Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and White Chocolate are the perfect Christmas cookies which compliment happiness and joy throughout the holiday season.
There are many oatmeal cookies recipes which exist today, and while there are so many varieties (with raisins, nuts, and chocolate chips), my heart and soul are always craving this favorite; Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and White Chocolate. These scrumptious chewy cookies have a perfect balance of tart dried cranberries and sweet white chocolate chips.
I also have a recipe for classic Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies that have become quite popular among my readers. If you like your cookies to be chewy, you definitely should try these Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and White Chocolate!
If you like cookies, please check these recipes:
History of Oatmeal Cookies
Did you know that Oatmeal Cookies have quite an interesting story that came to us from Europe? Legend foretells, when Romans were conquering England, it was quite a challenge to fight against the Scotts. Apparently, the Scottish army was carrying some type of oatmeal cakes in their pouches that helped them boost their energy during the battles. That “healthy snack” fueled their strength to fight mercilessly against their enemies.
These plain oatmeal flatbreads became a prototype of today’s popular oatmeal cookies. Later, nuts and raisins were added to these oatmeal cakes to make them taste better.
Only in 1896, long after the legendary battles, the first official recipe for Raisin Oatmeal Cookies was written by Fannie Merritt Farmer. The popular recipe was considered as “healthy food” and in the early 1900’s it appeared on every container of Quaker Oats.
Oatmeal Cookies Dough
In my other post about Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies, I already talked about tips and tricks on what makes cookies chewy vs cakey. While I like my regular chocolate chip cookies soft and chewy, my perfect oatmeal cookies should be denser and chewier.
To achieve these results, I use melted butter instead of softened butter. That allows the cookies to have the desired texture. When you use softened butter and cream it with sugar, it creates air pockets, which result in cakier cookies.
Also, I always suggest to use rolled oats vs quick oats for this recipe, as they help to keep the shape and chewiness of the cookies. Because it takes more time for rolled oats to cook, they will better keep their shape and texture while baking. However, if you don’t have rolled oats in your pantry, feel free to use quick oats. The main difference in the final result will be the texture and the look of the cookies.
How to make oatmeal cookies
It is very easy to make the best chewy oatmeal cookies from scratch. You can use some help from your stand mixer, or just take a mixing bowl with a spatula and mix all the ingredients together. For me, using a spatula works better and faster than a mixer, plus less dishes to wash!
So, in a large mixing bowl, mix all wet ingredients together (melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and a large egg). Using a spatula or a whisk, mix it all together until well combined. Add all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and fold it in. Then add rolled oats and mix again. Finally, add dried cranberries and white chocolate chips and fold it in.
Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
After it’s been refrigerated, preheat the oven to 350°F and line up a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Scoop the cookie dough and roll it in balls, about 3 inches in diameter. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges become set and get light golden color.
When you take the cookies out of the oven, they will look slightly under baked. Let them sit on the baking sheet for another 5-10 minutes, so they will finish baking. Then you can transfer them on a wire rack.
You can keep the cookies in as air tight container for about 5 days.
Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and White Chocolate are the best soft and chewy oatmeal cookies recipe which compliments happiness and joy throughout the holiday season.
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- In a medium-size mixing bowl sift together all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and put it aside.
- In another large mixing bowl put all wet ingredients together (melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract and a large egg). Mix it again.
- Add dry ingredients to the mixture in two steps and mix it well until it is smooth.
- Add rolled oats and mix it using a spatula. Add cranberries and white chocolate chips and mix again. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place it in refrigerator for an hour.
- When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon ice cream scoop or a regular spoon, scoop the dough and roll it into balls. Place it on a baking sheet with parchment pepper.
- Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes until it gets beautiful lightly golden color outside. Make sure you don’t over bake them, so they won’t be dry inside.
I think that the butter could be reduced by half in this recipe. The taste is great, but they are a little greasy. I’ll make them again, but cut the butter in half.
These cookies look amazing! Cannot wait to try these.
Thank you, Jessica!
What an interesting story about oatmeal cakes/cookies that give people strength! Thanks for sharing it! And the cookies look wonderful
Thank you, Julia!)