These gluten-free Cranberry Orange Cookies are filled with bright, cheery orange flavor and studded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips throughout. This seasonal treat is a classic!
Cranberry orange isn’t exactly my favorite.
Odd way to start this post, huh? I’m just being honest.
I like it well enough. I think it’s a great seasonal treat that I like to have at least once a year.
It’s just not a crave-able flavor to me. BUT, I think it goes really well with other Holiday flavors. And, it’s a great addition if you make a Christmas Cookie Box for coworkers, friends or family.
My ideal Cookie Box would have to have a combination of something mint chocolate, something seasonal and something nutty/fruity. There would be something for everyone with those choices!
Like maybe, Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies or Molasses Cookies, and these gluten-free Cranberry Orange Cookies.
Additional favorites would have to include Snickerdoodle Cookies, M&M Cookies or Funfetti Cookies (I’d say these are great kid-friendly options).
Easy cookies, all filled with Holiday flavors.
So even though I’d grab a Chocolate Peppermint Cookie before a Cranberry Orange Cookie, this recipe is still delicious in it’s own right and totally worth sharing.
For my friends who don’t like peppermint, get tired of too much chocolate, or just love all things citrus… these Cranberry Orange Cookies are for you. 🙂
What’s different about my cookie recipe?
These Cranberry Orange Cookies are made with orange zest (no juice), dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. They’re also seasoned with cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg.
The combination of these flavors together really makes these cookies sing.
Plus, these are made in one bowl, with no chill time. You should be left with cookies with crisp edges and soft, tender centers. Irresistible!
COOKIE TIPS & TRICKS
First, start with softened butter. It should still be in a stick form, but easy to press a finger into.
Next, add a little cornstarch. Just a bit will give you a more tender cookie. It’s not a must-have, but worth it in my book to include it.
Use only orange zest, and plenty of it. Zest is where you will get a strong, natural orange flavor that’s just right. I zest TWO oranges, for plenty of orange flavor. One orange would work in a pinch, though.
Lastly, add a few white chocolate chips and cranberries to the cookie dough balls prior to baking. Gently press them into the top. As they spread while they bake, these bits will stay on top of the cookies. Making them “picture perfect.”
OTHER OPTIONS
Rather than white chocolate chips, I’d recommend trying dark chocolate chips or chopped walnuts or pecans. Both would accent the flavors in these Cranberry Orange Cookies incredibly well.
If you’d like to decorate these to make them a touch more festive, a little white chocolate melted and drizzled across the top would be beautiful. Maybe some orange sprinkles on top of that as well.
Crispy edges, soft centers, and loaded with orange, cranberries, and white chocolate… these gluten-free cookies are the perfect seasonal treat.
After you make them, let me know what you think. Are you a huge cranberry fan? Leave a comment and rating, below.
You might also want to check out a few of my other favorite Christmas Cookie recipes, like my gluten-free Chewy Sugar Cookies, Peppermint Mocha Oatmeal Cookies, and Coffee Toffee Cookies.
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- zest of 2 oranges
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch (optional)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (or dark chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, etc.)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
-
To begin, preheat your oven to 350. Spray two pans with non-stick spray.
-
To a large mixing bowl, add your butter, brown sugar and white sugar and beat together with a mixer till creamy. Add your orange zest, vanilla and egg and mix together briefly till just incorporated.
-
To the same bowl, add your flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt and mix together till you have a thick cookie dough. Add your chocolate chips and cranberries and fold them in.
-
Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop your cookie dough balls out and space them evenly apart on your pans (with no more than 12 cookies per pan). Bake for 9-11 minutes, or till the edges are set but the middle is a touch underdone.
-
Let cool. Then, devour!
Stored in an airtight container these cookies taste best within 4-5 days.
Leave a Reply