Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
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These cake mix cranberry white chocolate cookies combine the warmth of oats, tart cranberries, and creamy white chocolate for a chewy, bakery-style treat. The shortcut cake mix base cuts down on prep time without sacrificing flavor or texture.
Easy Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Cranberry white chocolate cookies are a must-make for me every single year. They’re hands down my favorite holiday cookie flavor, no contest. After I developed my Oatmeal Raisin Cookies earlier this year, I couldn’t stop thinking about how good that soft, chewy texture would be with tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate. Spoiler alert: it worked even better than I imagined.
When I’m making these just for the house, I like to use a big 3-tablespoon scoop to give them that bakery-style look and texture. But for my holiday cookie boxes, I go with a smaller 1½-tablespoon scoop so I can include more cookies and more variety. Either way, they’re always one of the first to disappear.
If you love easy cake mix holiday cookies, check out my Gooey Butter Christmas Cookies and my Frosted Eggnog Cookies!
Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix – Simplifies the recipe, providing a soft cookie base. I used Duncan Hines.
- Old-fashioned oats – Add a chewy texture that gives the cookies more body and contrast.
- Brown sugar – Deepens the sweetness and helps keep the cookies soft and moist.
- Cinnamon – Adds a subtle warmth.
- Unsalted butter (melted) – Adds moisture and richness.
- Eggs – Help bind the dough and give the cookies structure.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the overall flavor.
- Dried cranberries – Bring a pop of tartness and chewy texture to each bite.
- White chocolate chips – Add creamy sweetness that balances the tart cranberries.
How to Make the Cake Mix Cookies
- Prep – Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yellow cake mix, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon until well combined.
- Add wet ingredients – Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture and stir until a thick dough forms.
- Fold in mix-ins – Gently fold in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Scoop dough – Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake – Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked.
- Cool – Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use a different dried fruit – Swap the cranberries for dried cherries, blueberries, or chopped dried apricots for a different flavor profile.
- Change up the chocolate – Substitute white chocolate chips with semi-sweet, dark chocolate, or even butterscotch chips for a new twist.
- Add nuts – Chopped pecans or walnuts add a nice crunch and complement both the cranberries and white chocolate.
- Add orange zest – Stir in a teaspoon of orange zest to brighten the flavors and give the cookies a holiday citrus note.
- Make them smaller – Use a 1½-tablespoon scoop to make smaller cookies, perfect for cookie boxes or portion control.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overbake – The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when they come out of the oven; they’ll continue to set as they cool.
- Scoop evenly – A consistent scoop size ensures even baking and that bakery-style look.
- Cool on the pan first – Letting the cookies rest for 5 minutes before moving them prevents breakage and helps them finish setting.
- Mix gently at the end – Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips by hand to avoid overmixing and breaking them up.
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More one-bowl cake mix cookie recipes
If you liked how simple this recipe was, you’ll love trying more cookie variations that start with a box of cake mix.
Did you love these cake mix cranberry white chocolate cookies? Please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until a thick dough forms.
- Fold in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
- Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.
- Freezer (baked cookies) – Freeze baked and cooled cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Freezer (cookie dough) – Scoop dough onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.