Description
Delightfully chewy and flavorful White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies with toasted pecans, oats, and coconut flakes. These cookies balance sweetness from white chocolate chips and dried cranberries with a tender oat-textured bite, perfect for holiday treats or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Add-ins
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 & 1/4 cups toasted pecans (roughly chopped)
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 1 & 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
- 1 & 1/4 cups dried cranberries
Optional Toppings
- Additional white chocolate chips (to top cookies)
- Additional dried cranberries, soaked (to top cookies)
Instructions
- Toast Pecans: Chop pecans and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Beat Butter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat softened butter until light and fluffy.
- Add Sugars: Add white and brown sugars, beating well and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate eggs and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly.
- Prepare Dry Mix: Combine flour with salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients but do not fully mix; leave some white streaks visible.
- Add Add-ins: Fold in oats, toasted pecans, coconut flakes, white chocolate chips, and dried cranberries gently to avoid overmixing and tough dough.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour up to 24 hours to firm up.
- Rehydrate Cranberries (Optional): Microwave water until very hot and soak about a cup of dried cranberries while dough chills to make the cranberries plump and vibrant for topping.
- Preheat Oven: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat.
- Scoop Dough: Using a large cookie scoop, portion dough balls about 2 inches in diameter, spacing them several inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden at edges with slightly shiny centers.
- Drain Soaked Cranberries: Remove cranberries from soaking water and drain well.
- Add Toppings: Right after removing cookies from oven, press additional white chocolate chips and plump soaked cranberries onto the tops.
- Cool and Serve: Let cookies set on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Best enjoyed warm, especially dipped in milk.
Notes
- Toast pecans carefully to avoid burning and enhance flavor.
- Do not overmix flour to keep cookies tender.
- Chilling dough improves texture and flavor.
- Soaking cranberries makes them plumper and visually appealing on top.
- Pressing toppings onto warm cookies helps them adhere beautifully.
- Cookies are delightful warm or at room temperature.
