White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Quick Summary

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are a festive, tasty treat perfect for any holiday table or cookie exchange! The tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate create the perfect cookie!

I am an absolute cookie fanatic (which is totally evident if you’ve ever checked out the cookie section here on the blog!). I have LOTS of cookies to choose from and can never pick a favorite, but during the holiday months, these White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are up there.

I used a classic cookie base before adding in white chocolate chips and dried cranberries to create a treat that everyone is sure to swoon over! Cranberries are naturally pretty tart, so I love pairing them with the sweetness of the white chocolate and buttery cookie. It’s the perfect balance!

This has quickly become a holiday favorite because the cranberries make the cookies look so festive and merry…and of course, they taste amazing, too!

stack of white chocolate cranberry cookies

Dried Cranberries

You can use sweetened or unsweetened dried cranberries. I usually use unsweetened because that is what I buy for the boys to snack on, they love them:) Don’t use fresh cranberries for this cookie recipe, save those for my cranberry orange bread?

If you cranberries feel exceptionally dry, you can soak them in warm water for 5 minutes to revive them a bit. Drain and pat them dry with paper towels before mixing them into your cookie dough.

How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Here are a few tips for making perfect cookies!

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
Make sure your butter is at room temperature and not too soft. If it is too soft, your cookies will spread and be greasy.
Cream the butter and sugars together until smooth and fluffy, this will take a minute or two. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary.
Use pure vanilla extract. The vanilla flavor really shines through in these cookies so use the good stuff!
Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Sneak a bite of the dough, it’s so good:)
This is a soft and chewy cookie recipe with just a little crisp around the edges! If you prefer a more firm cookie you can add a minute or two to the baking time, but I personally like them soft and chewy in the middle. SO good!
When the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt. Optional, but always a good idea.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Store

Store your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. These cookies also freeze well! Put them in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to three months.

If you want to freeze the cookie dough, you certainly can. Roll into balls, freeze for 30 minutes on a tray, and then transfer to a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are a festive, tasty treat perfect for any holiday table or cookie exchange! The tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate create the perfect cookie!

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until creamy and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. This will take 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
With the mixer off, add all of the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix. Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Check early to make sure you don’t over bake, every oven is different. Remove from oven and sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Pro tip-if your cranberries are not very plump and slightly dry, soak them in warm water for 5 minutes. Drain and dry well with paper towels.

Calories: 203kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 127mg, Potassium: 61mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 207IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 1mg