As one of the first cookies published on my website, this popular recipe stands the test of time. You’ll love these white chocolate chip cranberry cookies because they’re soft-baked, wonderfully chewy, have extra vanilla, plus they combine sweet white chocolate morsels with tart dried cranberries. It’s a flavorful and classic pairing for holiday cookie trays or anytime throughout the year!
I originally published this recipe in 2012 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips, including a reduced chill time that is reflected in the printable recipe below.
These white chocolate cranberry cookies are an absolute fan-favorite. There are a few tricks to this cookie magic, so let me share some tips I’ve added over the years (including reducing the dough chill time from 2 hours to 1 hour). It’s a great cookie recipe to have in your back pocket… right next to your recipes for chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies!
One reader, Eileen, commented: “These white chocolate chip and cranberry cookies are the best! They are delicious and they made my house smell like a bakery while cooking. I feel like this is the best cookie I have ever tasted and I felt like a pro using this recipe! ★★★★★“
Another reader, Heather, commented: “Just wanted to pop in and rave on these cookies. I found the recipe a couple years ago and they are a staple on my Christmas cookie list. I do add chopped pecans and they were a fantastic addition! ★★★★★“
In Short, These White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies Are:
- Adapted from these soft chocolate chip cookies
- Soft-baked with slightly crisp edges
- Brown sugared with extra vanilla
- Thick & chewy
- Easy to make
- Brimming with creamy white chocolate chips & tart dried cranberries
Plus, the cookie dough freezes easily and the baked cookies freeze and thaw without issue. If you ever want to learn more about my process for freezing cookies and cookie dough, here is my How to Freeze Cookie Dough page.
Start With a Tested Cookie Dough
As I mentioned above, this recipe uses this soft chocolate chip cookies recipe as the base. It’s unfussy and welcomes a variety of add-ins and flavors. Honestly, I make this version more often because the add-ins are a little more special. You could also replace the white chocolate chips with regular chocolate chips for a chocolate/cranberry combo (or even use dark chocolate like we do for dark chocolate cranberry blondies and dark chocolate cranberry almond cookies—yum!). Add pistachios like I do for white chocolate cranberry pistachio cookies. Or go a little wild and make my other variations using this dough: butterscotch pretzel chocolate chip cookies & salted caramel pecan chocolate chip cookies.
Key Ingredients in White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Room Temperature Butter: If you’re looking for an extra buttery, almost dense chocolate chip cookie, try my chocolate chip cookies. That recipe starts with melted butter. For today’s version and the original soft chocolate chip cookies, I start with room temperature butter. Creaming the butter with sugars provides a fluffy and aerated base. (I have a full tutorial on how to cream butter and sugar, if you need extra guidance on this step.) The creaming process is only possible if the butter is softened to room temperature. Keep in mind that softened butter is cool to the touch, not greasy. (See Room Temperature Butter if you’re interested in learning more.)
- More Brown Sugar Than White Sugar: Did you know that sugar does more than just sweeten cookies? Brown sugar can give cookies a chewier, softer, and more moist texture, while regular white granulated sugar helps the cookies spread. For chewier and more flavorful cookies, use more brown sugar than white sugar. And, if you have it, use dark brown sugar for deeper brown sugar flavor.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract!
- Cornstarch: It seems like an odd ingredient for cookie dough, doesn’t it? Just as it makes shortbread cookies extra tender, a small amount can actually provide added softness to other cookie doughs, too. We don’t want to replace any flour with it because the cookies could lose shape, so just add 2 teaspoons. Cornstarch also helps keep the cookies thick.
- Dried Cranberries & White Chocolate Chips: Add 1 cup of dried cranberries and 3/4 cup white chocolate morsels. I used to make these cookies with 3/4 cup of each but lately I add extra cranberries for more chunks in each bite. Just like when making cranberry nut no-knead bread, use dried cranberries here instead of fresh because when baked, fresh throws off the dry/wet ratio. I usually use the brand Craisins.
Success Tip: Chill The Dough
The ingredients come together quickly and easily, but allow 1 hour for the dough to chill in the refrigerator before baking. The refrigerator is a cookie dough’s best friend because it helps firm up soft cookie doughs (like today’s) which prevents the cookies from over-spreading. Chilling also gives the flavors in the dough a chance to settle and mingle together. I used to chill this dough for at least 2 hours, but 1 hour is plenty and still allows for a decent spread.
Success Tip: Use a Cookie Scoop & Your Hands
I always use this medium cookie scoop for the cookie dough. Each cookie should be around 1.5 Tablespoons of dough, so that size is perfect. After scooping, I briefly roll the dough in my hands. You don’t need to make a perfectly smooth and round ball—in fact, I like keeping the dough balls taller rather than wide as pictured next. Shaping this way helps achieve a thicker, textured-looking cookie.
