Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Quick Summary: Oatmeal craisin cookies are chewy, one-bowl cookies made with old-fashioned oats, whole wheat flour, and tangy craisins (dried cranberries), then topped with white chocolate. These no-chill holiday cookies are ready in about an hour.

What are oatmeal craisin cookies?

Oatmeal craisin cookies are a variation of the classic oatmeal raisin cookie that swaps the raisins for craisins, a brand of sweetened dried cranberries.

The dried cranberries add a tangy, tart note that balances the sweetness, while old-fashioned oats give the cookies their signature chewy texture. This version also folds in orange zest and a white chocolate topping for a festive finish.

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, this recipe is a festive treat for your holiday season.

Why you'll love this recipe

• A twist on a classic: these chewy oatmeal craisin cookies are a fresh take on classic oatmeal raisin cookies.

• Better ingredients: no trans fats from margarine or shortening, and a blend of whole wheat flour and oats for added nutrients.

• Not too sweet: despite the refined sugars, they are not oversweet, staying chewy inside and crisp on the outside.

• One bowl, no chill: this recipe is quick and easy, with no need to chill the dough, and makes about 30 cookies in an hour.

• A holiday treat: They are perfect as an edible gift and a great addition to a cookie box or a holiday cookie tray.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Almonds bring a wonderful nutty flavor to cookies. Use whole almonds with skin on and roast them yourself, or use store-bought roasted almonds.

• Flour: Use all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour (in the US) or wholemeal flour (in the UK and Europe). You can also try using light-colored whole-wheat flour.

• Old-fashioned oats are the best oats to use in the recipe. Avoid steel-cut oats and quick oats (aka instant oats), as they will not give the baked cookies the right chewy texture.

• Salt: A pinch of salt elevates the taste of cookies.

• Butter: The recipe calls for unsalted butter, softened at room temperature. Avoid using melted butter as a substitute. You can use brown butter in its solid form at a 1:1 ratio.

• Sugar: Use white sugar (granulated or caster sugar) or replace it with golden or dark brown sugar.

• Orange zest: Choose an organic, untreated orange to make fresh orange zest. Use a Microplane to avoid adding the bitter pith to the recipe.

• Craisins: Use sweetened dried cranberries such as Craisins® or unsweetened dried cranberries if you watch your sugar intake. Replace dried cranberries (not fresh cranberries) with raisins, dried cherries, or even dried apricots.

• Orange juice: Make it yourself with a citrus squeezer or use store-bought.

• White chocolate: Use Lindt classic white chocolate or Callebaut white chocolate callets.

Equipment

You need only a few basic tools to make these oatmeal craisin cookies:

• Stand mixer or hand mixer: to cream the butter, sugar, and orange zest.
• Rubber spatula: to scrape the bowl and fold the dough.
• Rolling pin: to roll out the cookie dough.
• Round cookie cutter: to cut the cookies (2.5-inch / 7 cm).
• Baking sheets with parchment paper: to bake the cookies.
• Wire rack: to cool the cookies.
• Double boiler: to melt the white chocolate for decorating.

How to make oatmeal craisin cookies

Step 1. To roast almonds, heat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Place whole nuts on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.

Step 2. Remove almonds from the oven and let cool. Then coarsely chop the roasted nuts and set aside.

Step 3. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Prepare two baking sheets covered with parchment paper.

Step 4. To make the cookie batter, soak dried cranberries in orange juice for 10-15 minutes.

Step 5. In a separate large bowl, combine oats, chopped almonds, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt, and set aside. 

Step 6. Place softened butter, sugar, and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (photo 1). 

Step 7. Cream butter mixture on medium speed for about two minutes (photo 2). If needed, scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Step 8. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined (photo 3).

Step 9. Add the drained cranberries and mix for a few seconds (don't overmix!) (photo 4).

Step 10. Transfer the cookie dough to a floured surface and form a ball with your hands. Add flour as needed to make the dough easier to work with.

Step 11. Take half of the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin to reach a thickness of ⅕-inch (0.5 cm).

Step 12. Cut the dough into rounds using a 2.5-inch (7 cm) round cookie cutter (photo 5).

Step 13. Arrange cut-out cookies on the prepared baking sheets (photo 6) and bake for 18 minutes until golden brown. Finish the remaining dough in the same way.

Step 14. Remove ready cookies from the oven (photo 7) and let them cool on a wire rack.

Step 15. To decorate cookies, melt white chocolate in a double boiler or a microwave.

Step 16. Pour one tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each cookie and spread with the back of a spoon (photo 8).

Step 17. Leave the cookies at room temperature for about 1 hour to set the chocolate.

Expert tips

1. Beat the butter, sugar, and orange zest with an electric mixer, then mix the dough in a bowl with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon if you don't have a stand mixer.
2. Don't over-mix. When adding dry ingredients and soaked cranberries, mix gently until just mixed.
3. Skip the rolling if desired. Just scoop the dough with an ice cream scoop and place the cookie dough balls on ungreased cookie sheets lined with parchment.
4. Let the chocolate thicken a bit if you prefer to cover cookies with a thick layer of chocolate.
5. Let the chocolate set for at least one hour before packing the cookies.

Recipe variations

• Replace orange zest and orange juice with lemon zest and lemon juice. If desired, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

• Swap craisins (dried cranberries) for other dried fruit: cherries, blueberries, or apricots. Or replace half of the cranberries with white or dark chocolate chips or small chocolate chunks. If you are a fan of raisins, make traditional oatmeal cookies for kids.

• Replace almonds with other nuts, such as hazelnuts, pistachios, pecans, or sunflower seeds, or add a little flaxseed.

• Use unsweetened dried cranberries and omit the white chocolate decoration on top if you watch your sugar intake. But try not to decrease the sugar too much, since it adds sweetness and texture to baked goods.

• Play with the cookie shape. They're usually made in round shapes, but try other simple cookie cutters.

How to serve oatmeal craisin cookies

These craisin cookies are a treat on their own, but here are a few ways to enjoy them:

• With a hot drink: serve them with coffee, tea, or a mug of hot chocolate for an afternoon treat.
• On a cookie board: add them to a holiday cookie box or a Christmas cookie tray alongside other festive bakes.
• As a gift: pack a few in a cellophane bag or tin for an edible homemade present.
• With ice cream: crumble them over vanilla ice cream, or sandwich a scoop between two cookies.

Storing & freezing

Store oatmeal craisin cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Can you freeze craisin oatmeal cookies? You can freeze the entire batch of cookies, but without the chocolate topping. Place them in an airtight container or a freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.

Freezing will probably be the best option to preserve your treats if you make a double batch of cookies.

Recipe FAQ

What is whole wheat flour?
Whole wheat flour is made by grinding the entire grain of hard white spring wheat, so it keeps the bran and germ.

Can you use a different flour?
The combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour works best for this recipe, but you can increase the whole wheat amount if you like.

Can you make the cookies gluten-free?
Yes. Use gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats and a gluten-free flour blend to make them gluten-free.

Can you use quick oats in place of old-fashioned oats?
It is not recommended. Quick oats will change the texture, and the cookies will lose their chewy bite.

How many calories are in an oatmeal craisin cookie?
One oatmeal craisin cookie has about 175 calories, based on 28 cookies per batch.

Love cookie recipes? Try these next!

• Italian shortbread cookies
• Chocolate banana cookies
• Coconut macaroons
• French vanilla cookies
• Or browse all the cookie recipes

Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for my latest updates. If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below!

Print

Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/. It was originally published on December 02, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.