It's Saturday, October 25th, and the crisp fall weather here in Austin has me in a full-on baking frenzy. This is the official start of "cookie tin season" in my house, as I get ready for Thanksgiving and the holidays. These White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are always the first ones I make. They are the perfect holiday cookie: incredibly soft and chewy (not cakey!), buttery rich, and packed with tart dried cranberries and creamy white chocolate chips. They are a festive, beautiful, and absolutely essential addition to any fall or winter dessert platter.
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The 30-minute chill time is the most important step! On my first test, I baked them right away (I was impatient!), and they spread into flat, thin puddles. Chilling the dough is the non-negotiable secret to a thick, chewy, bakery-style cookie.
The Perfect Chewy Holiday Cookie
This recipe is my secret weapon for cookies that are chewy, not cakey. The magic is in the ingredients: an extra egg yolk for richness, cornstarch for tenderness, and old-fashioned rolled oats for that hearty, unbeatable texture. The dough itself is a simple creaming method, but it includes an unusual rest-and-beat step that makes the butter and sugar incredibly light and fluffy, leading to a perfectly soft, dense cookie.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly Chewy Texture: This recipe is specifically designed to be chewy, not cakey, thanks to the extra egg yolk and cornstarch.
- Perfectly Balanced: The tart, tangy dried cranberries are the perfect contrast to the sweet, creamy white chocolate chips.
- Festive & Beautiful: The red cranberries and white chips look like little jewels, making them a stunning cookie for holiday platters.
- Easy to Make & Make-Ahead: The dough is simple to mix and must be chilled, so it's a perfect make-ahead recipe.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need for these ultimate chewy cookies. For the full list with precise measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post!
For the Cookies
- Butter: Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. This is essential for the creaming step.
- Sugars: A mix of packed light brown sugar (for moisture and chew) and granulated sugar.
- Eggs: One large egg plus one large egg yolk, both at room temperature. The extra yolk is a secret to rich, chewy cookies!
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract.
- Flour: All-purpose flour, spooned and leveled.
- Leavening & Binders: Salt, baking soda, and cornstarch. The cornstarch is another secret to a tender, soft-baked cookie.
- Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats) for the best, heartiest texture.
- Mix-Ins: White chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
How to Make Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
This is a simple cookie method with a few key tricks that guarantee a perfect, chewy result.
Step 1: Cream the Butter, Sugars, and Eggs
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer), add the room-temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
Add the room-temperature egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat for two full minutes. Now, for the unique step: let the batter rest for 30 seconds, then mix on high speed for another one to two minutes. You'll see the mixture become much paler, thicker, and fluffier. This step is a fantastic trick for dissolving the sugars and creating a stable, light batter.
Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, cornstarch, and rolled oats.
Step 3: Combine and Chill the Dough
Slowly add the flour-oat mixture to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until the last streaks of flour are combined. Be careful not to overmix!
With a spatula, gently fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries. The dough will be thick and soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes. This is essential!
Step 4: Scoop and Bake
When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large baking sheet (a half-sheet pan) with a Silpat liner or parchment paper.
Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), scoop 2-tablespoon balls of the chilled dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are just set and lightly golden, but the centers still look slightly "wet" or underdone. This is the key to a chewy cookie!
Let the cookies cool on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes-they will finish cooking from the residual heat. For a "bakery-style" look, I like to gently press a few extra white chocolate chips on top of the cookies the second they come out of the oven. After 5 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the Chill Time: This is the #1 mistake. Pumpkin and melted butter both make a very soft dough. If you don't chill it, your cookies will spread into one giant, thin, flat puddle on the baking sheet.
- Using Quick Oats: While the recipe says "rolled oats," using quick oats (which are thinner) will result in a less chewy, slightly pastier cookie. Old-fashioned rolled oats are best for that classic, hearty oatmeal cookie texture.
- Overbaking: If you bake these cookies until the tops look completely dry or golden brown, you've gone too far. They will be hard and crumbly, not soft and chewy. Pull them from the oven when the center still looks a tiny bit underdone!
Tips and Tricks for Success
- The Yolk + Cornstarch Combo: This is my favourite "bakery-style" trick for extra-soft, chewy cookies. The cornstarch keeps the cookie tender, while using only the egg yolk adds richness and chew without the extra "lift" and "cakeyness" that a full egg white provides.
- Room Temp is Key: For the best creaming, your butter and eggs must be at room temperature. This is the secret to a light, fluffy, and stable cookie dough base.
- The "Rest" Step: That 30-second rest period during the creaming process (Step 1) is a fascinating technique. It allows the sugars to start dissolving in the egg, which helps create a chewier, glossier final cookie.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: For cookies that are all the same size (and thus bake evenly), a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop is your best friend.
Variations
This is a wonderful base recipe for your favourite holiday mix-ins!
- Add Nuts: Fold in 1 cup of chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts along with the cranberries and chips.
- Add Orange Zest: This is my top variation! Add 1 tablespoon of fresh orange zest to the butter-sugar mixture. Orange, cranberry, and white chocolate are a heavenly holiday combination.
- Add Spices: Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a warm-spiced version.
- Different Chips: Swap the white chocolate for dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
How to Serve
These White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are the perfect holiday treat.
- They are a must for a Thanksgiving or Christmas cookie exchange or dessert platter.
- They are fantastic served at room temperature with a hot cup of coffee or a Chai Latte.
- I love to pack them in festive tins with parchment paper between the layers for a wonderful homemade holiday gift.
Make Ahead and Storage
These cookies are fantastic for making ahead, as their flavour and texture hold up beautifully.
- Make Ahead (Dough): You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it soften slightly on the counter for 15 minutes before scooping. You can also scoop the dough balls, "flash freeze" them on a baking sheet until solid, and then store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes to the bake time.
- Storage (Baked): Store the cooled, baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes / What I Learned
I used to be frustrated by oatmeal cookies that spread too thin. The combination of chilling the dough and adding cornstarch completely solved this. Chilling solidifies the butter, so the cookie doesn't melt instantly in the oven, and the cornstarch (which has no protein) helps create a tender crumb without encouraging spread. It's a foolproof method for a thick, chewy cookie.
Nutrition Snapshot
Estimated Nutrition Per Cookie (assuming 30 cookies): ~160 calories · 2g protein · 22g carbs · 7g fat (This is an approximation and can vary based on the specific brands of ingredients used.)
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
- Electric stand mixer (or handheld mixer)
- Large bowl
- Separate bowl
- Baking sheet
- Silpat liner or parchment paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Group: Ingredients
- 4 oz Unsalted Butter (½ Cup) at room temperature
- 150 grams Brown Sugar (¾ Cup)
- 50 grams Granulated Sugar (¼ Cup)
- 1 Large Egg + 1 Egg Yolk at room temp.
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 156 gram All Purpose Flour ( 1 ¼ Cup)
- 1.5 Teaspoon Salt
- 1.5 Teaspoons Baking Soda
- 2 Teaspoons Cornstarch
- 100 grams Rolled Oats (1 Cup)
- 170 grams White Chocolate Chips (1 Cup)
- 83 grams Dried Cranberries (¾ Cup)
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated mix and beat for 1 minute you want it to be light and fluff. Add in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract beat for two minutes. After the two minutes let the batter rest for 30 seconds mix for another minute to two minutes. The mixture will be much lighter in color.
- In a separate bowl mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, cornstarch, and oats.
- Slowly add flour mixture to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined then stir in the chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Place dough covered in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and line a baking sheet with a Silpat liner or parchment paper.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons balls of dough and bake for 10-12 minutes, the cookies should be just, they will cook a little bit more on the tray while they cool. Add extra chocolate chips on top right after baking if desired. After 5 minutes of cooling transfer the cookies to cool on a wire rack. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for 5 days.
Notes
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for 5 days.
Nutrition
FAQs
Can I use regular rolled oats instead of quick oats?
Yes! The original recipe calls for rolled oats (which usually means old-fashioned), and that's what I recommend for the best, chewiest texture. Quick oats will also work, but the cookie will be slightly softer and less "oaty."
Do I really have to chill the dough?
Yes! I tested this. If you don't chill the dough, the cookies will spread into thin, crispy pancakes. The 30-60 minute chill time is the non-negotiable step that guarantees a thick, soft, and chewy cookie.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes, easily! This recipe works great with a high-quality 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (one that contains xanthan gum) in place of the all-purpose flour. Make sure to also use certified gluten-free oats.
