Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies are oatmeal cranberry cookies loaded with dried cranberries, chopped walnuts and white chocolate chips. These Craisin cookies are soft, chewy and perfect for fall!
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I have been making these chewy oatmeal cranberry cookies with walnuts for years -- ever since I found a recipe for oatmeal cranberry cookies on a package of Craisins, which I bought to use in chicken salad.
Usually, I'm only tempted by chocolate chip cookies, but the mix of cranberries, white chocolate and walnuts sounded pretty good and very fall-like to me. And these chewy oatmeal cookies did not disappoint! They are also perfect for the holiday season!
This recipe is slightly different from the one I found on the package. I added vanilla, chopped walnuts and cinnamon -- gotta have cinnamon, you know!
I also mixed everything up in one large bowl even though the original recipe calls for using two -- 1 bowl for wet ingredients and 1 for dry ingredients -- anything to have one less dish to wash.
Ingredients for Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies
You can find the simple ingredients for this oatmeal cranberry cookies recipe in your local grocery store if you don't have these pantry staples at home.
- Oats -- Rolled oats or old-fashioned oats add the classic texture for oatmeal cookies. You can use quick oats in this recipe.
- Flour -- all purpose flour
- Butter -- room temperature butter, either salted or unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Eggs -- 2 large eggs
- Vanilla extract -- pure vanilla extract for best flavor
- Baking soda -- to help the cookies rise
- White chocolate chips -- You can use chocolate chunks or dark chocolate if you prefer.
- Dried cranberries -- Craisins or any brand
- Walnuts -- chopped walnuts for texture. You can sub chopped pecans or leave out.
- Ground cinnamon -- for that fall flavor
- Salt
How to Make Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
First, you start out by creaming the softened butter, brown sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or hand mixer on medium speed until soft and creamy.
Alternately, you can use a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
Next, add the eggs, one at a time. Then, mix in the oats.
Add the flour, sea salt, soda and cinnamon.
Finally, stir in the walnuts, dried cranberries and white chocolate chips using a spatula or wooden spoon. You can also do this with a mixer on low speed.
Drop the cookie dough by rounded tablespoon onto a un-greased cookie sheet. You can also use a small cookie scoop for this,
I like to line the baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean-up. Keep the dough balls about 2 inches apart, since the cookies will spread out.
Baking Time
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown and the edges are firm.
Be careful not to over bake the cookies.
As soon as cookies are cool enough to handle, place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
How to Store
Store freshly baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, you can freeze these white chocolate oatmeal cookies for up to 3 months. Just store in a freezer-safe container.
You can also freeze the un-baked cookie dough. I recommend forming a tablespoon of dough into balls, and freezing them in a freezer bag until ready to use.
Expert Tips
Old fashioned oats are best for baking as they will give you the texture of traditional oatmeal cookies. You can use instant oats although the texture will be slightly different. If you don't like the texture of classic oatmeal cookies, or you want a softer cookie, use the quick oats. Do not use steel-cut oats as they will change the texture of these chewy cookies.
Make sure the butter is at room temperature for easy mixing.
You can add a few extra cranberries or white chocolate morsels on top of the white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies before baking for an added pop of color.
Use parchment paper, aluminum foil or silicone baking mats for easy clean-up.
More Delicious Oatmeal Cookie Recipes
Try the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies recipe for the absolute best oatmeal chocolate chip cookie you will ever eat! You may also like these oatmeal butterscotch chocolate chip cookies or these easy banana oatmeal cookies or even more delicious desserts!
Recipe
Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup butter softened
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups oats rolled oats or quick cooking
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ⅔ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, vanilla extract and brown sugar together with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy
- Beat in eggs, 1 at a time
- Add oats, and mix well
- Stir in the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon
- Add the walnuts, cranberries and white chocolate chips, and mix with spatula or mixer on low speed until combined
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto un-greased cookie sheets
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or lightly brown
Notes
Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.
Nutrition
I made these oatmeal cranberry walnut cookies in the afternoon, and they were still nice and warm when the kids came home from school. Have them with a tall glass of milk, and you've got a tasty after school snack.
The cookies were also perfect when we had them for dessert, and I just may have to sneak one for breakfast. They contain fruit, nuts and oats, so that's acceptable, right?
For more easy recipes, sign up for the weekly newsletter and follow me on social media. Happy Baking!
Recipe published in 2016 and updated in 2023.
