Holiday White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

By Tyla | Last modified on Dec 3, 2025

Featured in: Desserts

These Holiday White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies bring festive joy in every bite. Soft and buttery with a perfect balance of tart fresh cranberries and sweet, creamy white chocolate chips, they embody everything cozy and delicious about the holiday season.

Baked to golden perfection, these cookies are a delightful treat to share with family and friends, evoking warmth and holiday cheer with each soft, melt-in-your-mouth morsel.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft, buttery texture that melts in your mouth
Tart burst of fresh cranberries balanced by creamy white chocolate chips
Simple ingredients and straightforward steps perfect for holiday baking
Customizable with orange zest or extract for festive citrus notes

Ingredients

Unsalted Butter: 1 cup chilled unsalted butter straight from the fridge to create tender, rich cookies with perfect structure.
Granulated Sugar: 1 cup adds sweetness and helps achieve a soft, golden texture.
Large Eggs: 2 eggs to bind the dough and contribute to the cookies’ moist, chewy interior.
Orange Extract or Vanilla Extract: ½ teaspoon orange extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract adds a fragrant, festive aroma and depth of flavor.
All-Purpose Flour: 3 cups as the base creating the perfect cookie crumb and chewiness.
Baking Powder: 2 teaspoons to provide a light rise and fluffy texture.
Salt: ¼ teaspoon enhances all the flavors and balances sweetness.
White Chocolate Chips: 1 cup creamy morsels that melt slightly into pockets of sweetness.
Fresh Cranberries: 2 cups fresh cranberries provide tartness and vibrant bursts of flavor in every bite.
Orange Zest (Optional): 1 tablespoon for an uplifting, zesty brightness that complements cranberries.

Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. The parchment ensures cookies bake evenly and don’t stick, making cleanup easier.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the chilled butter with granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This aerates the butter, creating the tender, soft texture we want for the cookies.
Incorporate Eggs and Extract: Add eggs one at a time and then the orange or vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly. These ingredients add moisture, richness, and enhance the cookie’s flavor complexity.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. This step ensures that the rising agent and salt are evenly distributed in the flour for consistent results.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies, so mix gently to maintain softness.
Add Cranberries and White Chocolate Chips: Fold in fresh cranberries and white chocolate chips carefully to distribute throughout the batter, ensuring every cookie has bursts of tartness and creamy sweetness.
Portion and Chill Dough (Optional): Scoop about 1/4 to 1/3 cup dough per cookie and roll into balls. For thicker cookies, chill the dough balls in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before baking to prevent spreading.
Bake Cookies to Golden Perfection: Place 6 cookies per baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until cookies look set and tops lose their glossy sheen. Baking times may increase slightly if dough is chilled.
Cool Cookies Properly: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This step helps them set perfectly without crumbling.

You Must Know

Storing cookies in an airtight container in the fridge keeps them fresh up to 5 days.
Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months and thaw before enjoying for fresh taste.
Chilling dough before baking yields thicker, more satisfying cookies if preferred.

Storage Tips

Store cookies in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these cookies with hot tea, coffee, or a glass of cold milk for a comforting snack. They also make a charming addition to holiday dessert platters or gift boxes.

Professional Tips

Use fresh cranberries for the best tart flavor; frozen cranberries may add extra moisture.
For even distribution, gently toss cranberries and white chocolate chips in a small amount of flour before folding into dough.
Adjust sugar slightly if you prefer sweeter or tarter cookies to balance flavors perfectly.

FAQs

Can I use dried cranberries instead of fresh?: Dried cranberries can be used but will add more sweetness and less tartness. You may want to reduce the sugar slightly to balance flavors.
Can I substitute the white chocolate chips?: Yes, semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips are great alternatives if you prefer a less sweet cookie.
Is orange extract necessary?: No, vanilla extract works perfectly. Orange extract adds a festive citrus flavor but can be omitted or substituted according to preference.
How thick will the cookies be?: Thickness depends on dough chilling—chilling dough results in thicker cookies, while baking immediately yields thinner cookies.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?: Yes, cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. Simply keep it covered to preserve freshness.
How should I store uneaten cookies?: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze for longer storage. Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature before serving.