And, if desired, press a few more white chips & dried cranberries into the baked cookies while they’re still warm.
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page.
Soft-Baked White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
You’ll love these white chocolate chip cranberry cookies because they’re soft-baked, wonderfully chewy, have extra vanilla, plus they combine sweet white chocolate morsels with tart dried cranberries. Set aside 1 hour to chill the dough in the refrigerator before baking.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I use dark)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (135g) white chocolate chips, plus a few extra for garnish
- 1 cup (140g) dried cranberries, plus a few extra for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be soft and thick. Add the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries and beat on low speed until combined. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3-4 days. Chilling is imperative to prevent the cookies from over-spreading.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3-4 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This makes the firm cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- As the oven preheats, scoop and roll dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons (35g) of dough each, into balls. The dough may be slightly crumbly, but will come together as you work it with your hands. Arrange dough balls 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. The centers will still look soft. If cookies didn’t spread much, lightly bang the the baking sheets on the counter a couple times while the cookies are still warm. They’ll stretch and deflate.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. During this time, press extra white chocolate chips and dried cranberries into the warm tops. This is optional and only for looks. After 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue with step 3. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Cornstarch: A small amount of cornstarch provides added softness to the dough and cookies. Cornstarch also helps keep the cookies thick. If you don’t have any, you can leave it out—no need to replace with anything.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I never ever write reviews, BUT this recipe was so awesome I had to thank you. Perfectly soft delicious cookie. I used my special “caramelized” white chocolate pieces, & I was out of white sugar so I had to substitute brown sugar. They are incredible. Refreshing change from chocolate chip. My boyfriend said he loved the softness!
Hi sally! These look amazing can I use gluten free flour instead?
Hi Karla, we haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour, but let us know if you do!
So goood!
What substitute for egg
Hi Smita, we haven’t tested this recipe with any egg substitutes, but if you try something, please let us know how it goes!
Loved the cookies. Not sure why the ended up flat. I’ve made a number of your recipes and always turned out great.
Hi DJ, Did you chill the cookie dough for at least an hour? Here are our best tips to prevent cookies from spreading. Thank you for giving these a try!
I really like the recipe, I think those are my best cookies so far! However, they are much too sweet for me. Could I add less sugar? Which one, how much? Should I add something instead?
Hi Klaudia, Feel free to slightly reduce one or both of the sugars, but keep in mind that if you decrease the sugar the cookies will not have the same texture (it’s used for texture and moisture in addition to taste) and it can impact the spread of the cookies, too. We’re so glad you enjoyed the cookies!
It really is a great cookie. It goes over Big at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I just put them in the oven so exited!
I was wondering if I can add macadamia nuts or walnuts to this recipe. I would think I can, but want to make sure it wouldn’t take away from anything. My family does baking competition & this year’s category is cookies – this seems like a winner. My husband is the judge and he likes macadamia nuts and they seems like a good addition. If you think so too, how much would you add? Would you cut back in the amount of white chocolate and cranberries? Any helpful hints would be great!
Hi Sandy, you can definitely add macadamia nuts to these cookies – yum! We would keep the total amount of add-ins to 1 and 3/4 cups, so reduce the white chocolate chips/cranberries a bit to make room for the macadamia nuts. Happy baking!
Hi! Did this cookie today, did everything exactly as it was said except for baking soda. I used baking powder instead. I read somewhere that for baking soda to work as leavening agent, it needs some form of acid in the ingredients. Didn’t find any from the recipe so i used baking powder which has acid in it already. The outcome is absolutely delicious, and had the thickness as in the photos. Btw, I did that same baking soda and powder swap with your oatmeal cookie recipe… it was always flat no matter the length of time in the fridge, but finally got the rise i wanted when i swapped to baking powder. Not so sure with this but it worked for me 3x already. 🙂
Hi Sally, Your cookie photos look like they contain the white chips that are not true white chocolate (i.e. don’t contain cocoa butter) such as Nestle Premier White Morsels, Hershey’s Premier White Chips, and Ghirardelli Classic White Chips. If you’ve baked these cookies both ways, can you comment on the flavor and texture comparison?
Hi Teresa! The pictured white chips are Nestle Premier White Morsels, I believe. You can absolutely use real white chocolate, chopped or real white chocolate chips. Obviously the flavor will be much richer that way. Real white chocolate (chopped) also doesn’t really hold shape in the oven, so the cookies will have delicious melty chocolate spots in them while warm.
Hi Sally! I tried making this soft cookie just simple with chocolate chips (but the website doesn’t allow me to write the comments on that recipe) following all the instructions but today it was a crazy warm day and the cookies came out very flat, probably because of the heat that overmelted the butter, even though I used it soft as per recipe. I also tried cooking them straight from the fridge to see if this could help keeping the shape a bit more and staying thicker, but no luck.
