookies have the best texture.
- Don’t over mix the dough. Once you add the flour, you only need to mix until the dough comes together.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. It makes a big difference! Since the dough has melted butter, it needs to be refrigerated so the butter firms up before baking it. Otherwise, your cookies will spread too much when they bake.
- The cookies will keep for several days in an air-tight container at room temperature. Or, you can freeze the cookies for up to a month.
Recipe Nutrition
Other Holiday Cookies
These cranberry white chocolate chip cookies have the best flavor and texture! They are the perfect cookie for the holiday season – if you only make one batch of cookies, these are the ones to make. Keep them all to yourself to enjoy or give them as a sweet gift for family and friends. They will love them!
Yummy yummy! Making them again! A recipe to be kept! Thanks