White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are a festive holiday cookie to share with friends and family! Sweet with a splash of tart flavor, these cookies are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. And they’re delicious warm with a glass of milk!
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White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies recipe
‘Tis the season for holiday magic. It’s just the best season, isn’t it? Full of Christmas cheer and so many festive baked goods that you can making something different every single day if you wanted to!
These cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies are a twist on the classic oatmeal raisin cookie. They’re crunchy on the outside with a soft and chewy in the middle. Truly a contender for the most festive holiday cookie.
These lovely cookies are as easy to whip up as chocolate chip cookies, and they would make a great addition to any holiday cookie tray or cookie exchange.
White chocolate chips bring sugary sweetness to each perfect cookie, and the dried cranberries provide a hint of tartness. I even added a dash of cinnamon for that classic warming sensation, and it’s so delicious. Truly one of my favorite things!
Serve them with a yule mule or Christmas margaritas, and you’ve got the start of a holiday party menu everyone will love.
More Cookie Recipes: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies • Heart Sugar Cookies • Kitchen Sink Cookies • Snowflake Sugar Cookies
Why you’ll love this recipe
You’ll love this recipe, for a few reasons:
- This recipe makes four dozen cookies, and that’s without doubling it! I don’t know about you, but I like to have plenty of fresh baked cookies around the holiday season. So, this is a fabulous way to make tons of cookies all at once.
- A good cookie has the perfect balance of all its ingredients. Each of these chewy oatmeal cranberry cookies has the perfect amount of sweetness and tartness.
- Anyone can make this easy recipe when you follow the steps. If you need the perfect treat for the holidays, this is it!
Tools & equipment
Here’s what you’ll need to put together this recipe
- Make sure you have a lined baking sheet or two so to bake these tasty cookies on.
- You’ll also need a stand mixer or hand mixer and at least two mixing bowls.
- Measuring cups and spoons will be needed to ensure you have the correct measurements of each ingredient.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to line each sheet pan before baking your cookies.
- The cookies will need to be transferred onto a cooling rack after they have been baked.
Ingredients
Here’s a list of everything you’ll need to make the best White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies:
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- old-fashioned rolled oats
- white chocolate chips
- dried cranberries
Substitutions & variations
Make these chewy oatmeal cookies gluten free by using a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour. The perfect cookie to give to your gluten sensitive friends.
If all you have on hand is salted butter, you can use it in this easy recipe. Just omit salt from the list of ingredients needed!
White chocolate and cranberry together is just a delightful combination. But some people are not fans of white chocolate. If that’s the case for you, swap them out with dark chocolate chunks. Just as tasty!
Add extra flavor and a crunchy texture by adding some chopped pecan to the cookie dough mixture.
Reduce the amount of refined sugar in these white chocolate oatmeal cookies by swapping the brown sugar for coconut sugar.
How to Make Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Here’s how to make this delicious Christmas cookie recipe:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Beat together on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
- Then add egg one a time until just combined and stir in the pure vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Whisk the flour mixture until all ingredients are well combined.
- Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Then add oats, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips and fold them into the cookie dough.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoons, roll tablespoons of dough into little cookie dough balls. Slight press each dough ball into a thick disk.
- Then place each cookie onto the previously prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the middles are slightly set.
- Allow the white chocolate cranberry cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Store White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Place cookies into an airtight container and store in a cool and dry place for up to a week. You can also store your cookies in the fridge for up to two weeks, just keep in mind that they will likely lose their chewy texture the longer they are stored.
Freeze fully baked cookies, dough balls, or a roll of cookie dough for up to 3 months. Just place into an airtight container or freezer bag and store!
Tips & tricks
Here are some tips and tricks for making this recipe:
- Allow the eggs to come to room temperature before mixing it in with the other ingredients. Room temp eggs mix into the dough much more easily than a cold egg!
- When mixing in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, be sure to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to ensure all ingredients get mixed into the dough.
- If you’d like a cookie with a chewier texture, bake on the lower end of the baking time. If you want a bit more crunch, then
What to pair with Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
If you’re baking this oatmeal cranberry cookies recipe to serve at a party, then you just have to create this Christmas tree mimosa bar! You’ll have the most praised party of the holiday season.
And if mimosas aren’t your thing, I have a post with an endless list of fabulous Christmas cocktails. I’m sure you can find something you’ll love!
For savory appetizers that will match the festive nature of this classic cookie, make a Christmas charcuterie board or baked brie. Bacon, fig and goat cheese crostini are a tremendous fancy appetizer too!
When it comes to cookies, you can never go wrong with a glass of milk or a giant mug of warm hot chocolate or wassail either.
ABOUT THE SWEETEST SEASON
This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and myself. Every year, we get a big group of food bloggers together to share new holiday cookie recipes.
This year we are raising money for Cookies 4 Kids’ Cancer, which is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer.
This season, OXO will be matching every dollar raised through Dec. 31, 2023, up to $100,000. Whatever money we raise will automatically double on our fundraising page!
FAQ
Rolled oats is just another word for old fashioned oats, so yes they can be used in this recipe! If you want to use quick oats, feel free to give it a whirl. It may change the texture of the cookie a bit, but they should work fine! However, I do not recommend substituting old fashioned oats with steel cut oats as the two do not cook the same.
You can absolutely use fresh cranberries in place of dried cranberries. Keep in mind that this may change up the texture and flavor of the cookie and will also give them a bit more tart flavor. Take extra care when folding the berries into the cookie dough so that you don’t smush them.
More cranberry recipes
More holiday cookie recipes
- No Bake Cookies and Cream Avalanche Cookies
- Lemon Drop Cookies with Vodka Glaze
- Cardamom Ginger Cat Gingerbread Cookies
— Did you make this recipe? —
Please leave a ★★★★★ review or comment below.
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries
instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and both sugars on medium speed, until creamy and smooth. Add eggs one at a time until just combined. Stir in vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Stir dry ingredients into the dough mixture until combined. Then stir in the oats, cranberries and white chocolate chips.
- Roll heaping tablespoons of dough in your hands to create a ball, then slightly press the ball into a thick disc. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15-18 minutes.
- Let cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes before placing on wire racks to cool completely. Serve warm or room temperature. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.
notes
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Liz says
These sound delicious! Love how thick they bake up to be 🙂
Erin Parker says
SUZE! YES to the traditions being a part of the magic of Christmastime as an adult! And to forming your own and sharing them with the people you love. I love that you and Chris have started your own traditions, like decorating the tree and exchanging ornaments. Isn’t it fun to think about what else you might add next year when you’re celebrating your first married Christmas?
This year, I’m looking forward to celebrating as a family of four… and to seeing our-3-year-old light up on Christmas morning because she GETS it this year.
Thank you so much for participating in this year’s exchange and joining us in sharing cookies and spreading the love! Your support means the world, and I am so lucky to call you a friend!
Susannah says
Awww, thank you lady! It’s such a pleasure to join in every year. So glad it is now one of my own blog traditions! xo S
Liz Falcigno says
yum!! I normally make these plain with no oats, but I bet the oats add a nice texture to them!
Ellen says
I took these to a cookie exchange and they were a hit! Everyone loved them.
Sheila says
These cookies are delicious! Soft and chewy buttery goodness!
Kathleen says
Was looking for a sturdy cookie to send to my boys in college for finals week, this was it! They loved them!
Nicole says
The perfect cookie for my Christmas cookie exchange! Thanks!
Megan says
I love the combo of cranberry and white chocolate so I had to try these cookies. The addition of oatmeal makes them so chewy and delicious!