These cranberry white chocolate cookies are the perfect addition for a festive dessert to brighten up your holiday spread. These cookies are so popular among both kids and adults. From their delightful texture to the irresistible flavour, find out why everyone is raving about these mouthwatering white chocolate and dried cranberry NYC cookies.
This is a delectable recipe that combines the tartness of cranberries with the sweetness of white chocolate, resulting in a heavenly flavour combination that will delight your taste buds.
Why you’ll love this cranberry white chocolate cookies recipe
With their festive colors and flavors, these thick and chewy white chocolate cranberry cookies become a standout treat that adds an extra layer of joy to any gathering or celebration.
Cranberry cookies make for an excellent gift when packaged in beautiful tins or wrapped with a festive ribbon.
The marriage of tart dried cranberries and sweet white chocolate is a match made in holiday heaven. The cranberries add a burst of tanginess, perfectly balancing out the creamy sweetness of the white chocolate.
These cookies are incredibly versatile. Whether you prefer your cookies soft and chewy or slightly crisp, this recipe allows you to tailor the texture to your liking. The buttery dough, with its hint of vanilla, serves as a delightful canvas for the bursts of cranberry and decadent white chocolate chunks.
The vibrant red and white colors of the cranberries and chocolate create a visually appealing cookie that instantly catches the eye.
Finally, baking these cranberry white chocolate cookies fills your home with the warm and comforting aromas of the holiday season. As they bake in the oven, your kitchen will be filled with the scent of butter, vanilla, and cranberries, creating an inviting atmosphere that truly enhances the holiday spirit.
Dried cranberry white chocolate cookies Ingredients
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Dried Cranberries
Dried cranberries play a starring role in these cranberry white chocolate cookies, infusing each bite with a burst of sweet and tart flavor. These little gems of fruit are what give these cookies their festive character, perfectly complementing the creamy white chocolate chips.
White Chocolate Chips
White chocolate works so well with the cranberries in these cookies. It’s creamy and smooth and the sweetness works so well with the fruit. It makes these thick and chewy white chocolate cranberry cookies an essential Christmas recipe.
Light Brown Sugar
Light brown sugar has a wonderful caramelly taste thanks to the molasses. It really helps enhance the flavour of the cookies.
Caster Sugar
A baking staple. Caster sugar adds sweetness to your cookies. Using the mix of brown and caster sugar balances the flavour perfectly. But you can use all caster sugar or all granulated sugar if you don’t have any.
Plain Flour
Adding texture and structure to your cookies, plain flour is perfect as you can control the rise by adding your own raising agent. This helps you control the rise you get on your cookies so they don’t turn out too cakey.
Baking Powder
Baking powder will help your cookies rise a little when they bake. You can use any baking powder you have in the cupboard or simply pick some up from your local supermarket.
Bicarbonate of Soda
The other raising agent, bicarb will ensure your cookies raise just enough so they aren’t stodgy but haven’t risen so much that turn cakey. The chocolate chip NYC cookies will be gooey and chewy, just as chocolate chip NYC cookies should be.
How to make cranberry white chocolate cookies – step by step
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Start by mixing together your butter and sugars until fully combined.
Then, add your eggs and vanilla and mix together.
Add your dry ingredients to the mix, flour and raising agents.
Once these are fully mixed, add your white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
Scoop your cookie dough onto greaseproof paper.
Allow it to chill in the fridge to stop it from spreading out too much in the oven.
Once your cookies are fully chilled, move them onto your baking tray.
Bake for about 12 minutes depending on how gooey and chewy you want your cookies to be.
Bring your cookies out the oven to cool a little before they are fully cooked if you like chewy cookies. Serve them whilst warm for the best bite of chocolate chip cookie.
NYC cranberry Cookies Top Tips
Uuse room temperature butter. Softened butter blends more easily with the other ingredients, resulting in a smoother dough.
Chill the dough before baking. This step helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking, resulting in a thicker, chewier texture. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until it becomes firm to the touch.
Additionally, consider using parchment paper or silicone baking mats on your baking trays. This will prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan and ensure easy removal. It also helps in maintaining the beautiful shape and appearance of the cookies.
cranberry white chocolate cookies Serving Suggestions
Serve with a hot drink
Pair them with a cup of hot cocoa or steaming coffee, allowing the rich sweetness of the cookies to perfectly complement the warm and comforting beverage.
Ice Cream
For a more indulgent experience, consider serving these cookies alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle some warm caramel sauce or sprinkle crushed candy canes on top for an extra festive touch.
Cookie Exchange
If you’re hosting a holiday gathering or a cookie exchange, these cranberry white chocolate cookies make a delightful addition to any dessert platter. Arrange them alongside other festive treats like gingerbread cookies, peppermint bark, or homemade fudge for a visually stunning and mouthwatering display.
Cheesecake Base or Topping for a yoghurt dessert
Another creative way to enjoy these cookies is by incorporating them into other desserts. Crumble them up and use them as a topping for a cranberry and white chocolate cheesecake or sprinkle them over a bowl of creamy Greek yogurt for a festive breakfast or snack. Their vibrant colors and distinct flavors will add a burst of holiday cheer to any dish.
