I just made Cranberry Orange Cookies that are chewy, punchy, and honestly the only kind of holiday cookie I’ll tolerate showing up to a cookie exchange.

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I can’t stop talking about these Chewy Christmas Cranberry Orange Cookies. I adore the tang of dried cranberries bumping into bright orange zest in every bite.

They’re chewy, slightly sticky, and shamelessly sweet, but what gets me is that pop of citrus against tart fruit. I bring them to every cookie swap and hoard them in my own cookie jar.

And yes I’ll steal one straight from the plate. These Xmas Cookies feel celebratory without trying too hard.

Pure snack greed. That crackly top?

So addicting. Worth every crumb, no apologies, I want more today.

Seriously, I want five more.

Ingredients

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Gives structure and soft chew you’ll bite into.
Basically helps cookies puff and brown right.
Plus balances sweetness, makes flavors pop.
Adds rich, tender chew and cozy buttery taste.
Gives molasses warmth and chewiness you’ll love.
Light sweetness and slight crisp edge on outside.
Adds moisture and helps cookies stay soft longer.
Smooth background flavor, makes everything taste familiar.
Bright citrus punch, fresh and festive in every bite.
Adds tiny tang and helps bind ingredients together.
Sweet-tart chew, the holiday jewel of the cookie.
Optional sweet creamy pockets of dreamy sugar.
Crunch and toasty flavor, plus a nutty contrast.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (about 280 g)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (about 170 g)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (about 150 g)

1/4 cup granulated sugar (about 50 g)

1 large egg plus 1 extra egg yolk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons orange zest (from about 2 oranges)

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (about 180 g)

1 cup white chocolate chips (optional, about 170 g)

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.

2. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl so everything mixes evenly.

4. Beat in 1 large egg plus 1 extra egg yolk, then add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons orange zest and 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice. Mix until smooth but dont overbeat.

5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined. Overmixing makes cookies tough so stop when you dont see streaks of flour.

6. Stir in 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, 1 cup white chocolate chips if using, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts if you like nuts. Make sure the mix is even so every cookie gets some goodies.

7. For chewier cookies, chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge. If you are impatient you can bake right away but chilling helps shape and chewiness.

8. Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons or use a
1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and place balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Slightly flatten each ball with your hand or the back of a spoon because they dont spread a ton.

9. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until edges are set and tops are just starting to color. They will look a bit soft in the center but will firm as they cool. Dont overbake.

10. Cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days or freeze dough balls for later baking. Enjoy with a mug of cocoa.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheated to 350°F)
2. 2 rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Medium and large mixing bowls
4. Whisk and flexible spatula for scraping
5. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a strong wooden spoon if you’re feeling tough)
6. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you like precision
7. Zester or fine grater and a small citrus juicer or reamer
8. Tablespoon scoop or 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and a spoon for flattening balls
9. Cooling rack
10. Airtight container or freezer-safe tray for storing dough or cookies

FAQ

Q: Can I use margarine or salted butter instead of unsalted butter?

A: You can, but flavor and texture might change. If you use salted butter, skip or cut back on the added salt. Margarine has more water so cookies may spread more and be less chewy.

Q: How do I make these extra chewy?

A: Use the extra egg yolk like the recipe says, chill the dough at least 30 minutes, and don't overbake. Take them out when edges are set but centers still look soft, they firm while cooling.

Q: Can I swap fresh cranberries for dried cranberries?

A: Fresh cranberries are too tart and wet for a straight swap. If you want fresh, chop them fine and toss with a little sugar and cornstarch, but expect moister cookies. Dried are easiest and keep chewiness.

Q: How should I store or freeze the cookies?

A: Room temp in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months; thaw at room temp. You can also freeze dough balls on a tray, then bag for up to 3 months; bake straight from frozen, add a couple minutes to bake time.

Q: My dough is too sticky to scoop, what do I do?

A: Chill it 20 to 40 minutes, or dust hands and scoop with lightly floured or wet hands. You can also scoop onto parchment and refrigerate the whole sheet before baking.

