White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Recipe
Soft, chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Orange Cookies loaded with tart dried cranberries, creamy white chocolate chips, and a bright pop of fresh orange zest. Easy to make, perfect for Christmas cookie trays and holiday gifting.
Servings: 24
Cost: $10
Equipment
- hand mixer
- spatula
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 large orange about 1 Tbsp, divided
- 1 large egg at room temp
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1¼ cups white chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- Optional: ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or pistachios
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add granulated sugar and half the orange zest. Use your fingers to rub zest into the sugar until fragrant (this releases oils). Add brown sugar and butter; beat with a hand mixer until creamy and slightly fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, and orange juice until smooth. Mix in the remaining orange zest.
- Add dry ingredients and mix on low just until a few flour streaks remain. Fold in white chocolate chips, cranberries, and nuts (if using). For thicker cookies, cover and chill 1 hour.
- Scoop 1½ tablespoon mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and just golden; centers will look slightly under baked.
- Let cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. While warm, you can sprinkle a pinch of fresh zest if you like.
Notes
- Extra orange-forward: Swap the 1 Tbsp juice for 1½ Tbsp, or add ⅛ tsp orange extract along with the vanilla.
- Bakery-thick: Chill the dough 1–2 hours and bake 12–13 minutes.
- Cranberry boost: If your cranberries are very dry, soak in warm orange juice for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry before folding in.
- Make ahead: Dough balls freeze up to 2 months; bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes. Baked cookies keep 4–5 days airtight.
Nutrition
Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 191IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg