Soft, chewy, sweet Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies are a fun twist on traditional Oatmeal Cookies. This version adds in white chocolate chips, sweetened cranberries, and a little flaked coconut for the ultimate holiday treat!
These might just be my favorite winter cookie. Some other favorites to try next: Thumbprint Cookies, Peppermint Snowball Cookies, or Cake Batter Cookies.
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
One of the most important decisions I have to make each Christmas Eve is choosing which cookie to persuade my children to bake “for Santa.” This decision is crucial because (spoiler alert) I will be the one eating those cookies. I’m fairly certain we’ll be making Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies this Christmas Eve; they’re the perfect Christmas cookie.
They have all my favorites: oatmeal, plenty of chocolate, coconut, and an incredible texture. These cookies are ultra-chewy and soft, with slightly crisp edges. They’re rich and very sweet, ideal for a Christmas Eve sugar high.
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: Allows for precise control of salt in the cookies. Added salt is measured, ensuring consistent saltiness.
- Old Fashioned Oats: Essential for their reaction in baking; avoid using quick or steel-cut oats.
- Shredded Sweetened Coconut: Choose this over coconut flakes or desiccated coconut. (here are the differences).
- Baking Soda: Check freshness with a quick test.
- Salt: Halve the amount if using table salt, as not all salts are the same.
How To Make Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
- Cream Ingredients: Combine and beat room-temperature butter, light and dark brown sugar until smooth. Light brown sugar controls moisture; dark brown adds toffee notes.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add and beat a room-temperature egg and vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Mix in baking soda, salt, and then add coconut (optionally toasted) and oats.
- Final Mixing: Gently fold in flour, white chocolate chips, and chopped cranberries until just combined to form the dough. Avoid overmixing.
Quick Tip
No cranberries? Just about any type of dried fruit will work. Dried cherries, raisins, and even apricots will work. Chop larger fruit pieces into cranberry-sized chunks.
Tips For Success
- Precise Measurement: Use a food scale for accurate flour measurement to avoid dense cookies.
- Slightly Underbake: Underbaking slightly ensures a soft, chewy texture, as they firm up after removing from the oven.
- Post-Bake Cooling: Let oatmeal cranberry cookies stand on the pan for 5 minutes after baking, then transfer to a wire rack to cool and firm up.
- Baking Surface: Use a silicone tray liner for evenly baked bottoms. If unavailable, parchment paper is a better alternative than baking directly on the pan. Light-colored baking sheets yield the best results.
Storage
Freeze unbaked oatmeal cranberry cookie dough balls on a baking sheet until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer bag or container, label, date, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the usual baking time.
More Cookie Recipes
- Coconut Macaroons
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
- Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut Note 1
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, not quick or steel-cut
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons white all-purpose flour Note 2
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup sweetened, dried cranberries chopped
Instructions
- BUTTER AND SUGARS: Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a large bowl and a hand mixer), beat the room temperature butter (not melted, not softened), light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar at medium speed until light in color, about 1-2 minutes.
- WET INGREDIENTS: Add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the baking soda and fine sea salt until just combined, about 20 seconds.
- DRY INGREDIENTS: Mix in the coconut (Note 1) and old-fashioned oats until combined. Add in the flour. (See Note 2) Mix until ingredients are just combined. Do not overmix; overworking the dough will result in dense cookies. Stir in the white chocolate chips and chopped cranberries. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- SHAPE DOUGH BALLS: Shape the cookie dough into balls, using about 2 tablespoons of dough (if you have a food scale: 49 grams; 1.7 ounces). Roll the balls taller instead of wider (see photo in post). Place the dough balls on a plate lined with parchment paper and cover gently with plastic wrap. Chill for another 10 minutes.
- BAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with silicone liners. Place 6 cookie dough balls per sheet pan, spacing them with plenty of room to spread. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, remembering they're best slightly underbaked. Remove from the oven and let stand on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack. Right out of the oven, you can press a few more chocolate chips on the tops of the cookies if desired (makes them look better and ensures chocolate in every bite).
- COOL: Let cookies cool completely on the wire cooling rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Cookies are best eaten within 2-3 days.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Could you freeze these with good results?
We love freezing the dough balls and just baking them up from there when we’re ready! 🙂
I am very allergic to coconut… can that just be omitted or would I need to add extra of something to keep the batter consistent?
You’d need something different! I’d try these instead!
These are seriously the yummiest richest cookies ever! My husband and kids gobbled them up! Thanks for posting this:)
I am so happy to hear you guys loved these Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