Looking for a slightly tart, sweet chocolate chip cookie for the holidays (or any time)? Then these white chocolate cranberry cookies are for you! Chock-full of white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, plus a few easy pantry staples, these soft and chewy cookies can be on your table in less than 30 minutes!
For more out-of-this-world cookie recipes, look no further than my popular posts for Snow-Capped Lemon Cookies, Cherry Garcia Cookies, and my Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I’m allll about the cookies right now! I don’t know why I’ve never made a white chocolate chip and dried cranberry cookie before. Those are two of my favorite things rolled in one delicious cookie! Plus, they come together and cook up so unbelievably fast you could even make them on the fly for dessert tonight.
They also freeze and thaw well so if you want to stock up on these cookies to have on hand over the holidays now would be a great time to do that as well.
Why this Recipe Works
White chocolate — Take my word on this, white chocolate chips just work better with dried cranberries than chocolate chips would. You just need to have that sweet essence to counteract the tartness of the berries and I think that comes through better in white chocolate.
Dried cranberries — Speaking of what works, if you’re using white chocolate chips then you absolutely must also use dried cranberries! The two just go together. Like Bert and Ernie (can you tell how old my kids are?).
Fast — With just 10 minutes of prep and 10 minutes to bake, making cookies from scratch just doesn’t get any easier!
Keeps easily — I keep these in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days. You could also keep them in the fridge as well if you prefer. See below for freezing instructions.
Here’s How you Make Them
- Turn your oven temperature to 375 to get it ready to bake, then lightly grease a baking sheet or line one with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Then, in a large bowl cream together the butter and sugars.
- Mix the eggs and vanilla into the butter and sugar mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until they are just incorporated.
- Now stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
- Using a large cookie scoop (or ice cream scoop), scoop the cookie dough into mounds and arrange them about 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges. Let them cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool all the way.
- Do this for the rest of the cookie dough. Enjoy!
Is White Chocolate Really Chocolate?
Well, I hate to admit this but white chocolate isn’t really made of actual chocolate because it doesn’t contain any chocolate solids. Instead, it’s made of a blend of sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, lecithin, and milk.
Regardless, that’s what it’s called on the package and you all know what I mean by white chocolate chips so let’s just go with that.
Are There any Health Benefits to Eating Dried Cranberries?
Cranberries of any sort can have great health benefits. They are a good source of vitamins, antioxidants, can help stave off urinary tract infections, and the polyphenols they contain are also good for your heart.
Expert Tips
- Save some chocolate chips for right before you bake these white chocolate chip cookies. Stick them in by hand to the tops of the raw cookie dough right before baking to make them picture-perfect.
- I like my cookies to be soft-baked with a slightly underdone center. But, if you would like the cookies to be more firm, make your cookie dough mounds smaller (about a heaping tablespoon) and bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes until edges and tops begin to brown. Then cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Don’t ignore the instructions for using softened butter. There is a reason cookies need to be made with soft (not melted) butter, and that’s because 1) It will incorporate much more easily when you mix it with the sugars and 2) When it’s being mixed little pockets of air will also be whipped into the cookies, making them light and fluffy. If you use melted butter, the cookies will spread and be flat and hard.
More Dessert Recipes
Did you make these White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies?? YAY! Please rate the recipe below!
Servings: 24 cookies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and very lightly grease a baking sheet OR line with parchment or a baking mat.
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl cream together butter and sugars.
Mix in eggs and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Stir in chocolate chips and cranberries
Use a large cookie scoop (I actually use an ice cream scoop) to scoop cookie dough into mounds and arrange at least 2-3 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 9-11 minutes until cookies begin to brown just around the very edges. Allow to cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat with remaining cookie dough. Store in airtight container up to 1 week (though they won’t make it that long without being eaten – just sayin’).
Alternate baking option: as written, these cookies will come out soft-baked (a very soft, slightly underdone center). If you prefer a more firm cookie center, scoop your dough mounds a little smaller (about 1 heaping tablespoon per mound, the size of a regular cookie scoop) and bake at 350 degrees for 10-11 minutes until edges and tops begin to brown, then cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
