Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
These festive white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies are packed with melty white chocolate chips, chewy dried cranberries, and chopped cashews, with a nutty upgrade of brown butter. The best part? They’re super easy to make, and 100% gluten-free!
Table of Contents
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
For me, there’s nothing more nostalgic than oatmeal raisin cookies. But when the holidays come around, these white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies are the perfect twist on a classic! These cookies are buttery and delicious, and bursting with melty white chocolate chips, cranberries, and crunchy cashews. I’ll show you how to make oat flour from wholesome rolled oats (hint: all you need is a blender!).
Enjoy these cranberry and white chocolate oatmeal cookies with milk, put them out on your Christmas cookie platter, take them to a cookie exchange, or package them up to gift to someone special! A little crisp, a little chewy, and so full of deliciousness, I hope you love them!
What’s Special About This Cranberry and White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies Recipe?
- Browned butter. Browning the butter in this recipe adds a nutty richness, especially when paired with the cashews and pockets of melty white chocolate.
- Perfect for holiday baking. Cranberries add a festive touch, not to mention a deliciously tart contrast to the sweet, buttery flavor of the other ingredients. I can’t wait to get these onto a holiday cookie platter!
- No gluten-free flour needed. Even though these oatmeal cookies are fully loaded, this might be one of the easiest ways to make gluten-free oatmeal cookies. Instead of traditional flour, you’ll simply grind up a portion of the oats to make naturally gluten-free oat flour.
Ingredients Needed to Make These Cookies
Here is your simple list of ingredients with extra notes that might be helpful. For the full amounts and step-by-step directions, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Unsalted butter – Let it soften to room temperature. Some will be used for the browned butter, and the other stick will be added as-is to the dough.
- Old-fashioned oats – Use certified gluten-free oats, if needed. You’ll pulse some of them in a blender or food processor to make oat flour.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch is a secret ingredient for ultra-tender cookies. It also helps bind the dough so it doesn’t spread too much.
- Ground cinnamon – You could swap in another spice, like nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice.
- Baking powder – Not to be confused with baking soda. Check the expiration date on the package to ensure your baking powder is fresh.
- Sugar – This recipe uses a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar for the perfect balance of caramelization and extra moisture.
- Eggs and vanilla – Take your eggs out of the fridge ahead of time. Room temperature eggs will mix more smoothly with the rest of the ingredients.
- White chocolate chips – Make sure that the chocolate chips you’re using are gluten-free, if necessary. Ghirardelli is not gluten-free, but at the time of writing, Nestle Toll House chips are. Always check labels for updated information.
- Dried cranberries – Also known as craisins. Feel free to substitute craisins with raisins or dried cherries if you’d like.
- Chopped cashews – I use raw cashews, but you can use roasted and salted if you want a hint of salty-sweet flavor. Other good options are pecans or walnuts.
Make Oat Flour From Oats
Instead of calling for separate oat flour or another gluten-free flour, you are going to make it from some of the oats in the recipe. Add the oats to a blender (or you can use a food processor) and pulse them several times. Let the blender run until it’s light and powdery.
Tips and Variations
- Don’t burn the butter. It’s better to err on the side of not browning it enough versus browning it too much. If it gets too dark, it’ll taste bitter, not nutty. The easiest way to do this is to use a light-colored pan, so you can see the color change. Once the butter turns a deep amber color and starts to smell nutty, take the pan off the heat. I use this same technique in my brown butter snickerdoodles recipe.
- Use a spatula. Once you’ve made the dough with your mixer, you’ll want to fold in the oats and other goodies. A mixer will chop up the chips, and once the oats are starting to get mixed in, it’ll be too much for the mixer to handle.
- Line your pans. These gluten-free oatmeal cookies can stick easily and crumble. Lining your pan with parchment paper or silicone baking mats will ensure they slide right off.
- Don’t overbake. It’s better to pull them from the oven slightly underdone because they will continue to cook while they cool on the pan, and you want them to start slightly chewy.
- Change your mix-ins. You can use other types of chocolate chips, swap the cashews for chopped pecans or walnuts, and replace the craisins with another dried fruit.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- Store at room temperature. Store your cookies in an airtight container or a plastic storage bag for up to 1 week. Try to press as much air out of the bag as possible. You may then want to put the bag into a cookie tin to keep them from getting crushed or broken.
- Freeze. If you want to do your holiday baking ahead of time, you can freeze the baked cookies or even the cookie dough for up to two months.
More Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
These crisp and chewy white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies are gluten-free and perfect for holiday baking! They're studded with melty white chocolate chips, chewy cranberries, and crunchy cashews, made with homemade oat flour.
Servings: 72 cookies (6 dozen)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , room temperature, divided
- 4 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats , divided (gluten-free if needed)
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar , lightly packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped cashews
Instructions
- Soften 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, and set aside 1 stick. In a small pan, brown 1/2 cup (1 stick) of the butter by melting it over medium-low heat until melted, then cook slowly until the butter begins to turn brown, stirring or whisking occasionally. Be careful not to burn the butter. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Divide the 4 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats, set aside 3 cups, and add 1 1/2 cups oats to a blender, then grind into a fine powder.
- In a bowl, whisk together ground oats, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- In a large bowl, with a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cooled browned butter, the remaining stick of butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
- Reduce mixer speed to low, and gradually add the ground oat mixture, beating until combined.
- With a spatula, fold in 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 1/3 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup chopped cashews, and the remaining 3 cups oats.
- Drop dough in about 1 tablespoon mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
- Bake about 12-15 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown at edges.
- Let cool on sheet on a wire rack 2 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
Notes
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies.
Store your cookies in an airtight container or a plastic storage bag for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the baked cookies or unbaked dough for up to two months.
Nutrition Facts
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 72
Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 12mg4%
Sodium 20mg1%
Potassium 39mg1%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 86IU2%
Vitamin C 0.01mg0%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
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This recipe looks amazing! Do you have recommendations for substitutes for the white and brown sugar! Thanks you!!
Are you looking for a sugar-free option? You can try Swerve, which comes in white and brown varieties.
Ooh, I love the sound of these cookies…I hope you saved me a dozen 🙂
I actually still have plenty left 😉
Holy moly girl, these look incredible! I’ve never attempted a flourless cookie before, and this might be my foray into that territory! I love oatmeal cookies and your mix-in’s are perfect!
I pinned and you were my #pinoftheday on G+ too 🙂
Happy Wednesday!
ang