Easy No Bake Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Sweet, chewy, and easy to make, these cranberry oatmeal cookies are a no-bake treat that’s perfect for the holidays.
No bake cranberry oatmeal cookies are a great way to enjoy a sweet dessert without turning on the oven. Perfect for sharing, gifting, or adding to your Christmas cookie tray!
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If you’ve ever prepared a holiday dinner before, you know how hectic it can be.
Between juggling the timing of everything that needs to be baked, deciding what can be made ahead of time without suffering, and figuring out where to store everything in the meantime, it can be just a little chaotic.
That’s why no bake desserts are one of my favorite ways to simplify where I can.
These no bake cranberry oatmeal cookies are a delicious and festive treat you can whip up without turning on the oven, and they don’t have to be refrigerated, so they’re perfect for streamlining your holiday kitchen.
They’re similar to my no bake pumpkin oatmeal cookies, but with a holiday twist.
Old-fashioned oats and dried cranberries are combined with a sugar-and-spice mixture that holds everything together and gives them perfect flavor.
Make a batch for Santa, for a holiday bake sale, for your cookie exchange party, or to add to your dessert table this season!
More No Bake Holiday Treats:
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Cranberry No-Bake Cream Pie
- Pistachio Cream Pie
- Gingerbread Cream Pie
- Biscoff Truffles
- Chocolate Dream Whip Pie
- No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Cranberry Pecan Fruit Dip
- Christmas Tree Cake Trifle
No Bake Cookies with Cranberries
Because these cookies don’t get baked, we’re using dried cranberries (such as Craisins) instead of fresh.
Although I love baking holiday treats with fresh cranberries, they would be too tart and crunchy for these cookies, and they wouldn’t hold up well over time.
I used old-fashioned oats, not instant oatmeal, for these cookies, which gives them a great texture.
For the mixture that holds everything together and coats the cookies, I created a syrup with sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla, then added some Biscoff cookie butter spread.
This helps to act as the binder in the cookies, but it also provides sweetness and a hint of cinnamon flavor.
They’re delicious, with just the right texture!
More Cranberry Recipes to Try:
- Cream Cheese Cranberry Bread
- Cranberry Orange Cake Mix Cookies
- Cranberry Cake Mix Loaf Cake
- Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
- Easy Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecans
- White Chocolate Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
- Easy Cranberry Boursin Dip
How to Make No Bake Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
It’s really easy to make these cookies.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter
- Sugar
- Salt
- Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Cookie Butter
- Old-Fashioned Oats
- Dried Cranberries
How to Make It:
Find the full printable recipe available below
Start the syrup. First, you’ll combine butter, sugar, salt, and some of the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Allow the mixture to melt, stirring occasionally. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir it constantly for two minutes while it boils.
Add cookie butter. Then, you’ll remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the Biscoff spread, stirring well until it’s completely melted.
Add oats and Craisins. Then, you’ll stir in the oatmeal, followed by the cranberries.
Stir well to coat with the liquid mixture.
Shape and cool. Using a cookie scoop, work quickly to scoop the mixture out by rounded tablespoons onto a piece of wax paper.
If the mixture seems crumbly and dry, add a teaspoon or two of milk at a time, then stir it well. The mixture will hold together better after that.
Don’t worry if they look a little wet and sticky–they’ll harden up just fine as they cool.
You can see below the difference between cookies made with the crumbly mixture (on the right) and the mixture with a little extra milk (on the left).
Both ways taste amazing, but I find that adding a little milk if necessary helps the cookies to be less messy and look a little neater.
Let them cool completely, then serve and enjoy!
Notes and Adaptations:
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- I haven’t tried any substitutions for the cookie butter (I used Biscoff brand), but you might be able to use peanut butter or almond butter if preferred–the flavor will be different, though.
Recommended Equipment:
No Bake Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup milk + 1-2 tablespoons, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup cookie butter (such as Biscoff)
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, sugar, salt, 1/4 cup milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir occasionally as the ingredients melt together.
- Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then stir constantly while it boils for two minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add the cookie butter to the pan, stirring well until it's melted and no lumps remain.
- Add the oats, stirring quickly to coat, followed by the dried cranberries. Stir to combine.
- Working quickly, use a cookie scoop to scoop the mixture out by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet. If the mixture seems too dry or crumbly, stir in more milk, 1-2 teaspoons at a time, to loosen the mixture. Don't worry if it looks a little bit wet or sticky–it will dry and firm up as the cookies cool.
- Once the cookies have been scooped out, allow them to cool completely. You can transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator if you want to speed up the process.
Notes
- I used Biscoff brand cookie butter.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.
Equipment
Nutrition
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