Yummy, chewy, slightly warm cookies and milk or hot cocoa is a treat most kids love, This white chocolate chip cranberry cookies recipe is such a delicious cookie, it will soon become a family tradition to make it every holiday season.
The recipe is made simple so that kids who are learning to bake can give these easy cookies a try. The important thing is to spend time with your kids so relax and enjoy their company whilst you create a delicious treat together.
Christmas Activities With Kids
Bake time with the kids at Christmas is one of my favorite things. Holiday baking gets both them and me in the mood for Christmas. I find that the kids get so excited in the days leading up to Christmas and I have always made a plan of activities so there is something Christmassy to do with them every day. I try to get everything done that I need to do, myself, by December 18 so that I can spend the last week enjoying Christmas preparation with the kids.
Each day I plan a Christmas activity such as:
- making and putting up decorations
- watching a Christmas movie
- going sledding
- holding a family holiday photoshoot
- visiting the big man, himself
- reading Christmas books
- checking out the local light displays
- make some popcorn garlands
- make a table decoration
- Christmas treasure hunt
Holiday Cookie Tray Ideas
White chocolate chip cookies are perfect for adding to a holiday cookie tray alongside some oatmeal cookies, chocolate cookies, gingerbread, shortbread cookies M&Ms, fudge chocolate pretzels and some sweet white chocolate morsels. Just make sure, when you pick your cookies, that you have a combination of flavors. The three different cookies create a diversity of flavors and colors and look appealing. You could even add a few mini peppermint canes – so cute!
You could also make these easy cake mix Christmas cookies which would add a colorful contrast to any holiday cookie tray.
The cookies are also great for Christmas cookie exchanges where you swap cookies with friends and neighbors. You could even have a kids’ cookie swap party where all the cookies have to be made by the kids!
White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies recipe
Servings: 26 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup white sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on low speed to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Turn up to medium speed as the mix comes together. If you don’t have a hand mixer, get the kids to beat the mix with a wooden spoon.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the large bowl. Mix until fully incorporated for only 15-20 seconds. If you mix any longer you will end up with stiff cookies.
- Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) directly into the wet ingredients, mixing again just until fully incorporated and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed
- Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Use a medium cookie scoop or measuring spoon to scoop one tablespoon of dough. Use clean hands to roll the dough into a ball and place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then place onto a wire rack.
Tips for the white chocolate chip cranberry cookies recipe
- If you are using a hand-held mixer, explain to the kids that the mixer has to be kept upright and not at an angle or the ingredients will fly everywhere. The kids will soon get the hang of this and you can add a steadying hand if they find the mixer a bit heavy. Another option would be to use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
- If you are reusing the same cookie sheet let it completely cool before placing the new batter on the cookie sheets. If you are cooking in increments keep your cookie dough in the fridge to chill while the other cookies are cooking.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- They can be placed in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.
- The cookie dough can be chilled for up to 3 days before baking. Allow the dough to sit out for 15 minutes before baking your cookies.
- The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet then pack them into a freezer bag once they are frozen solid.
- If the kids don’t like the tart cranberries, you could swap them out for sultanas, dark chocolate chips or chopped-up pieces of peppermint candy cane.
You could make these on Christmas Eve and put the recipe into a Christmas Eve Box
Pin it for Later:
Check out all my Christmas recipes and activities here >>
White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies
Equipment
- Electric Mixer or wooden spoon
- Large Bowl
- Sieve
- Large metal spoon for folding in ingredients
- Baking Sheet
- Medium cookie scoop or measuring spoon / tablespoon
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (soft)
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour plain flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a large bowl use an electric mixer on low speed to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Turn up to medium speed as the mix comes together. If you don't have a hand mixer, get the kids to beat the mix with a wooden spoon.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the large bowl. Mix until fully incorporated for only 15-20 seconds. If you mix any longer you will end up with stiff cookies.
- Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) directly into the wet ingredients, mixing again just until fully incorporated and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed
- Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Use a medium cookie scoop or measuring spoon to scoop one tablespoon of dough. Use clean hands to roll the dough into a ball and place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then place onto a wire rack.
I just forwarded it to my sister; my nephews love to bake when they get in from school. I also hope they make me a batch.
I hope you are enjoying some delicious cookies very soon and thanks for forwarding the recipe to your sister, Claire.