White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

These white chocolate cranberry cookies are crisp at the edges and chewy in the middle, with sweet white chocolate, tart dried cranberries, and a little orange and cinnamon. They need just a 20-minute chill and barely spread.

Why These Cranberry Christmas Cookies Are Going on Repeat

• Crispy edges, chewy middles. They bake up light golden and a little crisp at the edges, with soft, chewy centers.
• Orange and cinnamon make them taste like Christmas. Rubbing orange zest into the sugar is an easy step that perfumes the whole batch, and just a pinch of cinnamon adds a warm, Christmasy note behind it.
• White chocolate is the perfect compromise. This is what I like most about them. Chocolate lovers get their chocolate, and this vanilla lover gets something sweet and creamy instead of rich and dark.
• Only a 20-minute chill. Just a short rest in the fridge, and they barely spread in the oven.

Key Ingredients

The ingredient list here is pretty standard cookie-wise, with a few surprises thrown in. (Full ingredient list in the recipe card.)

• Orange zest. Zest one large orange and rub it into the granulated sugar with your fingertips until the sugar smells like orange and feels a little damp. It's an easy addition that makes a big difference.
• Cinnamon. Just ¼ teaspoon. It sits in the background and complements the orange without tasting like a cinnamon cookie.
• Light brown sugar. I used light brown here, and it was perfect. Dark brown has more molasses flavor that could cover up the orange.
• Cold butter. The butter goes in cold and cubed, straight from the fridge.
• White chocolate. Chips or chunks both work. Save a few to press into the tops so the cookies look as good as they taste.
• Dried cranberries. They bring a tart chew and those pretty pops of red. Save a few of these for the tops, too.

How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Step 1: Make the orange sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Rub the orange zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is fragrant and a little damp.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix well.

Step 3: Mix the butter, sugars and eggs
In another bowl or a stand mixer, combine the cold cubed butter, the orange sugar and the brown sugar. Add the eggs, then the vanilla, and beat until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 4: Add the flour, white chocolate and cranberries
Add the flour mixture on low speed until it's just incorporated. Add the white chocolate and dried cranberries and stir lightly until just combined. The dough will be thick. If it feels too dry to come together, add a tablespoon of milk or water. Pop the dough in the fridge for about 20 minutes to chill. (That's it!)

Step 5: Scoop and top
Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough, and roll it into balls. Place no more than six on each baking sheet, then press a few extra white chocolate chips and cranberries into the top of each one. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cookies are light golden brown and slightly crisp at the edges. Start checking at 13 minutes, since white chocolate browns faster than dark chocolate.

Step 6: Rest

Let the cookies rest on the pan for about 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for the Best White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

• Rub the zest into the sugar. Don't just stir it in. Working it in with your fingertips releases the orange oils, and you'll smell the difference right away.
• Watch the oven. White chocolate browns faster than dark chocolate, so start checking at 13 minutes. You want light golden edges, not deep brown ones.
• Adjust a dry dough. The dough is supposed to be thick, but if it won't come together, add a tablespoon of milk or water.
• Give them space. Six cookies per sheet is plenty, even though they don't spread much.
• Top them before baking. Pressing extra white chocolate and cranberries onto the dough balls means every cookie has those pretty pops of color.

Variations and Substitutions

• Add nuts. Chopped macadamia nuts or pecans add a buttery crunch. Fold in about ½ cup with the white chocolate and cranberries.
• Try other dried fruit. Dried cherries are a nice swap for the cranberries.
• Swap the chocolate. Semisweet or dark chocolate chips work if your crowd wants something richer.
• Skip the orange or cinnamon. Leave out either one for a simpler white chocolate cranberry cookie.

Make Ahead, Storage and Freezing

• Make ahead (dough). Scoop the dough into balls and freeze them in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
• Make ahead (baked). Freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• Storage. Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Serving and Gifting Ideas

• A cozy break. A hot mug of tea, a cozy couch, a soft blanket, and a couple of these cookies make an absolutely perfect afternoon.
• A holiday cookie plate. These go perfectly on almost any cookie plate. Pair them with a soft sour cream sugar cookie, chocolate-dipped orange and almond shortbread, soft ginger molasses cookies, and raspberry thumbprint cookies for the ultimate cookie spread.
• Neighbor gifts. Stack a few in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon, or tuck them into a tin next to a handful of dark chocolate-covered cranberries.

More Cookie Recipes

Made these white chocolate cranberry cookies? Tell me if they earned a spot in your Christmas lineup, too. Leave a star rating and a comment below.