When it comes to holiday baking, few treats are as irresistible as white chocolate cranberry cookies. These cookies have soft, chewy centers, tart bursts of dried cranberries, and creamy white chocolate chips that make them both flavorful and festive. The contrast of red cranberries and pale white chocolate makes them perfect for holiday cookie trays.
Want more holiday cookies? Try my raspberry thumbprint cookies, double chocolate crinkle cookies, soft-baked gingersnap cookies, and Christmas meltaway cookies.
Why You’ll Love These Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
These bakery-style cookies are buttery, soft, and chewy, studded with creamy white chocolate chips and bright, tart dried cranberries. They work any time of year but shine during the holidays when their colors and flavors feel especially festive.
The recipe uses a tried-and-true cookie dough base with a touch more brown sugar and vanilla for depth, plus a bit more flour so the dough doesn’t need to be chilled to prevent spreading. You can, however, freeze the dough for later baking—handy for holiday gift giving or cookie exchanges.
This dough is versatile. I use the same base for chocolate chip cookies, M&M cookies, and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Swap in your favorite mix-ins and you’ll still get great results.
Ingredients You’ll Need
NOTE: Full ingredient amounts and the printable recipe are in the recipe card below.
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These cookies require simple pantry staples and a few baking basics:
- Butter: Unsalted is recommended so you can control salt; if using salted, reduce or omit added salt.
- Brown sugar: Gently packed for moisture and caramel notes.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the cookies brown.
- Eggs: Use large eggs for structure and moisture.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor.
- All-purpose flour: Stir, spoon, and level when measuring, or weigh for best accuracy.
- Salt: Enhances overall flavor.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise and spread properly.
- White chocolate chips: Use a quality brand for the creamiest flavor.
- Dried cranberries: Tart dried cranberries add color and bright flavor.
How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats so you’re ready to bake.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
- Cream the room-temperature butter with both sugars in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined and scraping the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the flour mixture on low until just combined.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries on low speed until evenly distributed; avoid over-mixing.
- Use a #30 cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) to portion dough into balls and place on prepared sheets 2–3 inches apart, no more than eight per tray. Optional: press extra chips and cranberries into the tops for a pretty finish while keeping the dough round.
- Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just starting to brown. For thicker cookies, press the warm edges inward with a spatula or a round cutter while still warm.
- Cool on the baking sheet 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Storing and Freezing
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container or on a plate covered tightly with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To freeze cookie dough: Scoop dough onto a parchment- or silicone-lined sheet and freeze 1–2 hours until firm. Transfer dough balls to a freezer-safe bag and freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 3–5 minutes to the bake time.
- To freeze baked cookies: Freeze in single layers separated with parchment, or wrapped tightly in a freezer-safe bag, for 3–4 weeks. Thaw at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Tips for best results:
- Use room-temperature butter. It should be slightly cool to the touch and yield slightly when pressed. Butter that is too soft or melted can make cookies spread too thin.
- Measure flour properly. Weighing flour is most accurate. If using cups, stir the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level it off rather than scooping directly.
- For soft cookies: Bake until edges are just starting to brown and centers still look slightly underbaked. Let them finish on the pan for a soft texture.
- For crispy cookies: Bake 2–3 minutes longer until golden on top and at the edges.
- For thick cookies: Use larger dough portions and shape them tall and round. You can press the warm edges inward after baking to help retain thickness. Chilling the dough 30–60 minutes will also limit spread.
- Using fresh cranberries: Fresh berries add moisture; chop them and add about 1/4 cup extra flour to compensate.
Helpful Tools
Having the right equipment makes baking easier and more consistent. Recommended items include a kitchen scale, half-sheet pans, silicone baking mats, and a #30 cookie scoop.
- Kitchen scale: For accurate ingredient measurements.
- Half-sheet pans: Provide even space for baking multiple cookies without crowding.
- Silicone baking mats: Reusable and promote even baking.
- #30 cookie scoop: Helps create uniform cookies; a #30 scoop is about 2 tablespoons.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (406 g), stir, spoon & level
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate chips
- 1 cup (140 g) dried cranberries
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle (or a hand mixer)
- Half sheet pans
- Silicone baking mats or parchment
- #30 cookie scoop
- Kitchen scale (optional, recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
- Cream butter with brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined.
- Add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.
- Fold in white chocolate chips and dried cranberries on low until evenly distributed.
- Scoop dough with a #30 scoop (about 2 Tbsp) onto prepared sheets, 2–3 inches apart. Optionally press extra chips and cranberries on top for a finished look.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges barely brown. Cool on the sheet 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.
- Freeze dough: Freeze scooped dough on a tray 1–2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Add 3–5 minutes to baking time when baking from frozen.
- Freeze baked cookies: Freeze in single layers separated with parchment for 3–4 weeks; thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates only.
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