Cranberry Bliss Cookies

If you love a good holiday cookie, these Cranberry Bliss Cookies need to be on your baking list! They're soft, chewy, a little fancy (but super easy to make), and basically everything you love about the classic Cranberry Bliss Bars in cookie form!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberry bliss cookies

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings -22 cookies

Calories 338kcal

Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

For the cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. fresh orange zest
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 Tbsp. whole milk
2¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. fine salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
3/4 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

Orange cream cheese frosting

4 oz. full-fat brick-style cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. fresh orange zest
Pinch of salt

For decorating

1/3 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/3 cup white chocolate chips, melted
Extra orange zest

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Instructions

Prepare the oven: Preheat to 350°F. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and zest for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Start Timer
1 cup unsalted butter, 1¼ cups light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp. fresh orange zest
Add wet ingredients: Mix in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and milk until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, 2 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, 1 Tbsp. whole milk

The picture shows adding the orange zest with the rest of the wet ingredients, but the recipe actually is better when you add the orange zest when you cream the butter and sugar to help release its natural oils and distribute the citrus flavor more evenly throughout the cookie dough. Just a little error when photographing the recipe!

Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, and cinnamon.
2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. fine salt, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
Make the dough: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate and chopped cranberries.
3/4 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate, 3/4 cup dried cranberries
Chill: Chill the dough for ~30 minutes. Start Timer
Scoop: Portion the dough into approximately 2½ Tbsp. balls. Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake: Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes Start Timer, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Avoid overbaking. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes Start Timer, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
4 oz. full-fat brick-style cream cheese, 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1¼ cups powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. fresh orange zest, Pinch of salt
Decorate: Spread or pipe frosting onto each cooled cookie. Sprinkle with chopped dried cranberries and drizzle with melted white chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set before serving. ENJOY!
1/3 cup dried cranberries, 1/3 cup white chocolate chips, Extra orange zest

Notes

Use fresh orange zest: Fresh zest makes such a difference! It adds a bright citrus flavor to both the cookie dough and frosting that really makes the cranberry and white chocolate flavors pop.
Chop the cranberries: Roughly chopping the dried cranberries helps distribute them more evenly throughout the dough and makes the cookies easier to scoop and bite into.
Store: Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the decorated cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing unfrosted cookies: Baked, unfrosted cookies can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then prepare the frosting and decorate before serving.
Freezing cookie dough: Scoop the cookie dough into balls and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time as needed.

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