'Tis the season for festive Christmas cookies! Soft, chewy and decadent, these Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies are an annual family tradition -- and the perfect holiday gift to share with loved ones!
How to Make Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies | 1-Minute Video
To be honest, by yesterday I was totally done with my holiday baking. I've made multiple batches of Chewy Ginger Oatmeal Cookies; I've made multiple batches of My Grandmother's Bourbon Balls; I've decorated gingerbread cut-outs and gingerbread houses with the kids; and I've consumed more than my fair share of cookie dough. But, it just wouldn't be the holidays in my kitchen without at least one batch of Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies. These are the Christmas cookies that my family looks forward to all year long!
How to make White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cranberries
These cookies are a lot like a classic Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie -- but better! Not only are the red and white add-in's perfect for the Christmas season, they are also a delicious cookie to enjoy year-round. Bets of all, they're EASY to prepare!
To bake the homemade white chocolate chip cookies from scratch, you will simply whisk together your dry ingredients and then cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
Add an egg, the vanilla extract, and the dry flour mixture to the bowl, stir in the Craisins and white chocolate chips, and your cookie dough is DONE!
There's no need to chill your dough before baking (unless it's really hot and humid in your house), so these drop cookies can head straight into the 375-degree F oven for about 8-10 minutes. Your house will smell incredible, and you'll be reaching for a handful of soft white chocolate chip cookies as soon as they're cool enough to touch!
The cookies are crisp on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and loaded with exactly the right ratio of chips-to-batter.
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations
- We love these cookies with cranberries, but they are also incredibly delicious with dried cherries. I've also been known to use these cherry-infused Craisins!
- White chocolate chip cookies with macadamia nuts are a classic combination, so feel free to swap out the cranberries for macadamia nuts instead!
- Make sure that your butter and your egg are at room temperature (not cold) when you prepare your dough.
- In order to keep these cookies chewy, be sure that you don't over-bake them. Pull the cookies out of the oven when they're just starting to turn golden brown on the edges. They will still be soft (and almost look undercooked), but they will firm up a little bit as they cool, and they'll maintain a great, chewy texture!
Doing some holiday baking? You might also like these Christmas cookies:
- Old-Fashioned Williamsburg Gingerbread Cookies
- My Grandmother's Bourbon Balls
- 3-Ingredient Scottish Shortbread Cookies
- No-Bake Haystack Cookies
- Great Grandma's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (1.5 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries (such as Craisins) or cherry-infused Craisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add the flour mixture just until combined, being careful not to overmix. Stir in the white chocolate chips and the dried cranberries.
- Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or just until golden brown. You want them to still be soft when you pull them out of the oven. They will firm up as they cool, and this will keep them soft and chewy on the inside.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 1-2 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. These cookies freeze really well, or you can keep them in an airtight container on your counter.
Video
Notes
- We love these white chocolate chip cookies with cranberries, but they are also incredibly delicious with dried cherries. I've also been known to use these cherry-infused Craisins!
- White chocolate chip cookies with macadamia nuts are a classic combination, so feel free to swap out the cranberries for macadamia nuts instead!
- Make sure that your butter and your egg are at room temperature (not cold) when you prepare your dough.
- In order to keep these white chocolate chip cookies chewy, be sure that you don't over-bake them. Pull the cookies out of the oven when they're just starting to turn golden brown on the edges. They will still be soft (and almost look undercooked), but they will firm up a little bit as they cool, and they'll maintain a great, chewy texture!
Kristy from Southern In Law
These look deeeelicious! I hope you all had a marvellous Christmas! <3
Blair
Thanks, Kristy! Same to you!!!
Mary R
I made these cookies with cranberries. They were amazing! I made them with dried cherries and they were even more amazing! My family loves and inhales both kinds. This receipt is now my mandatory X-Mas cookie line-up.
Blair
Awesome! I'm so glad that you love them as much as we do, Mary!
Margaret
To much chocolate for a good balance. Will not make again.
Margaret
thanks for this comment. I was wondering about the 12 oz - that seemed a lot for limited dough batter. I've cut chocolate and think they will be great 🙂
Evey
I have made these cookies a LOT. They are delicious and EVERYONE loves them. Easy!
Blair
Wonderful! Thanks, Evey!
Hayes
Great taste. Not enough dough. I will definitely make again using less chocolate and cranberries
Rachel
Hello, I just want to make sure. Are you using salted or unsalted butter?
Blair
Hi, Rachel! I always use salted butter. 🙂
Raquel Farris
I made these delicious babies nd I love them nd sodas my family. My family requested that I make a second batch they went so fast! It will not only be my favorite Christmas cookie but anytime . So simple to make. Thank you!!
Blair
Thanks, Raquel! I just made another batch yesterday, too. 🙂 Definitely a favorite in our house as well. So glad that you like them!
Desiree Galloway Gaither
These cookies were amazing. I definitely should have doubled this recipe because it is not enough. I may use a few more cranberries to taste more tartness with the sweetness.
Blair
Thanks, Desiree! We usually double the recipe, too! The freeze perfectly, so why not?! 🙂
Evelyn Boyle
Tthese cookies are amazingly good
Blair
Thanks, Evelyn! So glad that you love them, too! 🙂
cathy
WOW. I had been making chocolate cookies and decided to make these for a change. I don't regret it. They are awesome. The people I was making these for can't eat nuts, but if that's not a problem I would add some.
Blair
Thanks, Cathy! I'm so glad that you gave these a try and liked them! 🙂
Ann
I love these....they are perfect!!!
Blair
Thank you, Ann! 🙂
Devrie
First of all, I never write reviews. But this recipe is so insanely amazing, that I absolutely had to review it. I have never, ever, in all of my years of baking, come across such a delicious, flavorful, and melt in your mouth recipe. From now on, this recipe will forever be my go to. There is nothing like it!
Blair
Thank you so much, Devrie! They're my husband's absolute favorite cookie EVER, too! I'm so glad that you enjoyed them, and I appreciate you taking the time to come back here and leave me a note. 🙂
Stacey
These cookies were amazing and so easy to make!!
Blair
Thanks, Stacey!
Julie McGill
These are so yummy! I did take a few liberties though. I only had mini white chocolate chips on hand. I also added a tablespoon of orange juice concentrate, 1/2 cup of chopped pecans and sprinkled them with orange zest before baking. So chewy and delicious!
Blair
Your version sounds delicious, Julie! Thank you for sharing!
Demelza
Outstanding recipe! Although it did seem like a lot of chips and cranberries, they came out so great, I wouldn't change a thing. Thank you!
Blair
Thanks, Demelza! So glad that you enjoyed them!
Olivia
Hi I'm wondering if I can use margarine instead of butter with this recipe? I don't have butter on hand right now.
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Olivia! I don't typically bake with margarine, but it's my understanding that you can use an equal amount of margarine as a swap for butter in cookies. Technically, it should work fine. I love the flavor that you get from butter, so I imagine that the cookies will taste different with margarine. Hope they work well! 🙂