Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies are loaded with the tangy flavors of dried cranberries and orange zest, along with mellow white chocolate chips. Soft, chewy centers with crisp edges make these cookies one holiday treat you can’t miss!

I think by now, my love affair with cookies should be fairly apparent. Cookie Monster aint got nothing on me! But I make sure not to let all the cookies fall out of my mouth while I eat them! I want every little crumb! And you’ll want every little crumb of these super yummy Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies, too! (Say that five times fast!)

First, let’s talk about how to get our orange flavor in these cookies. I used freshly grated orange zest along with some orange essential oil for a bright orange flavor. If you don’t have essential oil or would prefer to use orange extract, go right ahead!

For the cranberries, I used dried cranberries (commonly known as “Craisins”). I don’t suggest using fresh cranberries, because they will bleed and taste pretty sour.

There is a special method for getting those nice, thick centers and crispy edges. I call it “The Tower Method.” Here’s how it works:

The dough needs to be pretty solid. Your dough for these cookies should be cohesive and not stick to your fingers when you pinch it. (If you need to add a little more flour than the recipe says to get the right consistency, go ahead).

Then you use a large cookie scoop, place the dough on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, and use your fingers to squish the dough so that it gets tall, like a tower. (You can also use a small cookie scoop and place one scoop on top of the other and then squish them together).

Next, you are going to bake these cookies at a lower temperature than usual–325 degrees. This causes them to bake slowly and makes it so that the centers bake evenly. If you watch these in the oven, you’ll see that a little “pool” forms around the base of the cookie as it first starts baking. This will turn into your crispy edge. Then the centers slowly sink down, leaving the middle of your cookie thick and chewy. It’s magic. (Well, it’s actually science, but let’s not get technical here).

After I take these out of the oven, I immediately press a few more white chocolate chips onto the top, just to make them look pretty.

If you break a cookie open, you can see that it is dense and soft in the middle. (Check out the first picture at the top of this post to see what I mean).

The texture of these cookies is just perfect, and the flavors meld spectacularly. Give these cookies a try the next time you are looking for a little something different. And good luck not eating the whole batch!

These cookies adapted from my Orange White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies.

This recipe first appeared on Yellow Bliss Road, where I am a contributor.

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Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

12 mins

Total Time

22 mins

 

These festive, holiday cookies are loaded with tangy cranberries and orange zest, along with sweet, mellow white chocolate. Super soft and chewey, they will make your tastebuds sing!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 20 cookies

Author: Melissa Howell

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 5-10 drops wild orange essential oil (or 1 tsp. orange extract)
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
• 1 3/4 cups flour (plus more if necessary)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

2. Beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, orange essential oil or extract and orange zest, and mix well.
   

3. Add one cup of the flour along with the baking soda and salt and mix well. Add remaining 3/4 cups flour and mix until incorporated. Pinch the dough. If it doesn't stick to your fingers, it is ready. If it does, add more flour (start with 2 tablespoons) until dough does not stick to your fingers.

4. Add the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries and mix until evenly distributed.

5. Using a large cookie scoop, place the dough two inches apart on your baking sheets. Re-shape the dough so that it is taller than it is wide. The dough should look like small pillars.

6. Bake for 12 minutes, just until the edges start to brown. Remove from the oven and let continue baking on the hot cookie sheet for ten minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

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