Welcome holiday season! I am so glad you’re here. I want to usher you in with the perfect cookie:
A chewy and soft White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie.
It is the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit and the first cookie I want to share out of my 2021 Cookie Box!
I got the idea of making a cookie box from Half Baked Harvest and have wanted to make my own ever since. Hers are outstanding (like everything she does)!
Mine won’t be nearly as gorgeous, but I promise the cookies inside are gooooood.
This first one is an indulgent twist on a classic oatmeal cookie.
Think chewy oatmeal cookie, full of sweet dried cranberries (Craisins) and smooth and silky white chocolate chips.
They are seriously addicting and a perfect gift to take to neighbors, teachers, coworkers, or anybody else you love!
The recipe is simple:
Equipment:
- Bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Spatula
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients:
- Old Fashioned Oats
- White Chocolate Chips
- Dried Cranberries
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Salt
Here are the simple steps:
Cream the butter, white sugar and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and give it another whip.
In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients- oats, flour, baking soda and salt.
Add to the butter mixture and cream again.
Using a spatula, stir in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Let me answer some of your questions:
Can I use Quick Oats instead of Old Fashioned Oats?
The answer is yes, but you’ll have different results. Old Fashioned Oats hold up really well and absorb the moisture but keeps the cookie firm and chewy. It won’t crumble.
Quick oats could potentially make your cookie easier to break, but the flavor will all be there.
It is by no means a bad swap, it just might make your cookie a little more delicate.
Can I use margarine or browned butter?
Also yes. I personally prefer the taste of butter over margarine in this recipe, but if margarine is what you have- it will work!
Browned butter is also fabulous. It is by no means necessary to make this a great cookie.
But it will give it a richer, nuttier flavor once it’s combined with the brown sugar and oats!
Once your butter is brown, put it in a bowl and let it come back to room temperature before using for baking.
How to store these cookies:
This recipe usually gives me between 2.5-3 dozen cookies- depending how big I make them.
Sometimes, we eat them all. Sometimes we keep half and give half away.
If you’re keeping room temperature, keep them in a covered cake dish or an airtight container for 4-5 days.
They also last a week in the fridge.
Can I freeze these cookies?
These freeze really well. Both as frozen dough or frozen after baking.
If freezing after baking, you can place them flat in a zip top bag with a piece of parchment or wax paper between each layer.
Whenever you have a craving for cookies, just pull out as many as you want and let them thaw on a plate on the counter.
You can put them back in the oven a few minutes if you want them warm too.
If freezing the dough, simply scoop the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Pop in the freezer until they’re solid.
Then transfer to a zip top bag and bake from frozen whenever you want a cookie. Just add 2-3 minutes of baking time.
Fresh or dried cranberries?
A cranberry is the ultimate holiday pop of color so either will be beautiful!
This recipe is for dried cranberries, though. You can buy the Craisins brand or any other your supermarket has.
Dried cranberries look a lot like raisins, except they’re red. They have the same texture, too. They just taste a little sweeter with a tang.
Fresh cranberries are still tasty in the cookie, but they’re too juicy. They wet the cookie and cause them to fall apart.
I’d stick to dried cranberries for this one- I promise you’ll love it!
Want a thicker cookie?
I love a nice, thick oatmeal cookie!
Other people like a lace type of oatmeal cookie.
This one is a happy medium.
Not ultra thick, not paper thin.
However, if you like your cookies thickkkk, I have a trick for you!
Refrigerate your dough for at least 30 minutes. Chilled dough makes it not spread as much in the oven.
So if you want this cookie a little thicker, be sure to add 30 minutes of fridge time to your dough before baking!
If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram.
I cannot wait to see your festive holiday cookies.
Be on the lookout for the next installment on our 2021 cookie box series!
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup Caster sugar or granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips I used Ghirardelli
- 1 cup Craisins dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, all purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Give it a whisk and set aside.
- In another large bowl or stand together, beat the butter and sugars until pale. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again.
- Add the oat mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until combined.
- Pour the Craisins and white chocolate chips and fold until evenly distributed.
- Using a 2 tbsp cookie scoop, measure and scoop out the dough onto the parchment paper, placing about 2 inches apart. Top with a few more Craisins or white chocolate chips if you’d like.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they’re lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes or so to set. Then remove and place on a wire rack to fully cool.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
If you enjoyed this festive cookie, be sure to check out this recipe:
