Cranberry Pecan Cookies

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s a great way to use up cranberries and pecans left over from other holiday baking.
• They’re sweet, chewy, nutty, tart, and fruity!
• A quick 20-minute treat!

🛒 About the Ingredients

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• Cranberries – Dried cranberries (or “craisins”) add a nice amount of sweetness and chewiness.
• Pecans – One of our largest southern agricultural products! I always recommend Fisher brand pecans for consistent flavor and freshness.
• White Chocolate Chips – Their sweetness balances out the tart cranberries and toasty pecans.

🥄 How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Cookies

1. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well blended. Set aside.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
5. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold in the chopped pecans, white chocolate chips, and dried cranberries.

6. Shape the dough into balls and space them evenly on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
7. Bake until just set and very lightly browned at the edges.
8. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

🔀 Recipe Add-Ins and Options

• If you love oatmeal raisin cookies, then you have to try adding 1/2 cup of oats to these cookies! I recommend using quick oats; they will give you the best chewy texture.
• Not a big fan of cranberries? You can use any dried fruit in these cookies instead! Try using apricots, peaches, apples, or raisins.
• The white chocolate chips in this recipe add loads of richness and creaminess. However, if you’re not crazy about white chocolate, you can substitute milk or dark chocolate chips instead.

❗ Recipe Tips

• Cranberries pair so well with oranges and you can play on this flavor combination by adding 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract or the zest of an orange to the dough.
• If you’re making the cookies on a warm day or in a warm kitchen, I recommend chilling the cookie dough before baking. This will keep the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.

🍚 How to Store

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can even rewarm these cookies slightly by popping them into the microwave for a few seconds.

🕒 How to Make Ahead

Save some time by making the dough ahead of time. Cover the top of the mixing bowl with a layer or two of plastic wrap and allow the dough to chill in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. The dough will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Try garnishing the cookies with some additional toasted pecans, a dusting of powdered sugar, a little orange zest, or a drizzle of melted white chocolate. These winter cookies are great for serving at holiday parties or packaging up and giving away as a gift!