Description
Celebrate the holiday season with these delightful Holiday White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. Combining sweet white chocolate chips with tart fresh cranberries and a hint of orange zest, these cookies offer a perfect balance of flavors. Soft yet slightly crisp, they are ideal for festive gatherings or a cozy treat any time of year.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, straight from the fridge
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 2 cups fresh cranberries (add more if desired)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cold unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step creates a smooth base for your cookies.
- Add Eggs and Extract: Beat in the eggs along with the orange or vanilla extract, blending thoroughly to combine the wet ingredients evenly.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Fold in Cranberries and White Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the fresh cranberries, white chocolate chips, and optional orange zest to evenly distribute throughout the dough without breaking up the berries.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop 1/4 to 1/3 cup of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place 6 cookie dough balls per prepared baking sheet. For thicker cookies, chill the dough balls in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes before baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies look set and the tops lose their glossy appearance. If the dough was chilled, add an extra minute or two to the bake time.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the cookies firm up and prevents breaking.
Notes
- For extra thick and chewy cookies, refrigerate the dough balls before baking.
- You can substitute orange extract with vanilla extract according to your taste preference.
- Fresh cranberries provide a nice tartness; if unavailable, dried cranberries can be used but will alter texture slightly.
- Ensure not to overmix the dough after adding flour to keep cookies tender.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
