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Home » Cookies

Published: Jan 21, 2019 · Modified: Oct 28, 2022 by Kathy

Chewy Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

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A glass storage container stacked with oatmeal cookies.

Do you love cookies that strike the perfect balance between soft and chewy? These Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies deliver just that! With a slightly crispy exterior and a tender, chewy center, each bite is packed with the wholesome goodness of oats and the tart sweetness of dried cranberries.

A plate filled with a stack of oatmeal cranberry cookies.

These Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies Are Delicious

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies are a delicious treat combining chewy oats with the tangy flavor of dried cranberries. They’re a family favorite in my house, especially during the holiday season, but they’re just as perfect for everyday snacking or packing into lunch boxes.

My top tips for the best oatmeal cranberry cookies:

  • Use old-fashioned oats. They provide the perfect chewy texture and hold up well in the cookie dough. Avoid quick oats, as they can make the cookies too soft.
  • Soften your butter. Softened butter ensures the dough mixes smoothly for evenly baked cookies.
  • Don’t overmix. Once the dry ingredients are added, mix just until combined to avoid tough cookies.
  • Chill the dough if needed. If your dough feels too soft, chilling it for 20–30 minutes will help the cookies keep their shape while baking.

These cookies are wonderfully chewy, lightly spiced, and full of flavor. Whether you’re making them for a holiday platter or just because they’re sure to disappear quickly!

Ingredients For Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients for making oatmeal cookies with cranberries.
  • Oats - Use old-fashioned oatmeal or rolled oats. The thicker oats work best in this cookie because has great texture. Do not use instant or one-minute oats.
  • Brown sugar - the brown sugar helps keep the cookie soft and chewy
  • Butter - I use salted butter. Make certain your butter is at room temperature so it can easily be mixed in with the sugar.
  • Cranberries - dried sweetened cranberries

How to Make Chewy Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

  1. Cream butter and sugar together
  2. Add eggs and vanilla
Mixing butter and brown sugar together.
Eggs and vanilla added to cookie dough.

3. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix to combine
4. Mix in oats

Flour and cinnamon added to cookie dough.
Oats added to a bowl with cookie dough.

5. Stir in cranberries

Dried cranberries in a bowl with cookie dough.
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie dough on a baking sheet ready for the oven.

6. Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to form balls of cookie dough on an ungreased cookie sheet
7. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 8-10 minutes
8. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes and then remove to a baking rack until fully cooled

A plateful of Cookies.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Recipe Variations

  • Use raisins in place of the cranberries
  • Add a cup of chocolate chips
  • Stir in toasted pecans or walnuts
  • For a delicious twist, add orange zest to the batter
  • Top unbaked cookies with a sprinkle of sea salt

Tips For Making Craisin Oatmeal Cookies

  • Make certain your butter is at room temperature
  • Whip butter for 3-4 minutes along with brown sugar
  • Use real vanilla, not imitation
  • Use Old Fashioned Oats - not quick-cook oats. Old Fashioned Oats are thicker and hold together better in these cookies.
  • Don't overbake the cookies.

Storing this Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies Recipe

These cookies are perfect for making ahead of time and freezing.

My grandmother used to make batches of cookies and freeze them. She always had cookies to serve if anyone dropped over for a visit.

My sister also freezes cookies, but not to serve to company. She likes to eat them frozen! She pulls out one at a time and eats them in their hard frozen state.

To freeze

  • Allow cookies to cool completely on a baking rack
  • Place cookies in an airtight container or a freezer bag
  • Arrange cookies in a single layer
  • Place a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper on top of cookies and add another layer of cookies
  • Freeze the container in a flat position
  • Cookies will last up to three months in a deep freezer

To thaw

  • Remove cookies from freezer
  • Let sit for at least 2 hours at room temperature

Recipe Faqs

What is the best way to store cranberry oatmeal cookies?

Allow cookies to fully cool on baking rack. Place in an airtight container or storage bag. Store at room temperature.

Can I freeze cranberry oatmeal cookies?

Yes, these cookies freeze well. Once the cookies are fully cool, place in a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

More great cookie recipes

  • Cowboy Cookies
  • Sour Cream Cookies
  • Mini M&M Cookies
  • Raspberry Bow Tie Cookies
  • Cranberry Swirl Cookies
  • Dark Chocolate Oat Cookies
  • Pecan Icebox Cookies
  • Lemon Sugar Cookies
  • Thumbprint Cookies
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Homemade cookies in a storage container.

