Chewy, delicious, colorful chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with fresh cranberries are a seasonal favorite! Dark chocolate and sweet tart cranberries make a delicious contrast in these homemade cookies.
One of my favorite things about the upcoming months is holiday baking. I love to make extra special treats at this time of year. We always do sugar cookie cut outs with the boys – they love to cut the cookies out, and then load them up with frosting and sprinkles (It’s pretty much a sugar fest over here that day!).
My favorite kind of holiday baking always includes seasonal flavors, like gingerbread, or citrus, or in this case, fresh cranberries.
Fresh cranberries are a nice addition to these chewy, thick, chocolatey oatmeal cookies. If you aren’t a cranberry fan, you could add raspberries or even blueberries to these cookies. I think that fruit and oats and chocolate combine to make super delicious cookies.
Can you use fresh cranberries in cookies?
Yes, you can! Fresh cranberries are a little bit tart, so you do want make sure that you include plenty of chocolate chips to balance the flavor out. When they’re baked, they turn such a pretty shade of bright pink – a very festive shade for the holidays.
Can I use dried cranberries rather than fresh in baked goods?
Yes, you can use dried cranberries instead. The flavor will be different – it will be less tart, and the texture of the berries will be chewy rather than soft.
If you aren’t gluten free or vegan, go ahead and use regular butter and regular flour, these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies will still turn out just fine! Because of the fresh cranberries, these are best eaten within three days of baking them. You could also freeze them if you need to keep them for longer.
What can I use instead of oats in oatmeal cookies?
If you can’t have oats, you could add some ground seeds or nuts if you are able, or you could add some more gluten free flour. Oats make these cookies really hearty, so if you want to recreate that texture, ground pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds would be good.
What is the best gluten free flour blend for cookies?
I love using Namaste Perfect Flour Blend for cookies. The texture and flavor is just right, and this flour is fairly easy to find at a health food store, grocery store, or you can get a big bag at Costco.
This recipe is one that I included in my ebook, Vegan Holiday Treats: 29 Recipes to Sweeten Your Season.
I just finished updating Vegan Holiday Treats – I’ve added a few new recipes that I think you’ll love! Some of my very favorite holiday treats are included, like rosemary garlic chex mix, coconut thumbprints, peanut butter pretzel bark, pinwheel cookies, and so many more!
What else is inside Vegan Holiday Treats?
– 29 recipes for cookies, cupcakes, muffins, quick breads, candies, and more!
– 26 of the recipes are brand new, unpublished, and not available on my blog.
– 22 of the recipes are naturally gluten free or can be made with a gluten free flour blend successfully
– two pages of fun printable holiday gift tags designed by me
This is a great time to get ready for your holiday baking!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Recipe
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Fresh Cranberries.
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan buttery spread
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 Tablespoon flax seed meal
- 3 Tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cups gluten free old fashioned oats
- ¾ cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup dairy free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the flax seed egg replacer: put the ground flax seed and water in a small bowl and let it sit for a few minutes until it becomes a gel.
- Combine the gluten free flour blend, baking soda, and sea salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream the vegan buttery spread and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and flax seed egg replacer and mix on medium speed.
- Continue to mix and add the dry ingredients a little at a time. Mix until combined.
- Stop the mixer and stir in the gluten free oats, chocolate chips, and cranberries. Stir well.
- Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 9-11 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
Nutrition
These are perfect to make if you have any leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving! Or if you just need something to snack on while you’re busy shopping Black Friday Sales online! :)
This post was originally published in November 2015.
Cynthia R Gardner
I just made a batch of these last night for my gf, df family and friends but I don’t think they will last for a week. These are so good and so easy! I think I will need to make another batch before Christmas!
Kelly Roenicke
I’m happy you enjoyed them!
Bethany
These cookies look amazing! They are so pretty.
I am hosting a Gluten Free Christmas Treat link up. I would love it if you’d link up. :)
whiskandshout
Isn’t baking with fresh cranberries just a step above? Obsessed :)
Amy
We make a lot of dessert with the Chocolate and Cranberry combinations. Love it.
Kelly
Thank you!