Q: Do I have to use white chocolate and nuts?

A: No, both are optional. White chocolate adds sweetness and pairs with orange but if you want less sweet, skip it. Nuts add crunch and flavor, but leave them out for a nut-free treat.

Chewy Christmas Cranberry Orange Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: use 1) whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier taste and slightly denser cookie (use same amount), 2) 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend if you need GF (measure same but watch texture), 3) cake flour for a lighter, more tender chew (replace 1:1 but cookies may spread more).
Unsalted butter: use 1) cold-pressed coconut oil (solid, equal weight) for a dairy free option, 2) vegan/baking margarine (measure equal) for vegan cookies, 3) browned butter for deeper, toasty flavor (swap 1:1 but cool before mixing).
Egg + extra yolk: use 1) 1 flax egg for the whole egg (1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water, let sit 5 min) and an extra 1 Tbsp applesauce for the yolk, 2) 1/4 cup mashed banana for the egg replacement in a pinch (adds banana flavor), 3) 3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce to replace one egg yolk for moisture.
White chocolate chips (optional): use 1) chopped baking or bittersweet chocolate for less sweetness (equal volume), 2) butterscotch chips for a caramel note, 3) chopped milk chocolate or peanut butter chips if you want richer, creamier bites.

Pro Tips

1. Chill the dough longer if you want chewier, taller cookies — okay wait I said no that sign, so: chill the dough 45 minutes to an hour whenever you can. Cold dough spreads less, gives you thicker centers and deeper flavor because the butter firms back up and the zest/juice has time to meld. If you’re short on time, 20 minutes helps too.

2. Toast the nuts and soften the cranberries a little. Toss nuts in a dry pan until fragrant, then cool and chop. For chewier cranberries soak them 5 to 10 minutes in the orange juice from the recipe, drain slightly, then fold in. Small steps like this boost texture and flavor big time.

3. Use room temp butter but not too soft. It should dent when you press but not be greasy. If it’s too warm the cookies will flatten, too cold and the dough will be lumpy. If butter’s over-soft, pop the mixed dough in the fridge 10 minutes before scooping.

4. Watch the bake time like a hawk and pull them while centers still look a bit underdone. They firm up as they cool so remove at the first hint of color around the edges. Also rotate pans halfway, and underbake a touch for chewier cookies; overbaked equals dry, sorry but true.

Chewy Christmas Cranberry Orange Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Sam Ecclestone

0.0 from 0 votes

I just made Cranberry Orange Cookies that are chewy, punchy, and honestly the only kind of holiday cookie I’ll tolerate showing up to a cookie exchange.

Servings

servings

Calories

210

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheated to 350°F)
2. 2 rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Medium and large mixing bowls
4. Whisk and flexible spatula for scraping
5. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a strong wooden spoon if you’re feeling tough)
6. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you like precision
7. Zester or fine grater and a small citrus juicer or reamer
8. Tablespoon scoop or 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and a spoon for flattening balls
9. Cooling rack
10. Airtight container or freezer-safe tray for storing dough or cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (about 280 g)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (about 170 g)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (about 150 g)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (about 50 g)
1 large egg plus 1 extra egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange zest (from about 2 oranges)
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (about 180 g)
1 cup white chocolate chips (optional, about 170 g)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl so everything mixes evenly.
Beat in 1 large egg plus 1 extra egg yolk, then add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons orange zest and 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice. Mix until smooth but dont overbeat.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined. Overmixing makes cookies tough so stop when you dont see streaks of flour.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, 1 cup white chocolate chips if using, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts if you like nuts. Make sure the mix is even so every cookie gets some goodies.
For chewier cookies, chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge. If you are impatient you can bake right away but chilling helps shape and chewiness.
Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons or use a
5 tablespoon cookie scoop and place balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Slightly flatten each ball with your hand or the back of a spoon because they dont spread a ton.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until edges are set and tops are just starting to color. They will look a bit soft in the center but will firm as they cool. Dont overbake.
Cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days or freeze dough balls for later baking. Enjoy with a mug of cocoa.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.