This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my privacy policy for more information.

The title is a mouthful but so are these chewy cookies! Vegan and gluten free, white chocolate macadamia nut cranberry cookies are a must bake this holiday season! Get ready to wow your taste buds with this sweet and nutty combo.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe?

You’ll love these cookies because of the decadent vegan white chocolate chips (which aren’t the easiest to find in store but I’ll link a great brand you can get from Amazon).

Enjoy Life White Chocolate Mini Baking Chips

The tartness of the cranberries and buttery flavor of the macadamia nuts make these cookies, holiday worthy!

This cookie recipe reminds me of a “Blue Chip Cookie Company” cookie. I remember, as a kid walking through the mall with my dad, during the Christmas holidays…he would always stop and grab some of their white chocolate macadamia nut cookies!

Holiday cookies are special not only because of the recipes themselves but because of the memories behind the recipes!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cranberry Cookies Vegan with Miyoko's butter.

Ingredients

Flax Eggs: 2 Tablespoons ground flax meal + 4 Tablespoons of water
Vegan or Dairy Free Butter: My favorite butter substitute that I recommend for baking is Miyoko’s Organic Vegan Butter. They make unsalted (which is used in this recipe) and salted. Check them out here.
Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is a palm sugar produced from the sap of the flower bud stem of the coconut palm. It’s a natural plant-based sweetener. It contains a small amount of inulin, a type of soluble fiber that can help blood sugar spikes less likely.
Pure Cane Sugar: The brand I use in our house is Zulka, Morena Pure Cane Sugar. It is not processed to remove color like regular white sugar. The natural color is a golden brown. Morena is never refined and minimally processed. The crystals are a little bigger than normal but haven’t negatively impacted my recipes!
Pure Vanilla Extract: I prefer to use Pure Vanilla Extract instead of “vanilla flavoring” because vanilla flavoring uses artificial ingredients and additives. Pure Vanilla Extract uses real vanilla beans and alcohol.
Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour: For this particular recipe I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. Simply just replace the white or wheat flour your recipe calls for with this perfect blend of gluten free flour.

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour

Baking Soda: It allows baked goods to rise and become light and fluffy.

Sea Salt: Salt is actually a flavor enhancer and adds tenderness to baked goods like cookies, cakes and brownies.
Macadamia Nuts: These nuts give our cookies a buttery bite. They are a little on the expensive side but in my opinion make these cookies very special!
Vegan White Chocolate Chips: Not the easiest to find in your local grocery store. AlthoughI have had some luck in the past at Walmart with their brand but recently noticed them on the clearance shelf, which doesn’t sound good for future purchases. I will also link a great brand you can get on Amazon.

Enjoy Life White Chocolate Mini Baking Chips

Dried Cranberries: These add a tartness to this recipe that work really well with the sweetness from the white chocolate chips!

Step-By-Step Instructions

First allow your vegan butter to sit out and get to room temperature before using. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper, then set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the flax meal and water. Set aside for about 5 minutes to gel together.
Combine the vegan butter, coconut sugar and cane sugar in. Beat until light and fluffy, in a stand mixer or a handheld mixer about 2 minutes. Add in the flax egg mixture and pure vanilla extract. Beat until blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Gluten free flour, baking soda and sea salt.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix together until the dough comes together.
Fold in the vegan white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts and dried cranberries. Use a cookie scooper or large tablespoon to make 16 evenly sized cookies. Place them on the parchment paper baking sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes and the edges are a golden brown.

Kitchenaid Hand Mixer

Medium Cookie Scoop

Expert Tips:

When measuring your gluten free 1 to 1 flour, be sure to loosen the flour inside the bag first. You’ll want to scoop the flour into your measuring cup with a spoon or separate scooper. Don’t pack the flour down and use the flat end of a butter knife to level off any excess.
If you want a perfectly round cookie, here’s how you get one! When the cookies first come out of the oven, take a glass and place it over the cookie. Swirl it around a few times in a circular motion and poof, now you have a round cookie!

Variations

I love these cookies as is but if you need to make some swaps, here are a few suggestions!

Use a different chocolate: If you don’t like white chocolate or can’t find a vegan alternative you can definitely use dark or semi sweet chocolate chips instead. I will link a few for you to check out...

Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips

Pure Food Dairy Free Vegan Chocolate Chips

Hu No Added Sugar Chocolate Chips

Swap a different nut: Try using walnuts in lieu of the macadamia nuts. They still offer a crunch without being too hard!

Try a different dried fruit: Raisins are a good option if dried cranberries aren’t available. You could also substitute dried cherries as well!

Serving Suggestions

Bring to a holiday cookie swap! Giving others an opportunity to try some gluten free and vegan baked goods is always a good thing.

Serve these festive cookies at your next holiday party. They will look so pretty arranged on a serving tray with some fresh pine tree branches!

Pack these delicious holiday cookies up in some cute bakery boxes and give to neighbors or friends as gifts!

Christmas Bakery Boxes

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be careful of over mixing the batter, like in non gluten free recipes?

The answer is no. In traditional recipes, the baker is often told to “be careful not to over mix”. This is true when using flour that contains gluten. With gluten free recipes, there isn’t any gluten! Actually the batter may benefit with longer mixing, as it provides more structure to the recipe. Also, it could help with the rise as well!

What flour is best for gluten free baking?

For cookies, cake and muffins: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking flour is best.

For bread, I recommend: King Arthur Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.

More Recipes

If you like these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cranberry Cookies, then you’ll love these other gluten free and vegan recipes!

If you make this recipe, don't forget to TAG me on Instagram or come back and leave me a 5-star rating and a comment!

Many Hugs,

Cathleen

cookies, vegan, gluten free, christmas, holiday

desserts, snacks

Yield: 16

Author: Cathleen Crobons