Description
Enjoy soft-baked white chocolate cranberry cookies that are wonderfully chewy and bursting with sweet white chocolate morsels and tart dried cranberries. These cookies feature extra vanilla flavor and a tender texture perfected by chilling the dough before baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Garnish (Optional)
- Extra white chocolate chips
- Extra dried cranberries
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment to beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract thoroughly. Scrape the bowl again to ensure even mixing.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: On low speed, slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients until fully combined. The dough will be soft and thick.
- Add Chips and Cranberries: Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries with the mixer on low speed until evenly distributed.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 3-4 days. This step prevents cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Prep for Baking: If chilled longer than 3-4 hours, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften for easier scooping.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Scoop Dough: Roll about 1.5 tablespoons of dough into balls. Arrange dough balls 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Dough may be crumbly but will hold together when rolled.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers look soft. If cookies did not spread, gently bang baking sheets on the counter while still warm to help them spread and deflate.
- Cool and Garnish: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Optionally, press extra white chocolate chips and dried cranberries into cookie tops for decoration. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store Properly: Store cooled cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Chilling the dough for at least 1 hour is essential to prevent over-spreading and achieve soft centers.
- You can use either light or dark brown sugar; dark brown sugar adds a richer flavor.
- If white chocolate chips are unavailable, white chocolate chunks or chopped bars can substitute.
- Dried cranberries can be swapped with dried cherries for a different tart flavor.
- Cookies keep well at room temperature; store in an airtight container to retain softness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
