If you love soft cookies, these gluten free cranberry cookies with white chocolate and macadamia nuts will become your new favorite cookie recipe! One bite of these Craisin cookies and you will be hooked! Macadamia nuts add just the right amount of crunch to these delicious fall cookies.
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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 back! I love using these tart little berries in my baking.
I promise you these gluten free cranberry macadamia white chocolate chip cookies are worth it! If you want to try different cookie recipes, I highly recommend these gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies!
Why these cookies are great:
We are so into these cookies because of the fun flavors. There is a slight crunch to these cookies and you can make them all year long. You can substitute all sorts of things like raisins, different nuts, even make them dairy-free. I love when cookie recipes are super versatile.
What you need to make these:
- Gluten free flour blend - I have tested this recipe with two gluten free flour blends. King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend. This doesn't mean other brands won't work, I just haven't tested them.
- 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.
- Sugar - if you want to keep these lower glycemic, you can use coconut sugar. Note it will change the color of the cookies
- Butter - or vegan butter
- Pure vanilla extract - you can also use vanilla bean.
- Salt and baking powder
- Mix-ins : dried cranberries, macadamia nuts, and white chocolate chips.
How to make these cookies:
Step 1 
Step 2
Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a bowl. Whisk to blend.
Step 2: In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and whisk to blend.
Step 3 
Step 4
Step 3: Pour your wet ingredients over the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Add the mix-ins and mix your cookie dough. Let sit 5-10 minutes.
Step 5: Use a cookie scoop to drop the cookie dough onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Step 6: Bake at 350º degrees for 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and move to a cooling rack.
Common Questions & Tips:
These cookies will keep in an air-tight container up to 4 day or in a freezer bag in the freezer up to 4 months.
These cookies are easy to make dairy-free by substituting vegan butter for the regular butter.
You can definitely make these nut-free with some tweaking. First and most obvious is to omit the macadamia nuts. For the dough, omit the almond flour and add an additional ¾ cup gluten free flour blend. Note if you are using a starchy gluten free flour blend, you may need to adjust this amount a little lower so your cookies don't turn out dry.
You could use fresh cranberries, but the cookies will turn out a lot softer. Fresh cranberries are a lot more sour so you would need to adjust your sugar accordingly. I haven't tested real cranberries in this recipe so I am unable to say how much additional sugar.
If you love baking with fresh cranberries, try these gluten free cranberry shortbread bars!
Variations:
Macadamia nuts add a tropical crunch to these cookies. I know macadamia nuts can get expensive, so here are some good substitutes:
- Pecans
- Almond Slivers
- Walnuts
- Pistachios
While you are visiting, you may like one of these delicious gluten free cookie recipes too!
More Cranberries Recipes:
📖 Recipe
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
- 1 stick butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- dash salt
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup macadamia nuts chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F degrees.
- In a large bowl, add all dry ingredients. Whisk to blend.
- In a small bowl, add all wet ingredients. Whisk to blend.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Add your mix-ins.
- Mix well.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop cookie dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake 8 minutes until done.
- 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.
- To make this lower glycemic, you can substitute coconut sugar for the regular sugar.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
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Julie
Why melt the butter or butter substitute?
Sandi Gaertner
You can melt or soften. I just find it absorbs and softens the dough so it isn't as gritty.
Cook
Recipe looks awesome, I’m in Australia
Can I ask how many grams
1 stick of butter is please ?
Thanks ?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Cook, one stick of butter is 1/2 cup.
Mireille crepeau
You said to make these vegan use vegan butter but what do I use to replace the eggs?
Sandi Gaertner
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.
Vania
Hai.... is it possible if I change almond flour with coconut flour?
Sandi Gaertner
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.
Barbara
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?
Sandi Gaertner
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.
sara | belly rumbles
A couple of these with a cup of tea would go down a treat right now. They look delicious.