Simple, delicious holiday cookies, perfect for Christmas or any time of year! White chocolate and fresh cranberries make the perfect combination for these delicious cookies, all drizzled with an orange glaze. Bye bye, gingerbread man!
🍪 About
Winter is here, and I’m in full baking mode. I honestly don’t usually enjoy baking all that much, but at this time of year, something makes me want to fill the house with smells of cakes, cookies, and fresh baked bread.
Having some fun with seasonal ingredients, I used my favorite basic chocolate chip cookie recipe from Smitten Kitchen and made a few changes.
I substituted white chocolate (because I adore white chocolate!), made an orange glaze, and used frozen cranberries to make them more my style. Cranberry and orange are always a beautiful combination of flavors, with each ingredient bringing out the high points of the other.
💡Tips
Frozen Cranberries: Freezing the cranberries and combining them as you roll the dough balls will keep cranberries from popping in your hands and spraying all over your face, clothes, and kitchen. Lesson learned the hard way. You can use fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries that have been frozen and defrosted, but it may get a little messy.
Doubling the Recipe: I like to double (or sometimes triple) the recipe, then par-freeze the cookie dough in balls. I store them in a freezer gallon sized zip top bag. Then whenever I need to make freshly baked cookies, I can take a few or a dozen out and bake them up in a flash!
Use the serving size slider in the recipe card below to automatically double the recipe.
To store leftovers
Cooked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. Alternately, you can store them in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to two months, or in the freezer for up to twelve months, per USDA.
Trust me, you’ll be loving this recipe, too! They’re the perfect little cookies for kids and grown ups alike. They’re really unique and super festive!
Like this recipe? Check out some of my other delicious sweet treats!
- Paleo Snickers Stuffed Dates
- Paleo Sweet Potato Chocolate Mousse
- Protein Balls with Chocolate & Pumpkin
I’d love to connect with you more! Come find me on Instagram @cookathomemom!
Cranberry White Chocolate Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cups unsalted butter melted
- 1 egg
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup frozen cranberries
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 – 2 Tablespoon water
- 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice + 1 teaspoon orange zest OR 2 drops orange essential oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325° F & line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, and continue blending until creamy.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and salt into the bowl, and mix with a large spoon just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and sit in the fridge for about 20 minutes to chill.
- Use your hands or a small scoop to form golf ball sized rounds, adding 3-5 frozen cranberries to each ball as you form it.
- Space the cookie dough balls evenly on the parchment and transfer to the oven. Bake for 12-16 minutes, watching closely near the end to make sure they aren't burning. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.
- Once cooled, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Take each cookie and dip the top in the glaze to coat it. Set the cookies back on the cooling rack. Alternately, spoon the glaze over each cookie as it sits on the cooling rack.
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