Looking for an easy and delicious cookie recipe? Look no further! These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of flavor. Plus, they’re made with pecans for an extra crunch.
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What Makes Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies the Perfect Sweet Treat
Typical chocolate chip cookies are delicious, but there is something special about white chocolate chip cookies. Add dried cranberries and chopped pecans, and you wind up with a truly festive treat.
The tart cranberries pair wonderfully with the sweet white chocolate and the nutty flavor of the pecans. The slightly crispy edges and pecan pieces contrast perfectly with the cookie’s soft interior for the ideal texture.
Why You Should Try These Cookies for Your Holiday Baking
This recipe has become a favorite of many families over the years and the star at numerous cookie exchanges. They are easy to make and freeze beautifully, so you will want to make two or three batches and keep them around for seasonal visitors.
Ingredients For Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies
To make these cookies, you’ll need:
- Butter, unsalted room temperature
- Dark brown sugar
- White sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- AP flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Dried sweetened cranberries
- White chocolate chips
- Pecans, coarsely chopped
The white sugar gives these cookies just the right amount of crunch, and the dark brown sugar provides a faint hint of molasses and reacts with the baking soda to produce puffier cookies with a chewy texture.
Instead of using white chocolate chips, you can roughly chop your favorite white chocolate bar and use that.
How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Take the butter out of the fridge and allow it to soften.
- Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Set aside the dry ingredients for later.
- Put the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Start creaming the butter on low speed with the paddle attachment. If you have the paddle attachment with a built-in scraper, use that one. Otherwise, you will have to occasionally stop the mixer to scrape down the sides.
- Slowly ramp up the mixer speed to medium.
- When the butter becomes fluffy and slightly lighter in color, add the white and dark brown sugars to the bowl.
- Mix on medium until the sugars are fully incorporated.
- While the mixer is going, carefully add vanilla and the eggs one at a time.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer in three stages.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans.
- Scrape down the sides of the stand mixer bowl and the paddle.
- At this point, you have the option of covering the cookie dough and chilling it. If you have the time, letting the dough hang out in the fridge for an hour or so is highly recommended to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about two tablespoons) to portion the cookie dough. Gently roll into balls using your hands.
- Place the dough balls on top of a silicone mat or parchment paper-lined baking tray. Leave about three inches of space between the balls.
- Bake the cookies for about 11 minutes. You should notice the edges getting a little brown, but the cookies will still look soft. Don’t overbake the cookies.
- Transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to cool. While the cookies are still warm, you can add additional cranberries, chopped pecans, and white chocolate chips if you want.
Recipe Variations
It’s easy to make some simple changes to these cookies. Here are some ideas:
- Dark Chocolate Cranberry Cookies – substitute the white chocolate chips with dark chocolate chips.
- White Chocolate Cherry Cookies – substitute the dried cranberries with dried cherries.
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies – substitute the pecans with macadamia nuts.
- White Chocolate Walnut Cookies – substitute the pecans with walnuts.
What To Serve With This White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Recipe
Cookies and milk is a classic for a reason, it is darn delicious, but there are other options.
- A quality black tea with a touch of milk is always a good cookie pairing.
- A white chocolate mocha would be a great coffee drink to enjoy with them.
- Wine lovers will appreciate a glass of dry riesling or oaky chardonnay alongside the cookies.
How To Store Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Oxygen is the enemy of cookies. Keeping the cookies in a sealed container on the counter is best if you plan to eat them within a few days. Otherwise, try freezing. See the instructions below for more details on how to freeze them.
Either way, you need to ensure the cookies have cooled entirely on a rack, like this three-tier space-saving cookie rack, before storing them to prevent them from getting soggy.
How Long Do They Last?
White Chocolate Cranberry Stored properly, cookies will last up to five days on the counter or up to three months in the freezer.
Freezing Instructions For Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
You can freeze unbaked, pre-portioned cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Place a sheet of waxed paper between each layer to prevent the dough from sticking. Let the dough thaw in the fridge before baking as above.
Freeze baked cookies for up to three months in an airtight container with a sheet of waxed paper between each layer.
Best Homemade Cookies for Gifts
These cookies can be packed and mailed. They are a hearty cookie, so they are perfect to ship to family and friends.
Love homemade cookies? Try these recipes!
- Almond Cookies
- Almond Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Cream Cheese Cookie
- Easy Spritz Cookies
- Gluten Free Monster Cookies
- Homemade Ginger Snaps
- Penn Station Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Pineapple Cookies
There’s more! Look at this list of 101 Christmas Cookies for more ideas and recipes.
Best Christmas Treats
These treats are great for homemade holiday gifts:
Be sure to check out more of my easy cookie recipes and the best Christmas recipes to make for the holiday season.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened dried cranberries
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
- Beat the butter until fluffy.
- Add both of the sugars and beat until well blended.
- While continuing to beat, add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until well blended.
- Using a large spatula or spoon, fold in the sweetened dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and chopped pecans.
- Using a cookie scoop, drop the cookies onto the lightly greased baking sheets, spaced about 1½ inches apart, and bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Kelly
I love these cookies, just made them tonight and came out so delicious. Thanks Stephanie!
Stephanie
I am glad you liked the cookies!
Nicole
These look so great, Stephanie!
Donna
My family loved these cookies! Thank you for sharing the reciepe. I’m always looking for something new to add to my cookie tray. What are Hello Dollies?
Stephanie
They are the seven layer bar cookies. Why they were called Hello Dolly I have no idea.
Kimberly
I loved your white chocolate, cranberry, and pecan cookies, Stephanie … and so did my hubby! Thank you so much for these delicious cookies … and the extra goodies you sent to! I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!
Stephanie
I am glad you enjoyed everything!
Randy B.
Wow these look great!! Going to make these.What do you think about replacing the white chocolate with orange zest – or adding orange zest to recipe – orange goes great with cranberry.