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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

A plate filled with a stack of oatmeal cookies with cranberries.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies Recipe

Kathy Berget
Oatmeal cookies with sweetened dried cranberries.
4.95 from 127 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 36 cookies
Calories 130 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Stand Mixer
  • Cookie Scoop
  • Cookie Sheet
  • Cooling Rack
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup butter, salted (softened)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups oats
  • 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until soft and light. Add brown sugar and continue mixing. Mix together until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes.
    1 cup butter, salted, 1 cup brown sugar
  • Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
    1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 eggs
  • Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
    1 ¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Add oats. Mix just until combined. 
    3 cups oats
  • Fold in dried cranberries.
    1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
  • Form small scoops of cookies. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
  • Bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 8-10 minutes.
  • Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes on baking sheet and then remove to a baking rack to continue cooling. 

Notes

Tips
  • Make certain your butter is at room temperature
  • Use real vanilla, not imitation
  • Use old fashioned oats or rolled oats - not quick cook oats. Old Fashioned Oats are thicker and hold together better in these cookies.
  • Add sweetened dried cranberries or raisins

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 170IUCalcium: 13mgIron: 0.7mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Felice Nelson says

    September 28, 2024 at 2:40 pm

    5 stars
    It is about time that I thank you for this perfect no fail recipe. Have been making it regularly and my husband and I adore them.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      September 28, 2024 at 5:38 pm

      Thanks so much! I'm so glad you both enjoy them!

      Reply
  2. SC says

    November 28, 2023 at 5:30 am

    3 stars
    Something seemed off with the flavor from the batch I made. I'm thinking the addition of walnuts and using the 50% less sugar craisins made these more bland.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 28, 2023 at 7:06 am

      Hi! I'm sorry these didn't work for you. The recipe was written with regularly sweetened cranberries. That may have made the difference. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Autumn says

    November 13, 2023 at 8:44 pm

    5 stars
    I halved the recipe, used orange extract instead of vanilla, and added chopped walnuts. Rolled out bigger cookies and ended up baking them for 15+ minutes. Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 14, 2023 at 4:22 am

      Thanks for your suggestions! 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed the cookies!

      Reply
  4. Annie H says

    October 01, 2023 at 12:53 pm

    5 stars
    Baked 30 of them and they turned out perfect! I love this recipe. It's super easy and doesn't require too much time.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      October 01, 2023 at 8:53 pm

      Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  5. H0wl says

    September 26, 2023 at 6:43 pm

    Can these be frozen for later?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      September 27, 2023 at 4:45 am

      Yes! These cookies freeze well. Wait till they are fully cool and place in a freezer safe container or bag. Enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Amanda says

    August 10, 2023 at 9:45 am

    Instead of orange zest, do you think orange extract flavor would be ok?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      August 10, 2023 at 12:02 pm

      Hi Amanda,
      This recipe doesn't use orange zest. Was it another recipe you were thinking of?
      Kathy

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 12, 2023 at 7:22 pm

        No, sorry. I was going to add a little off the recommendations I saw in the comments. I love cranberry and orange bread, so was just curious.

      • Kathy says

        August 12, 2023 at 8:29 pm

        I think using the orange extract in place of the vanilla would work. 🙂

  7. Brentlee says

    July 20, 2023 at 1:50 pm

    5 stars
    These were delicious!! Thanks for sharing the recipe ❤️

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 21, 2023 at 4:25 am

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  8. Marcie McGuire says

    February 21, 2023 at 10:10 am

    Made this recipe for a meeting…delicious! I added a cup of lightly salted and toasted chopped pecans to the batter. Kicked the cookies up a notch. They were a hit!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      February 21, 2023 at 2:04 pm

      Sounds like a great idea! Toasted pecans have so much flavor!
      Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  9. Chris G. says

    January 29, 2023 at 6:19 am

    I made these cookies a million times and love them. However for health reasons I need to cut back on my saturated fat intake. I would substitute egg whites for whole eggs, but any suggestions on butter substitutes?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      January 29, 2023 at 6:45 am

      Hi Chris,
      I have only made these cookies as written. You should be able to substitute margarine for the butter if that's a better choice for you.
      Kathy

      Reply
      • Chris says

        January 29, 2023 at 11:41 am

        Thank you for replying so quickly. After some searching I think I might try Canola Oil.
        Have you ever tried substituting Canola Oil in any of your cookie recipes?
        Thank you.

      • Kathy says

        January 29, 2023 at 4:01 pm

        I have not, but now I'm curious! Let me know if you try it and how they turn out!
        Thanks 🙂

    • Peter S says

      June 05, 2023 at 11:29 am

      4 stars
      I used only 1 stick of butter and subbed avocado oil for the other stick (about 4 oz). Amazing!

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        June 05, 2023 at 12:23 pm

        Great idea! Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂

      • Diana Rock says

        December 05, 2023 at 12:41 pm

        My dough was very dry and grumble. Not sure why. Taste is good but cookies are dry. Any idea what I did wrong?

      • Kathy says

        December 05, 2023 at 1:54 pm

        Hi Diana,
        How did you measure your flour? It's very easy to add too much flour simply by compacting your flour while measuring. Be certain to fluff and scoop your flour.

