White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

A great white chocolate cranberry cookie needs contrast—soft center, lightly crisp edges, creamy pockets of melted white chocolate, and tart dried cranberries that stay chewy instead of sinking or scorching. This version leans on controlled dough structure and balanced mix-ins to deliver cookies that hold shape, stay tender, and bake evenly every time.

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Why This Recipe Works

• Balanced fat and sugar levels create chewy centers with lightly crisp edges.
• The calibrated add-in ratio distributes white chocolate and cranberries evenly without flattening the dough.
• Proper butter temperature builds structure and prevents greasy spread.
• A brief rest stabilizes the dough so the cookies bake thick and stay soft.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Butter: forms the backbone of these cookies. Using softened—not melted—fat incorporates air during creaming, giving the dough lift and preventing thin edges.
Brown sugar: adds moisture and depth, while granulated sugar helps the cookies spread just enough to form defined edges.
Eggs: bring structure and moisture, helping the cookies stay soft for days.
Flour: provides strength to support white chocolate and cranberries without making the dough dry.
Leavening: produces controlled lift so the cookies settle into a thick, even round.
Vanilla: rounds out the sweetness and complements the white chocolate’s creamy flavor.
Dried cranberries: hold their chew in the heat and won’t release liquid into the dough.
White chocolate chips: stay intact longer than chopped bars, giving creamy pockets without excessive melting.

Essential Equipment

• Use a light-colored sheet pan
• Line with parchment paper
• A cookie scoop
• Stand mixer or hand mixer

How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Make the Dough

1. Cream butter and sugars until smooth and slightly fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla until the mixture loosens and turns glossy. Fold in the dry ingredients just until the dough pulls together.

Rest or Chill

1. Let the dough sit briefly so the flour hydrates and the butter firms slightly.

Add the White Chocolate & Cranberries

1. Fold in the mix-ins gently so they distribute evenly.

Shape the Cookies

1. Scoop dough into even rounds. Roll lightly between your palms to smooth the surface.

Bake

1. Bake until edges turn faintly golden and centers remain soft.

Cool

1. Let them rest on the pan so the structure stabilizes and the white chocolate firms.

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Expert Tips

• Aim for cool-room-temp dough.
• Press extra chips and cranberries into warm tops for cleaner distribution.
• Move tray higher if cranberries scorch.
• Mound dough slightly taller for bakery-style height.
• Dry cookies indicate overmixing or over-flouring.

Storage & Freezing

To Store:
Store in an airtight container up to four days.

To Freeze Baked:
Freeze baked cookies; thaw at room temperature.

To Freeze Dough:
Freeze unbaked dough balls, then bake from frozen with a minute added.

FAQ

1. Why did my cookies spread too much?
   Softened butter was likely too warm. Start with cool-soft butter and rest the dough before baking.
2. How do I keep the centers soft without underbaking?
   Cook until edges set and centers look slightly pale. Residual heat finishes the middle.
3. Can I increase the cranberry amount?
   Only slightly. Too many add-ins prevent spread.
4. Should I use chips or chopped white chocolate?
   Chips hold shape better and prevent pooling.
5. Does pan color affect the cookies?
   Yes. Dark pans brown bottoms quickly.