Home > Desserts > White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies November 30, 2019 | No Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. These perfectly festive and wintry White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges. These cookies can be made in just one bowl with one wooden spoon; no mixer needed! Try some of our other favorite cookies next: Oatmeal Cookies, Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Mexican Wedding Cookies. The Best White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Since I am an avid foodie, my first thought about Christmas traditions centers on COOKIES. Throughout December, the boys and I enjoy baking cookies (Santa Cookies, Gingersnap Cookies, or Peppermint Cookies) almost daily; it’s one of our cherished activities. I often host a cookie exchange and, naturally, end up eating an enormous amount of cookies – all in the spirit of Christmas traditions! These cookies have become a new winter favorite and are now a staple in our Christmas baking tradition. Loaded with white chocolate and chopped dried cranberries, they boast a super soft, chewy, and gooey center with slightly crisp edges. Their buttery, sugary taste is subtly enhanced by hints of vanilla and almond. Ingredients In Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and ensures proper texture. Melted then cooled to avoid greasy cookies. Sugars (Light Brown and White): Provide sweetness and texture; brown sugar adds moisture and a molasses flavor, while white sugar aids in crispness. Egg: Binds ingredients and contributes to leavening and moisture. Extracts (Vanilla and Almond, optional): Enhance flavor with warm vanilla and nutty almond notes. Agave Nectar: Adds sweetness and chewiness. Cornstarch: Makes the cookies tender. Leavening Agents (Baking Soda and Baking Powder): Help the White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies rise and become fluffy. Flour: Forms the cookie structure. Mix-ins (White Chocolate Chips and Dried Cranberries): Provide creamy sweetness and tart, chewy texture. QUICK TIP Hot butter, cold butter? It sounds silly, but that makes a big difference. Melting the butter helps it mix in better with the sugar. But that heat can melt the sugar and cause the butter to separate out while baking. So that’s why it needs to be chilled. How To Make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Prepare Dough: Melt butter and let it cool. In a bowl, mix cooled butter with both sugars, egg, vanilla, optional almond extract, and agave nectar. Add cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and gradually mix in flour. Stir in white chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Chill and Preheat: Chill the dough for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake: Roll the dough into tall balls, place on the baking sheet, and bake for 8-12 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool before serving. QUICK TIP Keeping cookies soft after baking! As soon as you take the cookies out of the oven, let them cool completely on a wire rack–this will keep the bottoms from getting soggy from the steam. Once cool, place the cookies in an airtight container and store at room temperature. Tips For Success Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon flour into a measuring cup and level it off. For best results, weigh ingredients on a food scale. Chill Dough: Chill the White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies dough to let the melted butter re-solidify and enhance flavor and texture. Form Large Dough Balls: Larger balls yield softer, chewier cookies. Aim for 1.7 ounces per ball, using a food scale for accuracy. Avoid Overbaking: Take cookies out when edges are lightly browned but centers are still pale. They will firm up as they cool. Use Silicone Liner and Light-Colored Pan: These ensure even baking and prevent overcooked bottoms. Ensure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh and your brown sugar isn’t too hard or clumpy. STORAGE Instead of freezing baked cookies, try freezing the dough! Roll the cookie dough balls, place them on a large sheet pan, and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake: You can bake frozen White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie dough straight from the freezer; just add 1-3 minutes to the cooking time (or thaw the dough in the fridge and bake according to directions). More Amazing Cookie Recipes Coconut Oatmeal Cookies Thumbprint Cookies Snickerdoodles Pistachio Cookies Peanut Butter Blossoms FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe These perfectly festive and wintry White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges. These cookies can be made in just one bowl with one wooden spoon; no mixer needed! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe These perfectly festive and wintry White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges. These cookies can be made in just one bowl with one wooden spoon; no mixer needed! Course Dessert Cuisine American Keyword white chocolate cranberry cookies Prep Time 20 minutes minutes Cook Time 10 minutes minutes Chilling Time 1 hour hour Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes Servings 16 large cookies Chelsea Lords Calories 312kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $4.21 Ingredients▢ 8 tablespoons unsalted butter▢ 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed (Note 1)▢ 1/3 cup white sugar▢ 1 large egg, at room temperature▢ 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract▢ 1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract, optional▢ 2 tablespoons agave nectar (Note 2)▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder▢ 3/4 teaspoon sea salt (reduce if using table salt OR if sensitive to salt)▢ 1 and 3/4 cups white all-purpose flour (Note 3)▢ 1 cup good quality white chocolate chips, separated▢ 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries Recommended: CraisinsUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsBUTTER: Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, refrigerate for 5 minutes to bring it back to room temperature. It's important the butter isn't hot when you add in the sugars or it will melt the sugar and make the cookies greasy.WET INGREDIENTS: Once butter is cooled to room temperature,add the light brown sugar and white sugar and stir until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract and optional almond extract. Stir until smooth. Add in the agave nectar and mix well.DRY INGREDIENTS: Mix in the cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in the correctly measured (See Note 3) flour and mix until just combined. Don't over-mix.COOKIE ADDITIONS: Gently stir in 3/4 cup white chocolate chips and the chopped cranberries. Stir until combined.CHILL: Cover the bowl tightly and chill for 1 hour.BAKE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a pan with parchment paper or use a nonstick Silpat liner. If you have a light-colored sheet pan, use that instead of a dark one.ROLL BALLS: Roll balls of dough into tall cylindrical balls (see picture above for shape and size). Place 6-8 cookie balls on a sheet, allowing plenty of room to spread. Dough balls should be about 1.7 ounces if you have a food scale; this dough should make 15-17 cookies. If the dough gets warm by being at room temperature or through the rolling process, return the balls to the fridge for 10-20 minutes or until firm.BAKE: Bake for 8-12 minutes, erring on the side of under-baking--this keeps the cookies soft and chewy. The cookies will continue baking a bit after they've been removed from the oven, so take them out as soon as the edges start to lightly brown.FINISHING: Remove from the oven and press the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies (ensures even placement of chocolate and makes them look pretty). Allow cookies to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.STORAGE: We like these cookies best on day 1 and 2 of being made. They do last up to 1 week, but begin to lose texture and flavor quality. To store: place in an airtight container and keep at room temperature. Wait until cookies are completely cool before adding to the container. Recipe NotesNote 1: Sugar: If using dark brown sugar, these cookies spread a bit more, become flatter, and are a little less pretty. This is because the darker the brown sugar, the more molasses (moisture) it contains. Note 2: Agave: Agave nectar is the secret ingredient that makes these cookies amazing. It has become a widely popular ingredient and can be found in most grocery stores. You can generally find it with other sweeteners (like brown and white sugar) or in the natural foods section. You can use pure maple syrup in its place if necessary. Note 3: Measuring flour: Spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level the top with the back of a table knife or weigh the flour on a food scale for an accurate measurement. Nutrition FactsServing: 16cookies | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 206IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! 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