Irresistible, chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies loaded with tart cranberries and crunchy walnuts. A yummy, chocolatey, sweet, slightly tart, and nutty cookie everyone will love!
Why You’ll Love This Chewy Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
If you’re searching for the ultimate cookie that delivers a perfect blend of chocolatey, sweet, tart, and nutty, look no further! Packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips, hearty oats, tart dried cranberries, and crunchy walnuts, they bake up soft and chewy in the center with crisp, golden edges. This simple, no-fuss recipe is one you will want to make year-round, and is perfect for the holidays. Cookie perfection!
A New Twist on a Classic Cookie
This recipe is adapted from my favorite Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe from King Arthur Test Kitchen, which was named their 2015 Recipe of the Year. I used their fantastic base exactly as written and simply added dried cranberries and crunchy walnuts to the dough, transforming the cookie into a chocolatey, sweet, slightly tart, nutty delicious cookie. Please note, I was not paid or sponsored by King Arthur to promote them or their recipe, I am just a fan.
Ingredients for Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Find the complete, printable recipe, including measurements and instructions, in the recipe card below.
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- rolled oats – old-fashioned or quick-cooking
- baking powder
- baking soda
- kosher salt OR regular table salt
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- dried cranberries
- chopped walnuts
How to Make Chewy Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar and brown sugar until blended well, smooth and creamy. Use a stand mixer or by hand.
Next add egg, egg yolk and vanilla – mix well until smooth.
In a medium size bowl, add flour, oats, salt, baking soda and baking powder, mix well then add to the butter mixture. Mix until the flour mixture has completely incorporated – Do Not Over Mix.
Last, fold the chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts, into the cookie dough until evenly distributed – Do Not Over Mix.
Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough (pick the size you like) on prepared baking sheets 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart. I use a medium size Pampered Chef scooper, rounded scoop of cookie dough.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 12–17 minutes, depending on size of cookies. Cookies are ready when they start to turn light golden brown with slightly dark edges. My cookies were ready in 16 minutes.
Remove cookies and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
You do not have to chill the dough. However, if your kitchen is warm, or it’s summer, placing the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes is a good idea. Chilling the dough helps control the spread and will give your cookies a better, soft and chewy texture.
Completely cooled cookies can be stored at room temperature up to 5 days. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week, and in the freezer up to 3 months.
Yes, absolutely! This recipe is easy to customize. You can swap the dried cranberries for raisins (or another dried fruit like cherries) and substitute semi-sweet chocolate for white chocolate chips. For the nuts, you can use pecans or almonds instead of walnuts. You can even skip both the cranberries and walnuts for an amazing, simple oatmeal chocolate chip cookie that will knock your socks off!
Yes, but I think old-fashioned oats are best!
CRANBERRY WALNUT OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
PINNABLE IMAGE
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes to Try!
Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats – or quick oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt – OR 3/4 teaspoon regular table salt
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 ounce bag)
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, and brown sugar until blended well, smooth and creamy. Use a stand mixer or by hand.
- Next, add egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract – mix well until smooth.
- In a medium size bowl, add flour, oats, salt, baking soda and baking powder, mix well then add to the butter mixture. Mix until the flour mixture has completely incorporated – Do Not Over Mix.
- Last, fold the chocolate chips, dried cranberries and chopped walnuts into the cookie dough until evenly distributed – Do Not Over Mix.
- Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough (pick the size you like) on prepared baking sheets 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart. I use a medium size Pampered Chef scooper.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 12–17 minutes, depending on size of cookies. Cookies are ready when they start to turn light golden brown with slightly dark edges.
- Remove cookies and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Storage:
- Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
TIPS
- Adjust the quantities of chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and walnuts to customize the flavor and sweetness to your liking.
- Be sure to use unsalted butter, at room temperature.
- Eggs need to be at room temperature too (1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk).
- Recipe makes cookies depending on size – I use a medium-size Pampered Chef Scooper which makes approximately 42 cookies. Baking time for this size cookie is approximately minutes.
DP
I haven’t made these yet, but very intrigued. Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried?
Mary Neumann
Hello DP, I’m not sure how they’d turn out, fresh cranberries are pretty tart and a different texture. If you do use fresh cranberries, I would cut them in quarters. The original cookie recipe is fantastic – a favorite.
Marsha J Baker
These cookies look and sound fabulous. The favorite cookie that my mom made was a chocolate chip with oatmeal….and I LOVE craisins. I will be trying soon!<3
Mary Neumann
Hello Marsha! I love craisins too. I was worried my picky husband would not care for them, he likes simple chocolate chip cookies (and m&m cookies), but he loved them! They have just a slight tartness to them.
Hope you are well. Happy fall baking!
Deb
I made these today. Too over the top sweet for me. I don’t think I would make this again. I was wishing I would have just used my chocolate chip oatmeal recipe and added cranberries to it.
I also ended up baking them at 350°f
Mary Neumann
Hello Deb, Sorry you found them too sweet. The original cookie recipe, which is the base, is loved by so many. Maybe it’s the cranberries you’re not a fan of in the cookie.