Fresh Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Chewy, moist, and delicious cranberry cookies loaded with chocolate! Fresh cranberries give these yummy cookies a refreshing tangy flavor which perfectly contrasts with chocolate and cinnamon spice. A perfect sweet treat for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year!

Chewy, moist and delicious cookies!! Cranberries give these yummy cookies a fresh tangy flavor which perfectly contrasts with chocolate and cinnamon spice. Perfect sweet treat for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year! 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…so the song goes and that’s why I was inspired to finally make some holiday cookies!

Without much further ado – here’s a cookie that’s chewy, sweet with a hint of cinnamon, and with the refreshing taste of fresh cranberries all rolled into one delicious Cranberry Choco Chip Cookies! Perfect for the holidays and as a lovely gift for family and friends!

I remember vividly that Christmas season when one of the members of our church who, while he always acknowledged my presence when we saw each other, rarely spoke to me (hardly ever), and yet that one Sunday he sought me and came to me and complimented me about these cookies!

He said he really loved the taste of the cookies, especially the fresh cranberries, and wanted his wife to have the recipe so she could make it for him. Aww.

That’s when I knew the cookies really were delicious and that they made such an impact on him; he had to speak to me about it.  I will never forget that day and every Christmas I remember that sweet old man for his kind words. He’s now gone to be with the Lord but his sweet compliments, I will not forget.

Chewy, moist and delicious cookies!! Cranberries give these yummy cookies a fresh tangy flavor which perfectly contrasts with chocolate and cinnamon spice. Perfect sweet treat for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year! 


If you’re making this over the summer, you can replace the cranberries with fresh or dried cherries.

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Now let’s go to the step-by-step process on how to make these delightful cookies. It’s really not that hard.

First, you mix all the dry ingredients together (flour, spices, salt and oatmeal).

Then in a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract just until combined. My butter was already melted when I combined it with the other ingredients that’s why it looks liquidy in the photo below (I was in a hurry and had to melt them instead).

However,  room temperature (softened) butter is so much better to use because the cookies would be more chewy and moist. If the butter is just softened it will only melt while in the oven hence the cookies retain more moisture. The taste will be the same either way though.

Then you add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix well just until all the ingredients are moistened.

Fold in the chopped cranberries and chocolate chips. Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoons onto the greased cookie sheets. A small cookie scooper (tablespoon size) is so helpful for this.

I used a large one in my first attempt as the photos show. Also, do not flatten the cookies as they would expand while baking. Do not overtake.

Once you’re done let cookies stand for 5 minutes before you transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will be quite soft so you need to let them sit a bit.

Makes about 4 dozen smaller cookies if you are using a rounded tablespoon. I used a large ice cream scoop the first time so I only managed to make about 2 dozen but the cookies were huge.

Perfect Christmas cookies in my opinion. Chewy, moist and delicious! Enjoy!

Chewy, moist and delicious cookies!! Cranberries give these yummy cookies a fresh tangy flavor which perfectly contrasts with chocolate and cinnamon spice. Perfect sweet treat for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year! 

If you like what you see and would like to receive new recipe updates, we’d love you to subscribe to our posts or join our site. Needless to say, we’d love you to like us on Facebook and Instagram, too where you can get more recipes and updates. Thanks and happy browsing!

Fresh Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Manila Spoon
Chewy, moist and delicious cranberry cookies loaded with chocolate! Fresh cranberries give these yummy cookies a refreshing tangy flavor which perfectly contrasts with chocolate and cinnamon spice. Perfect sweet treat for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year!
4.86 from 27 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 48 cookies

Ingredients
 

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups rolled oats or quick-cooking oats
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened or at room temp (if using salted butter lessen the salt to 1/2 tsp)
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or morsels

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare two cookie sheets. Line them with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the oats to the flour mixture and mix well.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract just until combined.
  • Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix well until all the ingredients are moistened through.
  • Fold in the chopped cranberries and chocolate chips. Evenly distribute the cranberries and chocolate so the cookies come out beautifully dotted with red and brown colors. Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets. A cookie scooper is so helpful for this so use it if you have one for equal measurements. Do not flatten the cookies. Bake for 10-11 minutes or just until lightly browned. Do not overbake.
  • Let stand for 5 minutes before you transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will be quite soft so you need to let them sit a bit. Makes between 48 (or at least 4 dozen) cookies if you are using a rounded tablespoon. I initially used a large ice cream scoop the first time I made this so I only managed to make about 2 dozen but the cookies were huge. (See photos for reference).
Keyword Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, Fresh Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, Fresh Cranberry Chocolate Cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Chewy, moist and delicious cookies!! Cranberries give these yummy cookies a fresh tangy flavor which perfectly contrasts with chocolate and cinnamon spice. Perfect sweet treat for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year! 

Last updated on December 11th, 2023 at 11:37 am

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29 Comments

  1. November 30, 2012 / 4:58 pm

    The cookies not only look good, but so does the photography! I love every thing you make!

    Thanks for linking up to Foodie Friends Friday. So glad you came by with your wonderful recipe! See you next week!

    • November 30, 2012 / 5:01 pm

      Thanks, Cynthia! I truly love Foodie Friends Friday! Always look forward to it! 🙂

  2. December 1, 2012 / 3:41 am

    I love all of the flavors you have combined in these cookies. I am hosting a great giveaway on Dining With Debbie. (1) $50 gift certificate to my favorite jeweler robinsonlane.com and (2) a signed copy of Arkansas Pie: A Slice of the Natural State written by fellow blogger, Kat Robinson. I would love for you to come enter Merry Merry Munchies and the rafflecopter entry. I think you would enjoy either one of these prizes. http://diningwithdebbie.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-merry-merry-munchies-3-baked.html

    • December 1, 2012 / 3:55 am

      Thanks, Debbie! Glad you like the cookies! Will check out your site! 🙂

  3. April 12, 2013 / 11:10 am

    Thank you for sharing these with our FFF Cookie Party! What a great combination! Sharing on my Walking on Sunshine FB page this afternoon at 3:00! Come back to VOTE on Sunday!

