White Chocolate Mandarin Cranberry Cookies

White Chocolate Mandarin Cranberry Cookies. December 21, 2021.

New Christmas cookies are always welcome because they spice up the Christmas cookie tray while still enjoying the old favorites. And often Christmas cookies are chocolate, so today’s Christmas cookie is a departure from that with much-loved Christmas flavors such as sweet, tangy mandarins and sweet-tart cranberries. Almond extract and mandarin juice are the two ingredients that make these cookies extra yummy and special. White Chocolate Mandarin Cranberry Cookies are crisp on the bottom and chewy on top, studded with dried cranberries and big chunks of white chocolate. Can I say that these cookies scream out Christmas all over?

These now get requests at Christmas.

White Chocolate Mandarin Cranberry Cookies

These cookies say Christmas all over them! I get 21 large cookies out of this batch. You can make smaller cookies and bake for less time.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. juice from mandarin
• 1 tsp. mandarin zest
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 8 oz. chopped white chocolate
• 1 cup craisins or dried cranberries

Instructions

• Begin by heating the oven to 350.
• Combine butter and sugar.
• Add to the butter mixture add salt, egg, mandarin juice, mandarin zest, and almond extract. Mix until combined.
• In another bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
• Stir the flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture until just combined. Stir in white chocolate and Craisins.
• Refrigerate the dough for a couple of hours.
• Pull out the dough and scoop large balls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 11 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges and just starting to set on top. Don't over-bake.
• Remove from the oven and cool.
• Store the cookies in a plastic container with a lid.

Notes