Soft and chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with crunchy pecan pieces dipped in white chocolate are the absolute best oatmeal cookies. These chewy homemade oatmeal cookies are great to make during the holidays and year round!
These Snickerdoodle cookies, these Mexican Wedding Cookies and these festive Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are some of my favorite holiday cookies!
This post is part of #ChristmasCookies Week
These easy to make white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies have soft centers and slight crispy edges. These traditional Christmas cookies are loaded with oats and studded with sweet dried cranberries. A wonderful combination of flavors you won’t want to miss this holiday season. Although I must admit, I love these chewy oatmeal cookies any time of the year!
The Best Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Inspired by a classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe these cookies are made with dried cranberries. These red little gems add a bright red color to the cookies making them look so festive.
To elevate the humble oatmeal raisin cookie, pecan pieces are added. They give the cookie a complex nutty flavor and a bit of crunch. But why stop there? Dipped in white chocolate, these cookies go from delicious to heavenly and dreamy! Making these the best oatmeal cookies and best Christmas cookies ever!
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Both leavening agents help the cookie rise and also create a nice chewy texture.
- Salt, Cinnamon and Vanilla: Flavorings are a must!
- Butter: I prefer baking with unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter at home, omit the salt.
- Granulated Sugar and Dark Brown Sugar: I use both sugars. Brown sugar adds such nice flavor to baked goods.
- Egg: Gives the dough structure and texture. It also adds as a binding agent.
- Quick Cook Oats: Oats provide texture.
- Cranberries: This recipe uses dried cranberries instead of fresh cranberries.
- Pecans: You can use walnuts, if you prefer.
- White Chocolate: Use a nice quality white chocolate bar that has great flavor and melts well. Candy melts work as well but nothing compares with the taste of good white chocolate.
How To Make These Easy Oatmeal Cookies
- Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon
- Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix to combine.
- Add the oats, cranberries and pecan pieces and stir.
- Scoop round balls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes. The cookies may look a little undercooked in the center.
- Remove the oatmeal cranberry cookies from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Allow to cool.
- Cut the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a small bowl.
- Dip only half of each cookie into the melted white chocolate. Gently shake to remove excess chocolate.
- Set the cookies on parchment paper to dry and sprinkle with crushed pecans, if desired.
- Try not to eat them all in one sitting!
How To Store Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies?
- Already baked chewy oatmeal cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
- The cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Can I Freeze Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies?
Yes, this easy cookie recipe freezes well.
- The cookie dough can be formed into balls and kept frozen for 2 months. Make sure they are stored properly to prevent freezer burn. The frozen cookie dough balls can be baked straight from the freezer without thawing. Baking time will need to be adjusted (add 2-3 additional minutes).
- Baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months.
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie Recipe Tips
- The best way to measure flour is to stir it around and spoon it from the container into the measuring cup.
- After baking time is done, the cookies will look a bit undone in the center but they will firm up as they cool.
- Don’t overbake!
- You can use white chocolate, milk, semisweet or dark chocolate, if you prefer. Candy melts can also be used although I prefer the flavor of chocolate.
- Use walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts, if you prefer.
Recipe adapted from Life, Love and Sugar
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White Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Soft and chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with crunchy pecan pieces dipped in white chocolate are the absolute best oatmeal cookies. These chewy homemade oatmeal cookies are great to make during the holidays and year round!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 30 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ uncooked quick cook oats
- 1 ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecan pieces
- 12 ounces white chocolate like Lindt, Ghirardelli or Scharffenberger
- About ¾ cups crushed pecans to decorate the cookies optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a medium bowl, stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix to combine.
- In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until the cookie dough comes together, and the ingredients are well combined.
- Add the oats, cranberries and pecan pieces and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- With a small ice cream scoop or with 2 spoons, scoop round balls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Each ball of dough should be about 1 large tablespoon in size.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes. The cookies may look a little undercooked in the center, but they will continue to firm up as they cool. Do not over bake.
- When the baking is done, remove the cookies from the oven and allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheets for about 2 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, cut the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a small bowl.
- Dip only half of each cookie, one at a time, into the chocolate and gently shake to remove excess chocolate.
- Set the cookies on parchment paper to dry and sprinkle with crushed pecans, if desired.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Cookies are best for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 210kcal (11%)Carbohydrates: 26g (9%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 11g (17%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Cholesterol: 24mg (8%)Sodium: 90mg (4%)Potassium: 68mg (2%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 19g (21%)Vitamin A: 200IU (4%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 36mg (4%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Wednesday Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Almond Shortbread Bites by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Brown Sugar Ice Box Cookies by West Via Midwest
- Chocolate Pecan Cookie Crisps by Eat Move Make
- Christmas Checkerboard Cookies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Christmas Chippity Chip Cookies by Daily Dish Recipes
- Christmas Tree Cookies by Swirls of Flavor
- Cinnamon Snowball Cookies by Jersey Girl Cooks
- French Toast Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Frosty Ginger Cookies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Ginger Snap Cookies by Devour Dinner
- Holiday Coins by Family Around the Table
- Italian Christmas Cookies by Blogghetti
- Meringue Christmas Trees Two Ways by Art of Natural Living
- New York-Style Black & Whites by Kate’s Recipe Box
- Pecan Crescent Cookies by Palatable Pastime
- Pepparkakor by That Recipe
- Peppermint Cream Cheese Crushed Oreo Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Reindeer Haystacks by Leftovers Then Breakfast
- Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies by Sweet Beginnings
- Soft Italian Wedding Cookies by Making Miracles
- Sweet Potato Pecan Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Turtle Cookies by An Affair from the Heart
- Vegan Italian Wine Cookies by Frugal & Fit
- Whipped Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies by Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Zimstern – German Cinnamon Stars by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Brenda says
can I use the old fashion oatmeal instead and fresh cranberries? thank you.
Kathy says
No. Fresh cranberries won’t work.
Thomas says
My SO made these and other Christmas cookies when her nieces were in town for the holiday and these were our favorite. They were moist and full of flavor. The white chocolate works so well. We’ve add them to our list of go-to cookies..
Kathy says
Thank you! I am so happy to hear you all liked the cookies. Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year!
Debbi says
Good morning , can you tell me the weight (in ounces or grams) of the cookie dough for each cookie, a large tablespoon can be different weights and I really want them to come out beautiful and the correct texture like yours.
Thank you so much for the great recipe and Happy New Year!
Kathy says
Hi Debbi, For perfect cookies I use a small or medium ice cream scooper – The Small is usually 1.6 inch or 4 cm. You can use any size but I would not go any larger than 2 inches for these cookies.
Take a look at these scoopers #50 and #60 are ideal. For uniformity scoopers are best, after spooing you can weight them if you prefer. I hope this helps.
ChiuKim says
I made this during the holidays the first time. I have made them so many times since because they are so good. My family loves them. One time I put raisins instead and it was great although I like cranberries better.
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck says
Oh yeah, I just love a chocolate dipped cookie…especially when cranberries are involved!
Kathy says
🙂 Thank you