    • April 16, 2013 / 3:02 am

      Thanks, Lois! Very sweet of you to do that. 🙂

  4. April 15, 2013 / 1:48 am

    Your pictures are beautiful! Those cookies are perfect! Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday!

    • April 16, 2013 / 3:01 am

      Awww! Thank you so much for your kind words. Thanks for stopping by here, too! 🙂

  5. Jess
    October 1, 2020 / 10:23 am

    5 stars
    These cookies are my new favorite! The combo of cranberries and chocolate chips is perfect!!

  6. Alisa Infanti
    October 1, 2020 / 10:59 am

    5 stars
    I love the combo of the cranberries with the chocolate chips. These will look fantastic on a Christmas cookie platter!

  7. Andrea Metlika
    October 1, 2020 / 11:45 am

    5 stars
    Totally love the flavor combination in these cranberry choco chip cookies! I think I’ll give them as gifts this year!

  8. Priya Lakshminarayan
    October 1, 2020 / 12:25 pm

    5 stars
    Love these cranberry cookies! Have been eating them non stop! 🙂

  9. Katie
    October 1, 2020 / 2:05 pm

    5 stars
    What a great idea for cranberry cookies! I can’t wait to try this.

  10. Poppy Teel
    December 5, 2020 / 1:43 pm

    These look DELICIOUS!!!! Could I use rehydrate dried cranberries in place of fresh? Thank you!!!

    • abigail
      Author
      December 7, 2020 / 6:04 pm

      Sure, I think that should be fine. Fresh is better because of the tanginess the cranberries impart but the rehydrated cranberries should work, too.

  11. Jen S
    January 10, 2021 / 3:46 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Thanks for sharing- great way to get fresh crans into the diet.

    • abigail
      Author
      January 10, 2021 / 9:12 pm

      So glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for letting us know. This is my favorite holiday cookie for sure.

  12. Myrna
    January 7, 2022 / 2:44 pm

    They are delicious, I just them out of the oven. How well do they keep and for how long? Is refrigeration needed, can they be frozen?

    • abigail
      Author
      January 7, 2022 / 7:07 pm

      I don’t refrigerate them if I’m eating them in the next couple of days but if you’re thinking an extended length of time then simply freeze for up to 2-3 months. Glad you liked them!

  13. Danielle
    January 12, 2023 / 6:29 pm

    Can the raw dough be frozen? I’d love to have them readily available in the freezer to bake fresh when I’m in the mood.

    • abigail
      Author
      January 14, 2023 / 6:05 pm

      Yes. Do it this way. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Once the dough is chilled, drop heaping tablespoons (or however you like the size of the cookies – refer to recipe) onto the baking sheet as if you were going to bake them. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour, until frozen. Once they’re set, place the individual dough balls into a freezer-safe plastic bag and write the date. Frozen cookie dough will keep for about 3 months.

  14. Lucinda Turner
    March 20, 2023 / 11:50 am

    Do they taste about the same with no chocolate?

    • abigail
      Author
      March 20, 2023 / 5:35 pm

      It will be better with chocolate because its sweetness provides contrast with the tart cranberries. If you cannot have it, it may still work but may not taste the same. Let me know if you try it. Thank you!

  15. Lisa
    December 10, 2023 / 6:55 pm

    I wanted to let you know your tripled and double measurements are wrong. You have 1 and 1/2 sticks of butter for all three. Even though you give the correct measurement in cups you have the amount of actual sticks incorrect. I looked just at the amount of sticks needed and realized it was not correct. Thank you! They are delicious cookies.

    • abigail
      Author
      December 11, 2023 / 11:34 am

      Hi Lisa! For the sake of my American audience I added the sticks but since it’s not the original measurement or a measurement by itself (just a helpful guide) it will not automatically translate like the cups. I will just delete it so it’s not confusing. Perhaps it’s easier to just retain the cups. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  16. Marla
    January 22, 2024 / 5:32 pm

    These cookies are delicious! I just made them as I had bags of fresh cranberries in the freezer. My only question is my cookies were not puffy like the picture. I used softened butter and did not flatten them. Is there a trick to them being puffier? Thx!

    • abigail
      Author
      January 23, 2024 / 3:21 am

      Glad you enjoyed these cookies! They truly are awesome. I don’t make large sizes for these cookies so they don’t spread too much. You can place the batter in the fridge for 30 minutes or at least while preheating to ensure the butter is cold as you place them in the oven. Hope that helps.

  17. January 26, 2024 / 5:42 pm

    5 stars
    Crazy good. I’ve made these 3 times in the past month. They have the perfect amount of tart (cranberry) with the perfect amount of sweetness. I love a good oatmeal chocolate chip and this just takes it over the top. It’s Mother in law and Husband’s new favorite cookie, Mine too! Crumbl should hire you to make their cookies.

    Makes a great cookie exchange recipe. I’ve been wanting to see how they freeze but they never are around long enough to put in the freezer! Just about to make a double batch right now with all my cranberries that accidentally thawed. THANKS!

    • abigail
      Author
      January 27, 2024 / 6:13 am

      Yay! So glad you loved these! They’re absolutely yummy! Thanks for letting me know.

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