Description
These oatmeal cranberry cookies are soft and chewy in the middle, lightly crisp around the edges, and packed with sweet-tart cranberries in every bite. Made with simple ingredients, these easy cranberry oatmeal cookies are perfect for holiday cookie trays, and just as delicious for an afternoon treat with a cup of tea or coffee! Gluten-free and dairy-free too.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) dairy-free butter, melted
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free 1:1 flour
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already includes it)
- 3/4 cup gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Beat Butter & Sugar: In a bowl, combine the melted dairy-free butter with the white sugar and brown sugar. Mix until well combined.
- Add Egg & Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is fully incorporated.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add the gluten-free 1:1 flour, xanthan gum (if using), old-fashioned rolled oats, salt, ground cinnamon, cranberries and chopped walnuts (making sure to reserve some dried cranberries and walnuts for topping).
- Mix to Get Cookie Dough: Mix with a spatula until a soft, evenly combined cookie dough forms.
- Preheat & Line: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop Cookie Dough Onto Sheet: Use a #20 ice cream scoop to form small balls of dough and place them on the baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie. (Note that depending on the size of your baking sheet, you may need to bake in 2 or 3 batches).
- Top with Walnuts & Cranberries: Top each cookie with the reserved walnuts and cranberries.
- Bake Until Golden: Bake the cookies for 15 minutes. Use a metal ring or a spoon to shape them into circles if they’ve spread too much. The cookies should have lightly golden edges and a firm but still soft center.
- Cool Completely: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, as they will be very soft when still fresh from the oven. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Butter: I used dairy-free butter to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular butter instead.
Sugar: I used a mix of both white sugar and brown sugar. You can also use all brown sugar if you prefer (just note that the cookies will be a darker brown if you use all brown sugar).
Egg: The egg helps to bind the ingredients together, so definitely make sure you don’t skip it.
Vanilla: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract for extra flavor. However, if you don’t like the taste of vanilla, feel free to skip it instead.
Gluten-Free Flour: For the best results, I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free 1:1 flour blend (a 1:1 gluten-free substitute for regular all-purpose flour) that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch) to ensure a lighter final texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend with heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture. If you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, feel free to use all-purpose flour instead.
Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend already includes xanthan gum, feel free to leave it out instead.
Oats: I recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats which provide a chewier texture and a more intense oat flavor than quick-cooking oats. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free rolled oats (this is because while oats are naturally gluten-free, they are often processed in the same facilities as gluten-containing flours, resulting in cross contamination).
Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon complements the taste of cranberries very well, so definitely add it in.
Walnuts: I love the addition of crunchy unsalted chopped walnuts because it adds a beautiful contrast to the chewy texture of the cookies. Alternatively, you can also use unsalted chopped pecans if you prefer.
Cranberries: Dried cranberries are the star in this cookie recipe and really add a nice pop of festive flavor and color.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Cookies, Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
