White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

These cranberry oatmeal cookies are laced with white chocolate, dried cranberries, and have the trademark chewy texture that makes oatmeal cookies legendary.

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About White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

The cooler months bring out some of the best seasonal flavors, and cranberry is one of the world’s favorites. Because as we all know, winter months also mean more cakes and cookies, and that’s exactly where a cranberry really shines.

Which, of course, brings me to today’s classic recipe:

White chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies.

From the chewy texture to the tart craisins to the creamy white chocolate chips, they are a melody of flavors that come together for one seriously savory-sweet cookie.

What kind of oats should you use?

When it comes to oats, you’ll typically find three main types: regular, quick, and instant. All of these oats are made from whole oats that are steamed and flattened, but what makes the difference (and why you would choose one over the other) is how they’re cut.

• Regular Oatmeal (also called rolled oats) – This type of oatmeal is the most common. The oats have a larger, more uniform shape, leading to a chewier texture in baked goods. When used in baking, these oats are clearly visible in the finished product.
• Quick Cooking Oats – These oats are coarsely chopped into smaller pieces than rolled oats, giving them a faster cook time (hence the name). And because of the smaller pieces, they can give baked goods the same chewy texture but with a smoother (and some would say prettier) appearance than rolled oats.
• Instant Oatmeal – In most cases, this type of oatmeal is cut so small that it can look more like cornmeal or even a powder. It’s also very unlikely you would use this type of oatmeal in baked goods, as oatmeal is all about texture and instant oatmeal provides virtually no texture to the finished product.

So, given all of that – what’s the best oat for baking?

In baking, you’ll typically only use rolled oats or quick cooking oats. Rolled oats are for more texture, but quick cooking oats are better for a more uniform-looking cookie. The main difference is the level of chewiness (personal preference) and possibly some impact on cook time (with rolled oats taking longer.) Unless the recipe specifies one type over the other, you should be able to safely substitute rolled oats for quick cooking and vice versa.

Do you need to chill the dough?

Great news here, guys! For this recipe, you do not need to chill the cookie dough before baking. Chilling is usually about keeping the cookies from spreading and giving them a chewy texture, but these cookies are already set up for both thanks to the quick cooking oats.

Curious why you may (or may not) need to chill dough for cookies? It has a lot to do with fat content, a big portion of which comes from the butter. You can read more about how it all works here: To Chill or not to Chill.

What’s in Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies?

• Baking essentials – Almost all baking projects require all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and eggs, so be sure to have them handy. Also, this recipe uses light brown sugar instead of the typical white sugar.
• Craisins (dried cranberries) – Essentially, these are just cranberries that are dried like raisins. Stores can sometimes treat them like a seasonal product, so if you find a few bags, be sure to pick a few up when you see them. The cranberries should stay fresh and usable for at least a few months after purchase.
• White chocolate chips – I personally think the white chocolate makes these cookies as good as they are, but I also know that not everyone is a fan of white chocolate.  Thankfully, these cookies can easily be made with semi-sweet chocolate chips instead.

How long are oatmeal cookies good for?

Once baked and cooled, these white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies can be stored in a sealed container on the counter for up to one to two weeks.

Can you freeze cranberry oatmeal cookies?

If you’d like to always have a batch of these cookies on hand, the easiest way is to freeze them for later. There are two ways you can do this.

To freeze the raw dough: 

• Mix all ingredients, then scoop out about one tablespoon of dough (the same way you would before baking).
• Drop cookie dough on a tray and freeze for at least two hours or until outside is no longer tacky. Once firm, transfer to a freezer bag or a storage container with a sealable lid.
• Frozen oatmeal cookie dough can be stored for up to six months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake like normal.

To freeze the baked cookies:

• Bake and allow to cool completely.
• Store cookies in a single layer in a freezer bag or storage container. If you need to stack the cookies, separate each layer with a sheet of wax paper.
• Baked cookies and be stored for up to three months.

Notes & tips for these cookies

• If you’re doing a lot of baking, I highly recommend having some silicone baking mats on hand. Baking cookies takes enough time without having to cut or measure parchment paper. Or if you prefer using parchment paper, you can try using pre-cut parchment paper sheets instead.
• Plus, some quality baking sheets are a must for a cookie baking extravaganza!
• For this recipe, I highly recommend using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. This recipe would be difficult to make by hand with a whisk.

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How to make cranberry oatmeal cookies

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – In a medium bowl, mix up the dry ingredients: quick-cooking oats, flour, baking soda, and salt.

Step 2 – Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl) cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. While you’re mixing, toss in the eggs and mix until the eggs are broken up, about another minute.

Step 3 – Turn off the mixer and slowly blend in the dry ingredients until nice and incorporated.

Step 4 – Use a spatula to fold in the craisins and white chocolate chips.

Step 5 – Using a cookie scoop, measure out some cookie dough and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a baking mat). No need to roll the dough in your hands; whatever shape it comes out from the cookie scoop is fine.

Step 6 – Bake!

Step 7 – Serve and enjoy!