Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
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Thick, chewy, and perfect for the holidays, these cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies are loaded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. No chill time for the dough makes these a quick and easy cookie to pull together this holiday season.
Soft and chewy cranberry cookies
Adapted from my most popular oatmeal raisin cookies, these cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies bake up soft and chewy. The dried cranberries and white chocolate chips give them a holiday twist and a sweet, tangy flavor while the butter and shortening keep the cookies moist and chewy.
I also added light corn syrup which is a secret trick I learned from Better Homes and Gardens as a way of keeping cookies soft for days after baking.
I don’t always add it to my cookie recipes but I find it helpful to do so for Christmas cookies, especially ones that will be added to cookie trays or served at parties. Even if I make the cookies a day or two in advance, I don’t have to worry about them being dried out or tasting stale.
Overall, these oatmeal cranberry cookies are a pretty simple Christmas cookie to pull together. The tangy-sweet flavor from the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips gives them a festive twist too and with a cup of each in the dough, every bite is loaded with a beautiful contrast of flavor.
If you’re looking for a different but easy holiday cookie this year, definitely give these a try!
What you’ll need
While these cookies are loaded with cranberries and white chocolate chips, the dough is made from your basic oatmeal cookie ingredients.
Ingredients
The full ingredient amounts are listed below in the printable recipe.
- Unsalted butter – Butter should be softened but melted.
- Vegetable shortening – Using both shortening and butter helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Sugar – Light brown sugar and granulated sugar keep these cookies on the sweet side.
- Eggs
- Corn syrup – Adding corn syrup will keep the cookies soft for days after baking.
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Quick-cooking oats – Be sure to grab quick-cooking, not old-fashioned oats.
- White chocolate chips
- Dried cranberries
Helpful tools
- Mixer – I find a stand mixer with paddle attachment works best but you can use a handheld electric mixer.
- Cookie scoop – A 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop works best for portioning the dough.
How to make cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies
These cranberry white chocolate cookies require just a few minutes of prep and 10 minutes in the oven!
- Beat the wet ingredients. Beat the butter and shortening with an electric mixer until well blended. Then beat in the sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the corn syrup and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl with a whisk. Slowly add to the butter mixture. Once combined, gently stir in the oats, white chocolate chips, and cranberries.
- Bake. Transfer 1.5 tablespoon-sized balls to a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The edges should be slightly brown and the cookies puffy. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Tips for success
After making these white chocolate oatmeal cookies and other varieties of oatmeal cookies many times, there are a few things I’ve learned to make the absolute best cookies.
- All of the ingredients must be room temperature. Set the butter, shortening, and eggs out on the counter about 30 minutes prior to baking.
- You need quick-cooking oats, not old-fashioned rolled oats. Old-fashioned oats will absorb too much moisture from the cookie resulting in a drier texture. I don’t recommend using the oats interchangeably. Here’s a forum on Food 52 that explains why and how to if you absolutely must.
- Be sure not to overbake them. They should look slightly underbaked when you remove them from the oven. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
Serving suggestions
These cranberry cookies are one of my favorite cookies to add to a holiday cookie platter or to add to the party dessert table, maybe next to some classic buckeyes, thumbprint cookies, or praline pecans.
Of course, they are also great with just a glass of milk, anytime you want them!
How to store
- At room temperature. These cookies will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll be just as soft and chewy on day 3 as they were direct from the oven!
- In the freezer. Once cooled completely, you can freeze these oatmeal cookies in a freezer ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then enjoy.
More cookie recipes
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brownie Cookies
- Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (92 g) vegetable shortening, softened
- 1 cup (210 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (300 g) quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup (180 g) white chocolate chips
- 1 cup (121 g) dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and shortening with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the sugars, beat until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition. Beat in the corn syrup and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir with a whisk. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat on low speed just until combined. With a silicone spatula, gently stir in the oats followed by the white chocolate chips and cranberries.
- Roll the dough out into 1.5 tablespoon-sized balls. Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are slightly brown and cookies look puffy. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Oats: For this recipe, you need quick-cooking oats, not old-fashioned rolled oats. Old-fashioned oats will absorb too much moisture from the cookie resulting in a drier texture. I don’t recommend using the oats interchangeably.
- Corn syrup: Corn syrup helps to keep the cookies soft for several days after baking. I highly recommend using it but you can leave it out if you must.
- Room temperature ingredients: All of the ingredients must be room temperature. Set the butter, shortening, and eggs out on the counter about 30 minutes prior to baking.
- Baking: Be sure not to overbake them. They should look slightly underbaked when you remove them from the oven. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
- The cookies will keep for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Freeze the cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.