Equipment
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- Kitchen Scales
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Stand Mixer (optional)
- Greaseproof paper / Baking parchment
- Baking Tray
- Clingfilm / Saran wrap
cranberry white chocolate cookies – Substitutions and variations
Add Nuts
For those who prefer a nutty addition, try incorporating chopped pecans or almonds into the cookie dough. The toasty crunch of these nuts will complement the sweetness of the cranberries and white chocolate, creating a delightful contrast of textures.
Stir in Dried Fruit
To give these cookies a festive feel, why not try stirring in some dried raisins and sultanas to the mix? You can even add candied orange peel for a citrus hit.
Add sprinkles to these delicious cookies and turn them into sprinkle cookies. The colours are gorgeous and the little crunch makes these really exciting.
Swap out the chocolate for dark chocolate
You could substitute the white chocolate chips with dark chocolate chunks for a richer and slightly bittersweet taste.
Make it gluten free
If you have dietary restrictions or preferences, there are also plenty of substitutions to suit your needs. Instead of using all-purpose flour, you can opt for gluten-free flour blends to make these cookies gluten-friendly. Similarly,
Make it vegan
For a vegan-friendly version, swap the butter with coconut oil or plant-based margarine and use a flax egg instead of a regular egg.
Storing cranberry white chocolate cookies / Making ahead of time options
Chocolate chip NYC cookies will last at peak cookie-ness for about a week, provided you keep them in a cool dark cupboard. They don’t need to be kept in the fridge.
It’s crucial to let your thick and chewy white chocolate cranberry cookies cool completely before storing them. Placing warm cookies in an airtight container can create excess moisture and make them soggy. Give them some time to cool on a wire rack.
Airtight containers, such as cookie tins or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids, work exceptionally well. They not only keep your cookies fresh but also prevent any unwanted flavors or odors from seeping in.
Freeze for Later
You can easily freeze your uncooked cookies for snacking at a later date.
Once you’ve made your cookie dough and scooped it into little balls, place these balls in clingfilm and pop them in the freezer. They will last for up to 2 months in the freezer. You can then grab a couple cookie balls and pop them in the oven. Creating perfect cookies whenever you need them.
Top Questions
What can you add to a cranberry white chocolate cookie?
Can you make cranberry cookies in advance?
How do you keep cookies soft and gooey?
Can you freeze cookie dough?
Dried cranberry white chocolate cookies FAQS
What can you add to a cranberry white chocolate cookie?
The best things to add to cranberrt white chocolate cookies have to be Christmas spices like cinnamon but also you can try adding chopped nuts.
Can you make cranberry cookies in advance?
The good news is that cranberry cookies can indeed be prepared in advance. This is especially convenient during the holiday season when time is of the essence.
The dough can usually be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen until you are ready to bake. This can be a lifesaver when you’re crunched for time, as you can easily mix up the dough, store it, and then proceed with baking at a later date.
How do you keep cookies soft and gooey?
Keep your cookies soft and gooey but slightly undercooking them. They will continue to cook once you remove them from the oven so if you overbake them they will go hard. You also need to be mindful not to overmix your cookies.
Can you freeze cookie dough?
Yes, you can easily freeze cookie dough once it’s been mixed together. Pop your dough in the freezer and then bring it out when you are ready to bake cookies.
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Recipe
Easy Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (optional)
Ingredients
- 125 g (½ cups) unsalted butter
- 100 g (½ cups) light brown sugar
- 80 g (⅔ cups) caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300 g (2 ½ cups) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 150 g (1 ½ cups) white chocolate chips
- 150 g dried cranberries
Instructions
- Measure your butter and sugars and add them to a mixing bowl. Mix them together until soft and creamy. (You can also use your mixer if you want).
- Add in your egg and vanilla, and mix in.
- Sieve in the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and a pinch of salt.
- Mix together to form a cookie dough.
- Stir in your chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
- Use an ice cream scoop to portion the cookie dough. (Mine is about 5cm and makes about 12 or you can divide it into 8 and have larger cookies).
- When the cookies are rolled place them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. (You can also freeze them at this point).
Cooking your white chocolate and cranberry cookies
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 356ºF / Gas mark 4.
- Place the cold cookie dough balls on baking trays with baking parchment / greaseproof paper.
- Make sure they are spaced out as they will spread when baking.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes depending on size until they are golden brown.
- Leave the cookies to cool and they are ready to enjoy.
Cooking your cranberry white chocolate cookies from frozen
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 356ºF / Gas mark 4.
- Place the frozen cookie dough balls on baking trays with baking parchment / greaseproof paper.
- Make sure they are spaced out as they will spread when baking.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes depending on size until they are golden brown. They need a little longer from frozen and you might want to give them a gentle press halfway through if you want them to be thinner.
- Leave the cookies to cool and they are ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Freeze for later and enjoy when you really need a cookie.
- You can swap out the chocolate chips for nuts or dried fruit.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Amazing, these were the perfect texture!
Love these festive holiday cookies! They turned out perfectly – soft, chewy and sweet. My whole family loved them!
Each bite of these cookies has creamy cranberry flavor! I’m obsessed!
Cranberries and white chocolate make such a delicious pairing, and these cookies are absolutely scrumptious!
These were so easy to bake and tasted absolutely delicious. I’ll be baking these again!
I have a bit of a weird thing for dried cranberries and this was the perfect use for them!
I love white chocolate and cranberries together and these cookies were so soft and delicious!
These are delicious! We all loved them.