Any idea how I can overcome this problem and being able to cook thick and soft cookies even in warm days?
Thanks!
Chiara
Hi Chiara, it does sound like your butter got a bit too warm. For next time, allow the butter to come to room temperature in a cooler spot. If you find the butter has softened too much, place it back in the refrigerator to solidify, then try again. Cold butter and dough are key to preventing cookies from spreading. Hope this helps!
I wonder if you can use fresh or frozen raspberries instead of the cranberries??? And how much?
Thanks
Hi Eleonora, fresh or frozen raspberries would be tricky here, as they will release their juices into the cookie dough quite a bit. What you could try instead are these strawberry and cream cookies, but use freeze dried raspberries in place of the freeze dried strawberries. Let us know if you try it!
How many cookies does a recipe make?
Hi Nancy, this recipe makes 2 dozen cookies.
New favorite cookie!!! Holy moly me oh my – if you’re debating trying these, DO IT.
The dough tastes like brown sugar caramel it’s like the best chocolate chip cookie you ever had except white chocolate instead of milk chocolate. This is one of the BEST cookies I’ve ever made. Definitely a make again recipe. I made these for Valentines Day 2024
I have made these so many times. They are a favorite of everyone I share them with! Easy is no skimp on delicious. Sally has some of the best recipes. Thank you for sharing.
These are the best cookies I’ve consumed in my life. I have made them multiple times and everyone who has tried them is obsessed with them. I love the combination of sweet chocolate and sort of sour cranberries. These cookies are to die for.
The softness of the cookie was what I was looking for in a cookie the taste was fantastic.
Awesome cookies! I loved them!
I’m a cookie girl through and through and Sally’s recipes never fail me. This is one of my favorite cookies of all time. I love a good cranberry-orange combo, so I add the zest from 2 oranges before mixing in the dry ingredients and every time I bite into a cookie I think OH MY GOD IT’S SO GOOD. I could eat a whole dozen in one sitting if I don’t stop myself. Absolutely delicious.
Anyone have nutritional info?
Hi Lisa, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Each cookie is 174 calories but make sure they are exactly 1.5 tbsp each.
When I made them last night, each raw cookie was 40g and it worked out to 170 calories per cookie.
I can never get the butter to the right temp, it’s always slightly too cold even though I used a thermometer to check and it said 64-65 degrees. Also, my batter was really thick so I had to mix it with clean hands rather than my hand mixer (I don’t own a stand mixer) when adding the flour and choc chips. I was out of white choc chips, so I switched the add-ins to milk and dark choc chips and left out the dried cranberries.
The dough was very stiff and I was concerned the cookies wouldn’t turn out right. Boy, was I wrong. My husband said they’re the best chocolate chip cookies I have made and we’ve tasted several good recipes. They are perfectly soft and chewy with a crispy edge! This recipe is a definite winner!
I remember having a similar experience with your sugar drop cookie recipe and the dough being really stiff, but they still turned out great as well. Your recipes are some of my favorites.
I’ll buy some white choc soon and make this recipe as written.
Great recipe! Can you freeze the cookies after they’ve been cooked?
Hi Kate, absolutely! Baked and cooled cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
You can freeze baked cookies? I have never seen this done! Mind you we have 5 kids so cookies probably wouldn’t make it to the freezer & they would probably laugh at me if I tried.
Yes! It’s very easy to freeze baked cookies. Here’s a tutorial for freezing cookie dough AND baked cookies.
Wonderful cookies! One of my husband’s favorites!
This Recipe is Super !.. I came across your blog and found this trying to find a cranberry white chocolate cookie. There are several when googled but knowing how much I have learned from from your blog I go to yours for more than the ingredients that match up to ingredients, as a novice to baking. Thank you for sharing so many great recipes and needed information.
I swear I don’t even love cookies but I LOVE these! I made them for a Christmas party & now I’m making them again for New Years!
I made these in cookie bar form for a Christmas party, and everyone came up to me to rave about how good they were. They were all gone by the end of the gathering. Thanks!
I’m new to baking but still had great results by following this recipe exactly (though – one note for beginners like me – do yourself a favor and look up a guide on creaming because I made it way harder on myself). Truly a delicious cookie!
Hello, I followed the recipe to the point but as I was baking the cookies, it did not have a golden brown edge only looked white like if it was still raw and smelled like it was burning. I lowered the temperature from 350° to 310° and left it in until they turned golden brown. I don’t know what went wrong if it was the temperature or something to do with the chilling but this recipe was not to my expectations it came out very bland as well .
Just made! Sure makes house smell good and taste great! I would just go a little less on sugar in recipe.