  10. Diann says

    November 29, 2022 at 7:05 pm

    Delicious oatmeal cookies with raisins!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 30, 2022 at 4:45 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  11. Jodi says

    November 19, 2022 at 5:27 pm

    5 stars
    Loved these.. I only had quick oats but it worked out perfectly. Thanks for sharing these

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 20, 2022 at 5:05 am

      Great! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Anne says

    November 10, 2022 at 7:13 am

    5 stars
    We love this recipe! Thanks for posting it😃Recently I bought some cranberry oatmeal cookies from the local supermarket that were tasty but then realized how yucky the ingredients were. Made this just as written and the cookies were perfect. I love walnuts so added a just a few. Also like the suggestion about adding orange zest. Will definitely keep this recipe in the rotation!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 10, 2022 at 8:09 am

      Thank you so much! Homemade are always better than store bought, in my opinion. It's also fun to make the cookies your own by adding your favorites. Thanks so much for your comment! I really appreciate it. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Donna says

    February 05, 2022 at 10:12 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! Great recipe! Only added more cinnamon cause we love it otherwise cookies came out perfect! Thanks for the recipe:)

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      February 05, 2022 at 11:11 am

      Thank you!!! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Laurie says

    December 11, 2021 at 9:22 am

    5 stars
    Hi Kathy, I bake a lot of cookies and always looking for new recipes and I found this recipe which I thought was exceptional, my cookies turned out great, no need to change recipe, but I do agree with adding some orange zest which I will do next time around. I buy up fresh cranberries after Thanksgiving since their on sale cheap and freeze them. I make cranberry-orange bread, love the flavor of them together. My husband is a retired farmer but still cleans grain for customers and he's always on the road, so I make lots of cookies to take with him (besides his lunch of course) to snack on with his helping hand. I will be scanning your site for more recipes to enjoy. Thank you

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 11, 2021 at 11:08 am

      Hi Laurie,
      Thanks for your comment. Adding orange zest would be delicious! There's nothing better than homemade cookies and your husband is lucky you keep him well stocked with cookies!
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  15. Madison says

    November 29, 2021 at 1:04 pm

    4 stars
    Yum yum yum! Overall very tasty, they are quite oat-y and chewy, but in a good way. I added extra salt (totaling about .5 teaspoon) and cinnamon (totaling 1.5 teaspoons) and cooked in a gas oven for 9.5 min for that "just doughy" but crispy on the bottom. Very glad I got that extra hint of salt, but wish there was a little more sweetness (maybe a splash of maple syrup?) and maybe only 2.5 cups of oats. Thanks for the recipe will make again!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 29, 2021 at 1:12 pm

      Thanks for your comment and suggestions. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Stacey Swafford says

    November 20, 2021 at 2:20 pm

    2 stars
    Something was off. Not enough sweetness. Maybe needs sugar.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 20, 2021 at 8:00 pm

      Thank you for your comment.

      Reply
  17. RLSCM says

    October 07, 2021 at 10:29 am

    I wonder if there is a liquid ingredient missing from the list. The eggs and vanilla were not enough to combine the mixture. I added some milk until the consistency seemed right. They definitely looked good coming out of the oven. I think they turned out well this way and my son said he likes them.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      October 08, 2021 at 7:32 pm

      This is a thick cookie dough. However, in order for the dough not to be too dry you do need to have your butter at room temperature and make certain you cream you butter and sugar together until really soft.

      Reply
  18. Jessica says

    September 26, 2021 at 3:33 pm

    Loved this recipe! Delicious!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      September 26, 2021 at 3:46 pm

      Thank you!!! 🙂

      Reply
  19. Misty B. says

    September 01, 2021 at 8:47 pm

    5 stars
    My new favorite oatmeal raisin cookie. I made with dried cranberries and they were delicious! I used quick rolled oats and they worked just fine. I did put the dough in the freezer for about ten minutes before baking and the texture was perfect. But I've rarely met a cookie I didn't like.;)

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      September 02, 2021 at 6:56 am

      Hi Misty,
      Thanks so much!!! I appreciate your tips and I agree - I've rarely me a cookie I didn't like either!!! 🙂
      Kathy

      Reply
  20. Lisa says

    August 31, 2021 at 5:45 pm

    Kathy,
    Is there a way to add some orange flavor to these cookies. I think they would really hit home at my house if I could. BTW great cookie recipe.

    Thanks,
    Lisa

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      September 01, 2021 at 6:47 am

      Hi Lisa,
      Try zesting an orange peel into the cookie dough. Add it along with the eggs and vanilla.
      Let me know how they turn out!
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
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I'm Kathy, and I love to create delicious recipes from scratch utilizing many ingredients that we grow and raise. I'm a recipe creator, food photographer, and cookbook author!

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