Cranberry Orange Pudding Cookies with a White Chocolate Drizzle

This sweet, citrusy cookie has all the best holiday flavors in one bite. You get the tang from the orange zest, the sweetness from the white chocolate, and the lovely pop of flavor from those fresh, tart cranberries. They’re simply delicious.

These cookies perfect all year round, but the cranberry flavor just adds a festive touch that is perfect for Christmastime. This recipe is adapted from the popular “Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookie” recipe on whatmollymade.com (linked in recipe notes). She held a contest to put a holiday spin on her original recipe, and these were one of my favorite entries.

I used fresh cranberries in this recipe instead of dried, and it made all the difference. They plump up in the oven yet hold in all their juice, and when you bite into one, there’s an explosion of fresh, tart flavor.

You also don’t want to skip the orange juice or fresh orange zest. The orange juice gives it a balanced, citrus flavor and the zest adds that tangy zing that makes these cookies SO addicting.

Last, the white chocolate drizzle on top brings out the sugary sweetness of the cookie, and it’s truly incredible. For extra flavor, sprinkle some flakey sea salt over top, too.

To sum it all up, this delicious cookie is a festive flavor explosion that you definitely want to add to your holiday cookie menu!

Cranberry Orange Pudding Cookies with a White Chocolate Drizzle

Jayni Hershberger
These festive cookies are the perfect blend of tart, citrusy and sweet! The juice from the fresh cranberries bursts open with every bite, complemented by that bold orange flavor. And the white chocolate drizzle? Adds that needed touch of sweetness!
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 200 kcal

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or electric handheld mixer

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 3.4 oz. vanilla instant pudding mix
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp. orange juice
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • 2 tbsp. orange zest
  • 2/3 cup white chocolate
  • 2 tsp. coconut oil
  • sea salt, for topping

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer on high speed, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add pudding mix, vanilla, eggs, and orange juice, and continue to beat on high speed for 2-3 more minutes.
  • With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Increase mixer speed until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add cranberries and orange zest, and mix until everything is evenly distributed. It's ok if some of the cranberries burst!
  • Drop cookies by 1/4 cup onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden on the edges. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Melt white chocolate and coconut oil together and drizzle over each cookie, topping with sea salt if desired!

Notes

  • Store leftover cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months!
  • Original Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookie Recipe: https://whatmollymade.com/chocolate-chip-pudding-cookies/
Keyword cookie, cranberry, dessert, orange