Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies are Soft and Chewy with dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and crunchy macadamia nuts are the perfect Holiday Cookie!

Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Plate of cookies.

Years ago, in a land far, far, away, there were cookie shops in all the shopping Malls! They served the most amazing White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies! They were soft and chewy, with a crispy buttery edge, and loaded with just the right amount of white chocolate and macadamia nuts.

They were my favorite cookie and I couldn’t pass one of those shops without purchasing one, or two, to take home with me to enjoy later.

Fast-forward 25 years! I’m standing in my kitchen at Christmastime, trying to come up with a new Christmas cookie, but craving a version of that “Mrs. You Know Who” cookie with one addition…dried cranberries! I wondered if it would even come close in comparison to the “Mall” cookies of yesteryear?

I’m happy to report that they do! I used my basic Award winning Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and made a few tweaks to create this wonderful Holiday treat! If you’re ever looking for a great basic cookie dough that you can add to…this recipe is it!

How To Make White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookie Dough

In a large bowl combine 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix with a wire whisk and set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream together 1 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup white sugar.

Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix again for 2–3 minutes to be sure the butter and sugars are creamed together well.

Butter, Brown Sugar, and Sugar creamed in the mixer.

Add in 1 (3.4 ounce) package of instant vanilla pudding, mix until well blended.

TIP: Pudding mix creates the “chew” in these cookies. Here’s a little tip…you can switch out the vanilla pudding for cheesecake flavored pudding. Get creative! Put your own twist on this recipe. I love and encourage when cooks do their own things with my recipes.

Stir in 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend in flour mixture. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl until all ingredients are well combined.

Flour mixture being added to creamed mixture in mixing bowl.

Add 2 cups white chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts, and 1 cup dried cranberries.

If you’re feeling like Santa on steroids you can mix them in by hand…if you’re feeling like an exhausted reindeer in dire need of caffeine, then I’d let the mixer do the work! (I’m always the reindeer! Especially at this time of year!)

Adding in the white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, and cranberries to cookie dough in the mixing bowl.

Forming Cookie Dough into cookies

Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, place a packed scoop on a silicone lined baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.

NOTE: You can use parchment paper on your baking sheet if you don’t have silicon baking mats. However, do not grease your baking sheets.

Scoops of cookie dough in baking sheet, lined with silicone baking mat.

PRO TIP: To create the perfect beautiful cookie, press 2-3 white chocolate chips on top of each dollop of cookie dough and 1-2 dried cranberries. This will give each cookie that perfect top you see in a professionally made cookie.

Adding cranberries and chocolate chips on top of each cookie.

Baking Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies

Place cookies on baking sheet in preheated 350° oven, and bake for 10–12 minutes, switching baking racks halfway through the baking process. This helps create the perfectly baked cookie.

Edges should be golden brown and set. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 1–2 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Cranberry and White Chocolate Chip cookies on baking sheet after baking.

Place cookies on cooling rack until cool. Store in airtight container until ready to eat.

TIP: You can freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container with layers of wax paper between them up to one month. The raw cookie dough can also be frozen until ready to bake! Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in Ziploc bag and freeze until ready to bake.

Soft and Chewy White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies

Move over Mall Cookies! There’s a new White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookie in town, and she’s sporting Red gems of cranberries! The burst of flavor the dried cranberries add to this cookie are amazing! I love the little burst of sweet and tart with each bite! They blend perfectly with the creamy white chocolate.

I’ve never been able to have just one of these cookies! They’re the cure to Holiday Stress.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies on a plate with one cookie broken in half.

One look inside, and you know why they’ve rightfully earned their “soft and chewy” reputation. This cookie quickly becomes a favorite of everyone who tries them!

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies on a Christmas Plate.

Other Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes

I think Santa would like a plate full of any of these cookies…but I’m pretty sure he’d really love a plate full of these Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies…and of course a glass of cold milk!

Thanks for stopping by and visiting with me today! I hope you enjoy this recipe. They make a great neighbor gift, holiday buffet church potluck dessert, or a “Help Mom’s having a Santa melt down” treat! ENJOY!

Happy Nesting!

Photo of Norine with her signature "Love Norine".

Yield: 36 cookies

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

Name: Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 36
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cup All-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup butter, softened; 3/4 cups packed brown sugar; 1/4 cup white sugar; 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 cup White Chocolate Chips; 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts; 1 cup dried cranberries

Soft and Chewy Cookies with dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and crunchy macadamia nuts are the perfect Holiday Cookie!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 27 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cup White Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° degrees (175 degrees C). In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix with wire whisk and set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in instant pudding mix until blended. Add in the eggs and vanilla.
Blend in the flour mixture. Stir in the white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, and dried cranberries. Drop cookies by the cookie scoop onto cookie sheets lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Press 2-3 extra white chocolate chips onto the top of each ball of cookie dough and 1-2 dried cranberries into the top of each cookie dough ball.
Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven. Switch baking sheets half-way through baking for even baking. Edges should be golden brown. Cool on baking rack. Store in air tight container or freeze up to one month.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

Ingredients

Instructions

Recommended Products

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size: