Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe (2024)

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These are the best oatmeal cookies ever! Cranberry Oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy on the inside with a little bit of a crunch on the outside and loaded with sweet but tart cranberries. This cranberry oatmeal cookies recipe is perfect for a cookie exchange or just because you want to enjoy some delicious homemade cookies!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe (1)

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I am so ready to start baking holiday cookies. I am already making my list of the cookies we are going to make for Christmas and these cranberry oatmeal cookies are on the top of the list. It has been a while since I have made these cookies and recently whipped up a batch of them just because. I remembered why I love them so much and knew I had to add them to my Christmas Cookie baking list.

They are soft and chewy with sweet pieces of dried cranberry without being overly sweet. Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are easy to make and don’t take much time. They really are the perfect cookie to make during the holidays.

To whip up a batch of these scrumptious cookies, you’ll need some simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, dried cranberries along with a few other pantry staples.

With no need for chilling time, it means you can whip up these cookies quickly, making them an ideal choice for a last minute dessert when you have guests over for holiday dinners or just because.

When making these oatmeal cookies I like to buy the big thing of rolled oats, so then I have more oats so I can make pecan pie oatmeal, apple cinnamon oatmeal and banana oatmeal cookies too!

Christmas Cookies

  • Peppermint chocolate chip cookies
  • Ginger Molasses cookies
  • Homemade Sugar Cookies
  • Brownie Cookies
  • Elf Cookies
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Tips for Making Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Use Rolled Oats or Quick Oats.You can use either one when you are making this recipe. I prefer to use old-fashioned oats as they hold up better.

Don’t Overbake.It is important to not overbake these cookies. When you are done baking them, be sure to let them cool on the cooling rack.

Use real Vanilla. Using real vanilla extract in this recipe is a must.You can use store bought or homemade vanilla extract.

Don’t Overmix.When incorporating the dry ingredients, avoid overmixing the dough. Overmixing can result in tough and dense cookies.

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Variations of this Recipe

Add Chocolate Chips. You can add chocolate chips to this recipe, white chocolate chips are the best option but you can also use milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Add nuts. There are various nuts that complement the taste of the cranberry oatmeal cookies. The best options are chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, almonds and macadamia nuts.

Add Coconut.Sprinkle some coconut flakes, sweetened coconut or toasted coconut into the dough to introduce a hint of tropical flavor, creating a unique blend with the cranberries and oats.

Use Raisins. You can use raisins in place of cranberries in this recipe.

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How to Store Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

If you plan to consume the cookies within a week, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Can I freeze these Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies?

To extend the shelf life, oatmeal cookies can be frozen. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper. They will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

When ready to enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature or gently reheat them in the oven.

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Recipe FAQ

Do I need to use a stand mixer?

No. You can use a medium bowl for the dry ingredients and then a large mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer for the wet ingredients to make this recipe.

Can I use Unsalted butter?

Yes. You can use unsalted butter for this cookie recipe. I prefer to use salted butter tho when making them.

Do I have to use Old Fashioned Oats Rolled Oats in this recipe?

You can use 5 minute oats or Instant oat when makinf this cookie recipe, but they will come out better if you are using old fashioned oats.

Can I make the Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe cookie dough ahead of time and freeze?

Yes! Using a cookie scoop portion the cookie dough on to a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for 1 hour until the cookie dough is frozen solid.

Move the frozen dough to an airtight container or freezer zip-top bag.When you’re set to bake, simply pop the frozen dough into the oven, adjusting the baking time as needed.

The frozen cookie dough will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe Ingredients

All-purpose flour. The base of the cookies includes all purpose flour.

Baking soda. This cookie dough is heavy, adding baking soda makes them lighter and fluffy.

Salt.Enhances the overall flavor profile of the cookies and helps balance the sweetness.

Cinnamon. Incorporating a touch of cinnamon infuses the cookies with a delightful and cozy holiday taste.

Butter. Because salted butter does not have salt evenly distributed thru out it you want to melt the butter before adding it to the cookie dough.

Brown sugar. The brown sugar keeps the cookies sweet and moist, you can use store bought brown sugar or homemade brown sugar.

Granulated white sugar. Granulated white sugar is used to sweeten the cookies.

Vanilla extract. It is important to use real vanilla extract when making this cookie recipe.You can use homemade vanilla extract or storebought vanilla extract.

Egg and Egg yolk. You will need whole egg and egg yolk, this binds the cookie ingredients together.

Old-fashioned Rolled oats. It is best to use old-fashioned rolled oats when making this recipe, you can use quick oats but you will not have the exact same results.

Dried cranberries. I do not suggest using fresh cranberries in this recipe, you want to use dried cranberries, if you do not like cranberries you can change them out for raisins.

How to Make Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies Recipe

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and prepare the baking sheets by lining them with either parchment paper or a silicone mat.

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In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon,whisk to combine,and then set this mixture aside.

Add the butter to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals until the butter is melted.

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In the bowl of your stand mixer add the the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Use the whisk attachment and whip them together until you achieve a light and fluffy texture, which typically takes around 2-3 minutes.

Next, change the stand mixer attachment to the paddle attachment and add the eggs one egg at a time into the mixture and mix until combined.

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Gradually add the flour mixture and oats into the bowl, stirring just until everything is evenly combined.