Ann says
These cookies are perfect for fall! So tasty!
Jim says
Super charged oatmeal cookies! Tons more than a plain cookie! My new favorite!
Gastritis Girl says
I made these for my co-workers, and they were a big hit!
Georgina Hayo says
I don't have any white chocolate chips in the house so I am going to substitute Heath Bar toffee chips instead.. Hopefully it will be okay, sounds good to me. I will find out tomorrow, taking them to Bible study as a treat.
georgina says
I tried one of the cookies with Heath bar chips, they are delicious, Not as sweet as white chocolate chips
Dee says
Sounds good! Thank you for sharing!
Haley says
I’ve made these cookies for a coworker a few times (it started as a running joke - when I’d ask a question she’d joke about putting it on my tab, then I told her I’d pay it off in cookies. Don’t think she realized I’d eventually show up with cookies ;u; haha). She’s allergic to grapes (and I’m intolerant to them) so I thought cranberries would be a fun twist. They are absolutely lovely! I love the texture as opposed to usually very goopy oatmeal cookie styles.
Now, I’m in the middle of replacing the craisins with raisins for my step dad for Father’s Day. I won’t be able to taste them, but I have no doubt they’re going to be delicious~
Dee says
Thanks, Haley! I'm so glad you are enjoying the cookies!
Christine Scanling says
Great recipe ..I made these cookies today..however I substituted gluten free flour for the all purpose flour..
I quickly realized when all out together it was way to thick to drop from a spoon or anything else..lol
I moved quickly put all the dough in the fridge and the made the best out of whatever went wrong..it took me a long time but I saved the dough working with it..
The cookies were far from correct after using the gluten free flour..but they were still delicious I will definitely try them again with reg flour...it’s a delicious recipe..Thank you
Dee says
Thank you so much, Christine! I think gluten free flour is tricky, but I'm glad you liked them! 🙂
Donna Sue says
Fantastic! I'm not a fan of white chocolate, so I used dark chocolate - the cookies had the perfect amount of sweet. I love that this recipe uses only brown sugar, which is the main reason I selected this recipe over many others I found online. I was not disappointed. This recipe is a total "keeper" - thank you.
Dee says
Thanks, Donna. So glad you enjoyed them!
Jennifer says
I have 2 questions..
1. Salted or unsalted butter?
2. Can I use regular salt instead of sea salt?
Dee says
I use salted butter, and you can use regular salt. Sea salt is just a preference. 🙂
Mary says
Yum! Baking these now as I type this! Cookie dough was amazing can’t wait to eat when they are done!! Fantastic recipe
Dee says
Thanks so much, Mary! I need to make some again soon. 🙂
Anna says
Just made these! They were so delicious and very easy to make. These will be going in my Christmas cookie baskets 🙂
Dee says
I'm glad to hear that - Thanks so much, Anna! 🙂
ERLENE A says
These sound amazing! It has a lot of my favorite cookie add-ins, like cranberriess and walnuts. Sounds like a winner!
Maria Brittis says
OMGOODNESS! I am making these cookies, they are my favorite forever.
Thanks
Maria
Dee says
Yea - I hope you enjoy them as much as my family did! 🙂
Miz Helen says
We are going to love your Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies, Dee. That is a real fall combination of ingredients, yum! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a fantastic week and come back real soon!
Miz Helen
Michelle says
I love all the flavors in these cookies! Just thinking about them is making me hungry!
Dee says
Thanks, Michelle. I definitely need to make some more!
easypeasylifematters says
This is the perfect treat for fall, so yummy! 🙂
Dee says
Thanks! We all loved them. 🙂
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says
This is a great flavor combo for fall!
Krista says
Can you send me a batch of these!
Dee says
Would you believe they are gone already?!
Dee says
They really are perfect for fall. 🙂
Laura at I Heart Naptime says
I am so making these this weekend! They look delicious and hopefully I can have a few before my kids devour them!
Dee says
I made these right before the kids came home, so I was able to enjoy one or two before they disappeared. 🙂
Sandi (@fearless_dining) says
These cookies look so good. I wish I had a few here with me 🙂
Dee says
Thanks, Sandi. We just loved these cookies!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
I love adding cranberries to cookies! These look wonderful!
Dee says
Thanks, Des. I can't seem to stop nibbling on them!
Robert says
I left out the chocolate chips. Bad move! If one omits them, you need to add more sugar!!
I will make again with ALL the ingredients!!