If you love soft cookies with slightly crispy edges, these gluten-free cranberry cookies with white chocolate and macadamia nuts will become your new favorite fall cookie recipe! They have the perfect crisp edges and a soft interior. Make a batch in about 30 minutes!
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We are finally in my favorite time of year. The leaves are turning colors, the air is cooler, and cranberries are popular for the next few months! I love using these tart little berries in my baking. You can buy dried cranberries to enjoy these cookies all year!
I promise you, these gluten-free white chocolate and cranberry cookies are worth it! If you want to try different cookie recipes, I highly recommend these gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies! Did you know I have over 100 gluten-free cookie recipes? I have lots of great recipes for you to make.
Sandi’s Testing Notes:
I tested this recipe with both butter and Earth Balance dairy-free butter. Both worked very well, but the ones with Earth Balance spread more. If you don’t want the cookies to spread, I recommend chilling the cookie dough for 20-30 minutes before baking.
Ingredient Notes And Easy Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I have tested this recipe with two different gluten-free flour blends. King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend.
- If your gluten free blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum, you will need this, too.
- Almond Flour – I prefer almond flour to almond meal because it is more finely ground. If you can only find almond meal, it is fine to use.
- Cane Sugar – If you want to keep these cookies lower in glycemic index, you can use coconut sugar. However, it will change the color of the cookies.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – you can also use vanilla bean paste. I don’t recommend imitation vanilla.
- Salt and Baking Powder – I always recommend aluminum-free baking powder because regular baking powder can make cookies slightly bitter.
- Mix-Ins – (Craisins), macadamia nuts, and white chocolate chips.
- To make these cookies dairy-free, use dairy-free butter.
- To make these cookies nut-free, omit the macadamia nuts and the almond flour. Add an additional 3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend.
A Note From My Kitchen
I have a huge weakness for macadamia nuts, white chocolate, and cranberries. The flavors all play off one another, making these cookies great. I tested this recipe with two flour blends, and others will work. As with any gluten-free baked item, make moisture adjustments as needed. Every flour blend varies because of its starch-to-grain ratio. Add more flour if your dough is sticky and wet, and add more butter if your dough is too dry. Add 1 tablespoon at a time so you don’t overdo anything. You’ve got this!
How to Make Gluten-Free Cranberry Cookies (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Add your dry ingredients, including flour, almond flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, to a large
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to blend. Note: I partially melted the butter to soften it, making it easier to mix with the wet ingredients.
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Step 3: Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Add the cranberries, white chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts. Mix the wet and dry ingredients into cookie dough using a large spoon.
Step 5: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes. This will help you prevent the cookies from spreading while baking and eliminate any traces of graininess from the flour. Some flour blends contain a high amount of rice flour, which can make them more gritty. Allowing the dough to rest allows the rice flour to absorb moisture and soften.
🔑 Sandi says: Please note that every gluten-free flour blend has a different grain-to-starch ratio. You may need to add more flour or liquid to match the cookie dough in my photo.
Step 6: Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. If you chilled the dough in a roll, slice the cookies and bake them on a
Step 7: Bake the cookies at 350º F for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven, and carefully slide the cookies on the parchment paper onto a cooling rack. Eat the cookies when they are cooled.
Storage Tips:
These cookies will be kept in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 4 months.
You can freeze the cookie dough to bake later or freeze the baked cookies. Place either in a freezer-safe zipper bag and remove as much air as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You could use fresh cranberries, but the cookies will turn out softer due to the moisture in the fresh cranberries. Fresh cranberries are significantly more sour, so you will need to adjust your sugar accordingly. I haven’t tested this recipe with real cranberries, so I cannot recommend how much additional sugar to add.
Yes, you can quickly refrigerate this gluten-free cookie dough. To make these slices and bake, place the cookie dough onto a piece of wax paper. Shape the dough into a log and roll the wax paper around it. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
If you love baking with fresh cranberries, try these gluten-free cranberry shortbread bars! While visiting, you may like one of these delicious gluten-free cookie recipes.
More Gluten-Free Cranberry Recipes:
Love This Recipe?
💬 Did you make this gluten-free cranberry cookie recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out—and which pan or flour blend you used! Your feedback helps others (and helps me keep improving these recipes for you). ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gluten-Free Cranberry Macadamia White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour *see note
- ¾ cup gluten free flour blend *see note
- ¾ cup sugar *see note
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
- dash salt
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup macadamia nuts chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
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Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients. Whisk to blend them together.
- In a small bowl, partially melt the butter. Add the rest of the wet ingredients, including the eggs and vanilla. Whisk to blend.
- Pour the wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Add your mix-ins.
- Mix well into cookie dough. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F degrees.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop cookie dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and put cookies onto a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- You can use almond flour, which is more finely ground, or almond meal.
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend in this recipe. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- You can substitute coconut sugar for regular sugar to make this lower glycemic.
- Make it nut-free by adding an additional 3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend. (Note, if you use a starchy gluten free flour blend, you may need to adjust this amount slightly so your cookies don’t turn out dry.)
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
Hi Sandi – your recipes are great! I’m an avid baker so typically don’t have any issues , but followed recipe exactly and dough was very soft (maybe melted butter was too warm)had to chill for over an hour … and cookies took 18 mins to bake- used a regular size ice cream scoop. Any thoughts??
Hi Mia, I haven’t heard of this happening. Which gluten free flour blend did you use and did you sub any ingredients? An ice cream scoop is probably double the size of mine so the baking time is probably right at 18 minutes for giant cookies.
Why melt the butter or butter substitute?
You can melt or soften. I just find it absorbs and softens the dough so it isn’t as gritty.
Recipe looks awesome, I’m in Australia
Can I ask how many grams
1 stick of butter is please ?
Thanks ?
Hi Cook, one stick of butter is 1/2 cup.
You said to make these vegan use vegan butter but what do I use to replace the eggs?
Hi Mireille, I think you misunderstood. I said to substitute regular butter for vegan butter, which is dairy-free. I didn’t say these cookies could be made vegan.
Hai…. is it possible if I change almond flour with coconut flour?
Hi Vania, Unfortunately, this recipe is going to turn out very dry with coconut flour. Coconut flour needs a ton of liquid and I worry it will not work in this recipe. If you do try it, you will need to add a lot more liquid and some type of binder so they don’t fall apart.
Maybe I did something wrong, my cookies were flat not fluffy and spread out a lot. However, they do taste wonderful. Any recommendations for why my cookies were so flat?
Hi Barbara, it could be the gluten free flour blend you used. The ratio of gluten free flours/starches in a blend can affect the moisture ratio and the thickness of the cookie. If you use the flour blend you have, you may consider adding more flour so that these cookies are puffed like in my photos. I hope this helps.