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Stir in the cranberries. If adding nuts or chocolate chips add them in now.

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Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop balls of the cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in the oven for 14-16 minutes, until the cookies are a light golden brown.

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Once the cookies are done baking, allow them to rest on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before gently transferring them to a wire rack until completely cooled.

Tasty Cranberry Recipes

  • Cranberry granola bars
  • Sparkling cranberry punch
  • Cranberry White Chocolate Blondies
  • Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Want delicious cookies that come out perfect every time? Check out some of our favorite tools to make super easy cookies with fun decorations!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe (14)

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Created by Lauren

4.50 from 2 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 14 minutes mins

Total Time 21 minutes mins

Servings 24

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

These are the best oatmeal cookies ever! Cranberry Oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy on the inside with a little bit of a crunch on the outside and loaded with sweet but tart cranberries. These cookies are perfect for a cookie exchange or just because you want to enjoy some delicious homemade cookies!

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and prepare the baking sheets by lining them with either parchment paper or a silicone mat.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, whisk to combine, and then set this mixture aside.

  • Add the butter to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals until the butter is melted.

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer add the the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Use the whisk attachment and whip them together until you achieve a light and fluffy texture, which typically takes around 2-3 minutes.

  • Next, change the stand mixer attachment to the paddle attachment and add the eggs one egg at a time into the mixture and mix until combined.

  • Gradually add the flour mixture and oats into the bowl, stirring just until everything is evenly combined.

  • Stir in the cranberries. If adding nuts or chocolate chips add them in now.

  • Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop balls of the cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.

  • Bake in the oven for 14-16 minutes, until the cookies are a light golden brown.

  • Once the cookies are done baking, allow them to rest on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before gently transferring them to a wire rack until completely cooled.

Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

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Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe (15)

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Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should oatmeal cookies be soft or hard? ›

The best oatmeal cookies, like the kind we're sharing here, are soft and chewy through the center with crispy edges. They're studded with plenty of old-fashioned whole rolled oats and plump, sweet raisins.

Why are my homemade oatmeal cookies hard? ›

Overbaking is the most common cause of hard oatmeal cookies. Cookies continue to cook on the baking sheet even after they're removed from the oven, so try taking them out when they're just lightly golden and still a bit soft in the middle. They'll firm up as they cool, resulting in a chewier texture.

Why are my oatmeal cookies not soft? ›

Add a bit of cornstarch to the dough. Cornstarch helps to absorb moisture and keep cookies soft and tender. Make sure you're using the right type of flour. All-purpose flour will give you a softer cookie than whole wheat flour.

Why are my oatmeal cookies so dry? ›

Overbaking: Overbaking is a common culprit for dry cookies. Make sure you follow the recommended baking time and temperature in your recipe.

What makes cookies crispy instead of soft? ›

Sugar: Using white sugar or corn syrup in a cookie produces a crisp end product. Corn syrup also browns more readily than some other sugars. Egg: Recipes without egg will yield a flatter, crisper cookie with more spread. Eggs provide moisture for steam which leavens the cookie dough.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.

What ingredient makes cookies harder? ›

Baking powder

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate and acidic salts. The reaction of these two ingredients results in a cookie that is soft and thick, but slightly harder.

What ingredient makes cookies too hard? ›

Using too much flour: If you use too much flour in your cookie dough, the cookies may turn out dry and hard. Make sure to measure your ingredients carefully and follow the recipe closely.

Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda in oatmeal cookies? ›

First, we substituted baking powder for baking soda. The baking powder gave the dough more lift, which in turn made the cookies less dense and a bit chewier. Second, we eliminated the cinnamon recommended not only in the Quaker Oats recipe but in lots of other recipes.

What kind of oatmeal is best for baking cookies? ›

Go for old-fashioned oats or rolled oats (they're the same thing, but sometimes go by one name or the other). They result in the perfect chewy cookie.

How do you moisten oatmeal cookie dough? ›

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Can I use instant oatmeal instead of rolled oats? ›

In addition to be heated for a warm breakfast bowl, rolled oats are commonly used in granola bars, cookies, muffins, and other baked goods. Instant oats can be used in place of rolled oats, although the cook time will be much less, and the final dish will not have as much texture.

What adds moisture to cookies? ›

Add Molasses or Honey Another way to add more moisture to your cookies is incorporate a tablespoon of molasses into a standard-sized cookie recipe. Don't use any more than a tablespoon, because it will make your cookies very sweet and runny. One tablespoon is just enough.

Are hard or soft cookies better? ›

While some prefer soft, chewy cookies, others look for a cookie with snap and crispy, lacy edges. This also varies greatly based on the type of cookie you're baking; we may look for a soft, gooey center in our chocolate chip cookies, but want a crunchy, crispy gingersnap.

What determines if a cookie is hard or soft? ›

Flour plays its part by contributing protein. The lower the protein, the softer your cookies will be. All-purpose flour is a medium-protein flour, making for mediumly-soft cookies. Cake flour is low in protein and you can substitute it into cookie recipes for all-purpose flour 1:1.

Why are my oatmeal cookies flat and hard? ›

Oven temperatures are a crucial factor in baking. If your cookies consistently come out flat, you may have selected the wrong baking temperature. If you bake cookies using too much heat, the fats in the dough begin to melt before the other ingredients can cook together and form your cookie's rise.

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