My favorite cookie has always been oatmeal cookies, and adding dried cranberries to make cranberry oatmeal cookies was a no-brainer for me. I was never fond of raisins in my oatmeal cookies, but the addition of crasins took this humble cookie to a new level of chewy deliciousness.
Trust me when I tell you that you’ll add my oatmeal cranberry cookies recipe to your list of favorite cookie recipes. They’re just that good!
My oatmeal cranberry cookies recipe is easy and makes a delicious sweet treat all year long. It’s not just for the holiday season!
If you love delicious chewy cookies, make sure to try my Heath Bar Cookies.
Ingredients for Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”
Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Made with simple pantry ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Dried cranberries (craisins)
- Old fashioned whole rolled oats
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Large eggs
- Ground cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Table salt
This is a basic oatmeal cookie with dried cranberries, and you can replace the craisins with regular or golden raisins if you prefer. Don’t be tempted to use fresh cranberries, they won’t work in this recipe.
You can also add white chocolate chips or your favorite chocolate chips to the cookie batter (my wife loves white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies).
For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned rolled oats. You can use quick oats, but it will change the texture of the cookie. For my oatmeal cookie recipe, it’s best to use rolled oats. Don’t even think about using instant oats.
You can use white sugar to make my recipe, but brown sugar does more than add flavor to the cookies. It reacts with baking soda to help leaven the cookies, making them puffier.
How to make Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the room-temperature butter and brown sugar to a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) and cream the butter at high speed until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes), scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture, whip at low speed until light and fluffy, then increase to high speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the mixture and mix on low until the dry ingredients are fully combined.
- Add the oats and cranberries to the mixture.
- Fold the ingredients in by hand, mixing just enough to incorporate.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, 2-3 inches apart.
*Room temperature can be tricky. The butter has to be soft enough to whip so you can get air into it. When the butter is at the right temperature, it forms trapped air pockets that result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won’t incorporate enough air, and your cookies will have less rise.
Place the cookie sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until slightly golden.
Repeat the process until all of the cookie dough has been used. Keep the cookie dough refrigerated while waiting to bake.
Let the chewy oatmeal cookies cool on the pan for 2-3 minutes then carefully move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
I guarantee that my chewy oatmeal cranberry cookies will become a family favorite and a cookie you’ll make all year long. It’s the perfect treat any time of day.
Store any leftover cranberry oatmeal cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 5-7 days. They can also be refrigerated for up to 10 days and frozen, baked, or raw in a well-sealed airtight container for up to 3 months.
If you’re a cookie lover make sure to try my Pistachio Cornmeal Cookie, it’s one of my favorites!
Recipe FAQ’s
You can, but the cookies will not be as good. Old-fashioned oats add a chewy, nutty texture and flavor to the cookies. They’re thicker and heartier than quick oats (instant oats). If you’re going to the trouble of making cookies, don’t cut corners and use the right oats.
You certainly can. Once the cookies have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container with pieces of parchment paper or wax paper in between the layers. They can be kept frozen for up to 3 months.
You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The berries would need to be cooked and sugared before use, and they would still be a little bitter.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 ½ cups dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and cream the butter at high speed until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes)Scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and whip at low speed increasing to high and mix until light and fluffy.Scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the mixture and mix on low until fully combined.
- Fold the oats and cranberries into the mixture by hand, mixing just enough to incorporate.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and place them on the prepared cookie sheet, 2-3 inches apart.
- Place the cookie sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly golden.Repeat the process until all of the cookie dough has been used. Keep the cookie dough refrigerated while waiting to bake.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2-3 minutes then carefully move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Jenna-Kent, WA
Just like grandma’s!;)
Chef Dennis Littley
Now that is high praise indeed!!
Nancy
These came out really good and I’m definitely not a baker. lol. Do these cookies freeze well? And could I substitute butterscotch chips for the cranberries? Would I need to change the recipe at all?
Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
Yes they do freeze well. You can definitely substitute butterscotch chips for the cranberries without any changes to the recipe. Adding other chips or nuts is a nice way to change up the cookies.
Lauea
My husband has nonstop been talking about how his mom would make him cranberry oatmeal cookies as a kid. I found this recipe and it’s a 5/5 star from myself and husband! Delicious!
Chef Dennis Littley
That’s what I love to hear! You made my day with your wonderful comment.
