Cranberry white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are thick, chewy oatmeal cookies with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. All dark brown sugar. Old-fashioned oats, not quick. Chilled dough so they do not spread flat.
I make these every December. The cranberries are tart, the white chocolate is sweet, and the cookie itself is soft in the middle with chewy edges.
Why These Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies Work
Old-fashioned oats, not quick oats. This is the opposite of my iced oatmeal cookies. Those use quick oats for a soft, uniform bite. These use old-fashioned oats for a heartier, chewier cookie. Quick oats break down too fast in this dough and the cookies come out flat and hard. Old-fashioned oats hold their structure and give you that chewy pull.
All dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar has more molasses than light brown. More molasses means more moisture and more chew. Paired with the old-fashioned oats and dried cranberries, the cookie stays soft for days.
Chill the dough. Twenty-five minutes in the fridge. The butter solidifies, the dough firms up, and the cookies hold their shape in the oven. Warm dough spreads into puddles. The chill is not optional if you want thick cookies.
Dried cranberry bits, not whole dried cranberries. Bits are smaller and distribute evenly through the dough. Whole dried cranberries are too large and create pockets of fruit instead of speckling every bite. If you can only find whole dried cranberries, chop them roughly before adding.
Add extra chips and cranberries on top before baking. After scooping the dough, press a few white chocolate chips and cranberry bits into the tops. They bake into the surface and the cookies look finished without any extra work.
How to Make Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar together until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the old-fashioned oats.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberry bits.
- Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the dough for 25 minutes.
- Use a number 40 cookie scoop, about one and a half tablespoons, to scoop the dough onto the lined cookie sheets. Leave two inches between each cookie. Press a few extra white chocolate chips and cranberry bits on top if you want them to show on the surface.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. The centers will look slightly underdone.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.
Quick Tips
- Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats. Quick oats make flat, hard cookies.
- Chill the dough. Twenty-five minutes keeps the cookies thick.
- Dark brown sugar only. It adds more chew than light brown.
- Press extra chips and cranberries on top before baking. They bake into the surface.
Make Ahead and Storage
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Scoop into balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen and add a minute or two.
More Cookie Recipes
📖 Recipe
Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter - softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs - room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups old fashioned oats - not quick oats
- 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups dried cranberry bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Combine the all-purpose flour with the salt and baking soda. Stir in old-fashioned oats.
- Once the mixture is combined, stir in white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
- Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate for about 25 minutes.
- Using a #40 cookie scoop, place the cookies 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes.
- Let cookies cool completely so they don't crumble.
Notes
- Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats. Quick oats make flat, hard cookies.
- Dark brown sugar only. More molasses, more chew.
- Chill the dough for 25 minutes. It keeps the cookies from spreading.
- Press extra white chocolate chips and cranberry bits on top before baking.
- Freeze dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
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Wow I’ve gotta try these, yum.
But I might half the choc chips as I’m on low fat diet
I have a similar recipe. Love the combination of white chocolate and cranberries. Great on the holiday treat tray. Perfect for dunking in a latte.
I have a similar recipe. Love the combination of white chocolate and cranberries. Great on the holiday treat tray. Perfect for dunking in a latte.
The combination of white chocolate and cranberries in a cookie is fantastic! So tasty and sweet!
OH man! These look like the perfect twist on a classic cookie! White chocolate chips are some of my fave and cranberries are always a hit!!
The combination of white chocolate and cranberries in a cookie is fantastic! So tasty and sweet!
OH man! These look like the perfect twist on a classic cookie! White chocolate chips are some of my fave and cranberries are always a hit!!
White chocolate and cranberry is one of my favorite combinations! Sweet and tart, these cookies are perfect for treat giving season.
White chocolate and cranberry is one of my favorite combinations! Sweet and tart, these cookies are perfect for treat giving season.
these look delicious! they’d make a gorgeous christmas gift all wrapped up!
I have family in town visiting and we always make cookies for the holiday season. Since we have been baking all week, I thought we’d get started on our Christmas menu then bake more cookies for our New Year’s Eve party. These cookies sound delicious and will make a wonderful addition to our holiday season.
Yum! I love cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies! I make a similar one too, so I know this flavour combo tastes amazing! Perfect for the holidays.
these look delicious! they’d make a gorgeous christmas gift all wrapped up!
I have family in town visiting and we always make cookies for the holiday season. Since we have been baking all week, I thought we’d get started on our Christmas menu then bake more cookies for our New Year’s Eve party. These cookies sound delicious and will make a wonderful addition to our holiday season.
My parents absolutely LOVE cranberry and chocolate chip cookies so I bet they’d adore these! I’ll definitely have to try making them the next time they’re over.
These cookies look so tasty! I love how you also added the white chocolate chips—that flavor will pop and the color with the red is so festive! I can’t wait to try these!
I love love love white chocolate and cranberry together, and especially for oatmeal cookies. I love a good hearty cookie!
These cookies look so tasty! I love how you also added the white chocolate chips—that flavor will pop and the color with the red is so festive! I can’t wait to try these!
I made these but switched out the white chocolate for milk chocolate, not a fan of white chocolate. Brought them to a Christmas dinner and got rave reviews. I'll make them again.
I'm from Cape Cod and I've made these cookies for years!! They are delicious for sure.. sometimes I dip one side in melted white chocolate or drizzle it on the cookies.. makes them a little fancy