Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
These scrumptious Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies are a holiday spin on class chocolate chip cookies. The plump fresh cranberries and toasted walnuts in the batter elevates the flavor and gives it just the right amount of holiday cheer.
Easy Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Holiday baking plans reach a fever pitch after Thanksgiving. I was fortunate to have this cookie recipe shared from Peter, my friend and former Editor at Parade Magazine. He reached out to wish us a Merry Christmas and mentioned he was looking forward to indulging on his Mom’s cranberry chocolate chip cookies. I couldn’t help myself, I had to ask for the recipe. I was delighted when his Mom graciously agreed and sent it to me. I whipped up a batch and it was an immediate hit with my own family.
How to Make the Best Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’m convinced a huge amount of holiday baking fun is in the planning. It’s exciting to coordinate plans with friends and family members and delegate responsibilities to maximize our combined efforts. Baking cookies and making sweets from scratch really shows the love don’t you think? These cookies can be packaged and gifted to neighbors, teachers, mail carriers and beyond.
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies: All purpose flour, baking soda, salt, butter, chopped toasted walnuts, fresh cranberries, semi sweet or milk chocolate baking chips, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vanilla extract and large eggs.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: A stand mixer or a hand mixer, large bowl, measuring cups and spoons, cookie scoop, baking sheets, cooling rack and rubber spatula.
- This cookie dough is very forgiving and will keep up to one week chilled in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Taking the time to toast the walnuts adds a depth of flavor to the cookies overall. It’s worth the small amount of effort that it takes. How do you toast nuts? This is what you do: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes then cool completely before adding to the cookie dough.
- Use a paper towel to make sure the cranberries are fully dry before mixing into the batter.
- An ice cream or cookie scoop helps to keep the dough rounds uniform in size for even baking. Try not to crush the cranberries when dividing.
- You could swap out the chocolate chips for white chocolate chips, they’re also delicious in these cookies.
- Store Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
More Christmas Cookies to Make
- Butter Pecan Cookies never last long.
- Plan a cookie swap with this collection of 100 of the Best Christmas Cookies.
- Cutout Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies decorated with homemade royal icing.
- Gingerbread Cookies are a fun family project to make.
- Delectable powdered sugar coated Snowball Cookies.
- Melt in your mouth Red Velvet Cookies.
- Anise Cookies from Amanda’s Cookin.
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Original Post Published 11/23/2018 Post updated 12/18/2020
Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped walnuts toasted
- 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup fresh cranberries rinsed and dried
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 4-6 minutes. Set aside to cool
- In a small mixing bowl use a whisk to sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high to cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes or until creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
- Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually add the sifted dry ingredients beating just until fully combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl periodically.
- By hand, fold the chocolate chips, cranberries and walnuts into the dough. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Using a 2 oz ice cream scoop or a Tbsp, divide the cookie dough leaving at least 2-inches between each.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Just make your cookies they came out very delicious and easy thank you for sharing !!!! 🙂
Could I use maraschino cherries instead of cranberries.
I have this recipe for cookies using maraschino cherries. It would be better to adapt it using chocolate chips rather than this recipe.
One of your recipes (I printed) for the cranberry walnut chocolate chip cookies had baking powder in the ingredients and baking soda in the instructions. Is it the baking soda, not baking powder, that I see here when I googled it? Thank you
There’s baking soda in the ingredients and instructions.
Can I used dtied cranberries?
If you prefer.
Hi,
What are the cranberries like after they have cooked. I mean are they soft and cooked?
They do look delicious.
Thank you.
Nancy
They do soften while baking, yes.
These are delicious. They are not as lovely as your pictured ones. I did have a problem with them spreading out and connecting, which was probably my fault. I thought I had them two inches apart but maybe a little less. Anyway…..the flavor and crunch are excellent. Thank you!
So happy you loved these, Jane! You may want to chill the dough for a bit, that helps with spreading.
Thank you!!! I’ll do that the next batches because there will be more batches! Yum!
Are the cranberries used raw and do you need to halve them?
Raw cranberries, leave whole.
Have you tried using frozen whole cranberries, that’s all I have?
Hi Ruth, I haven’t. It may work but, I can’t tell you with certainty. If you try it, let us know how it goes.
I’d like to know if i can sub craisins for fresh?
You probably could, sure.