When you've got fresh cranberries to use during the holidays, these cranberry oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are perfect! The addition of fresh cranberries adds a bright flavor that's perfect with the sweet, rich chocolate.

I found your recipe for the fresh cranberry & chocolate chip cookies and I've been making them every Christmas since 2011! They are a hit! I replace half of the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and they're amazing both ways. - jkuip77 on Instagram
The addition of fresh cranberries and drizzled chocolate makes these cranberry oatmeal chocolate chip cookies perfect for a Christmas cookie tray! They can be made all year long (and I often do) but they're perfect for the holidays. I usually pair them with almond crescent cookies and jam sandwich cookies so there's something for everyone!
They're also really fun to make with kids. I let my kids measure and stir and put the dough on the cookie sheets. It can be messy and sometimes the cookies come out all different sizes (I may make slight adjustments before they go in, but please don't tell)! We listen to Christmas music and enjoy a cookies warm from the oven.

Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon: This might seem like an unexpected ingredient, but the subtle, warm cinnamon flavor adds so much!
- Salt: This really brings out all the flavors.
- Unsalted butter: Make sure your butter has softened to room temperature or it won't cream properly.
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- A whole egg
- Vanilla extract: You can also use vanilla bean paste.
- Old-fashioned oats
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Milk chocolate: I usually just use a chocolate bar for this (Hershey's is fine)!
- Fresh cranberries: These are so inexpensive during the holidays, so I'll pick up a few extra bags and toss them in the freezer so I can make these cookies year-round. Dried cranberries can be substituted for fresh cranberries, but I highly recommend using fresh if you can get them. They add a soft texture that works really well with the chewiness of the cookie.
- Milk chocolate or white chocolate, chopped (for drizzling)

Instructions
- Preheat the oven first so it's ready when you are. Then line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Next you'll whisk the dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt). A whisk is the best for this!
- Now you'll want to beat the butter and both sugars until they're very smooth. I like to use a stand mixer for this, but a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer will also do the job just fine. Once you've creamed the butter and sugars, beat in the egg and vanilla until it's all combined.
- All that's left to make the dough is to combine the dry and wet ingredients! Add the flour mixture and the oats and mix just until it's blended, then stir in the chocolate chips, chocolate bar pieces and the chopped, fresh cranberries.
- Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared sheet pan, approximately two inches apart. Bake the cookies until the edges are light brown, about 16 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional: Using small spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies in zigzag pattern. Let them stand about an hour or until the milk chocolate sets.

Make Ahead
Cranberry oatmeal chocolate chip cookies can be made ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, or pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months (make sure to wrap them tightly and label the freezer bag).
The cookie dough can also be frozen and baked when you're ready. I like to use the Souper Cubes cookie tray for portioning when I'm going to be freezing these, but you can also just make the balls without the tray.
Just form the balls and freeze for about an hour, then put them into labeled freezer bags. The frozen dough balls can go straight from the freezer into the oven - no need to defrost! Just add a minute or two of extra baking time.
Related Recipes
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Have you made these cranberry oatmeal chocolate chip cookies? We'd really appreciate if you could add your review below!
Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fresh cranberries, oatmeal and chocolate chips all in one delicious cookie that's perfect for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1.5 - 2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped (a chocolate bar is perfect for this)
- ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
- 2 ounces milk chocolate or white chocolate, melted (for drizzling; optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and whisk it to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until they're very smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture and the oats and mix just until it's blended. Stir in the chocolate chips, chocolate bar pieces and the chopped, fresh cranberries.
- Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared sheet pan, approximately two inches apart. Bake the cookies until the edges are light brown, about 16 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional: Using small spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies in zigzag pattern. Let them stand about an hour or until the milk chocolate sets.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 221Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 66mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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