Jenna-Kent, WA
Yes, I actually put butterscotch chips in with the cranberries, and they’re fabulous! Don’t have to change the recipe at all! They freeze great, but not more than 1 to 2 months I’d say, for freshness is all. But soooo good!
Chef Dennis Littley
Butterscotch chips sound like a delicious addition! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the cookies.
Kathy Scobie
I made this recipe and we loved the cookies! Only change I made was that Instead of mixing in the oats and cranberries by hand, I used the mixer! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!!! ❤️💕❤️
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Barb
One of the best cookie recipes I’ve had in awhile.
Thank you for sharing.
Chef Dennis Littley
You’re welcome and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies.
Maxine Ann Roberts
I’m looking for an oatmeal cranberry choc chip cookie, you have anything? Can I just add chocolate chips to this recipe?
Chef Dennis Littley
You can just add chocolate chips to this recipe.
Becca
These tasted delicious, however mine spread and ended up very thin. I noticed that the written recipe called for one cup of butter (which I think is two sticks) but the image only shows one stick of butter. Did I use too much butter? Is that why my cookies spread so much?
Chef Dennis Littley
The butter is correct, and you’re the first to tell me they spread out. My guess would be that the cookie dough was too warm, there is a fine line between room temperature and too soft for the butter.
Kristen
Hi Chef Dennis! I made these cookies while test baking some recipes for my county fair competition, and my husband and I liked this recipe the best! Fast forward to last weekend, they won first place in the baking contest! The only change I made was adding a little extra cinnamon and then I drizzled them with white chocolate after they cooled. Thanks for an outstanding recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley
Wow, congratulations and thank you for letting me know you used my recipe for the win! I love the idea of the white chocolate drizzle, that takes them to another level of deliciousnees!
jeannine smith
Can I use salted butter and cut back on the amount of salt called for? I never seem to have unsalted butter on hand!
Chef Dennis Littley
Yes you can. Cut the salt by half.
Tom
Great recipe I added some chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips my cook time was more like 13 min maybe my oven is weak?
Chef Dennis Littley
Adding the extras may have added a minute or two to the cooking time. And everyones oven is different which could account for the extra cooking time.
Andrew
Everyone loved these! Even friends that don’t like oatmeal raisin cookies. Easy to make.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thats what I like to hear! Thanks for taking the time to let me know the cookies were a big hit.
CJ
I love this recipe but I was wondering, can I use this same recipe but substitute cranberries for dates?
Chef Dennis Littley
Absolutely. Just chop them up into small pieces.
Christine Smith
I wood like to make these delicious sounding cookies and freeze them for a baby shower. What do you recommend?
Chef Dennis Littley
You can portion and freeze the cookie dough, or freeze them after you bake them.
SYLVIA Jordan
Can I add walnuts ? Do I need to change anything in recipe ?? Thank you u !
Chef Dennis Littley
You can add the walnuts without making any changes to the recipe.
Jodi
These cookies were Amazing!!! Best oameal cookies I’ve ever made. My family loved them. Thank you for the recipe.
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the oatmealcookies. It’s one of my favorites.
Teri
Just what I was looking for! My husband just came down from his office just after I baked off and devoured several! In his defense, my yield was higher – 50 2-inch cookies. lol. Thank you, Chef!
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies and having more cookies than expected is never a bad thing!
Pooja
Loved the recipe and result. I added orange zest and baked, but they didnt spread or browned on time. I used a spatula to flatten afterwards and baked overtime just to be sure of cooking inside. They tasted great though since I wasnt bothered by overcooked.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the cookies!
Monika
The cinnamon really adds depth to these scrumptious cookies. I only cut the sugar in half because I put in more cranberries and more white chocolates 😁. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies! The cinnamon does add a nice touch.
Bev Kelly
Do I have the wrong recipe for Cranberry Oatmeal cookies as I am not seeing the quantity of molasses in the ingredients as you mentioned and I certainly don’t see chocolate chips on the list?
Chef Dennis Littley
I only mentioned you could add chocolate chips to the recipe as an option, they weren’t included in the recipe. As for molasses, I only mentioned the cookie had a hint of molasses, which comes from the brown sugar. There is no molasses in the recipe.
Diane
Hi, I will be making these for the holiday, but how much of the white chocolate chips do you add to the batter.
Thanks
Chef Dennis Littley
Depending on how many chips you want in the cookies, I would suggest 3/4 cup to 1 cup added
Diane
Thank you..