Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Tammy
Feb 3
6 min read

Updated: Aug 11

Copycat Recipe

"Ever wonder how the hell restaurants and bakeries make the best damn soft & chewy cookies? If you ever visit a well known J-Deli across the country and love there Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies... Then you have fallen upon the right recipe! After many attempts of disecting thier cookie... I'm not complaining though...I got to enjoy the tasty work. I have finally mastered it! And now I am sharing it here with you!"

🍪 Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies – The Soft & Chewy Cookie of Your Dreams!

Let’s be real — when it comes to cookies, texture is everything. And these Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies? They’ve got that perfect soft and chewy center, just-crispy-enough edges, and warm homemade flavor that feels like a big cozy hug. 💛

If you’ve ever had that one amazing oatmeal cookie at a restaurant or bakery — the kind that makes you say, "How do they do that?!" — get excited. Because this recipe right here? It’s the closest copycat we’ve ever tasted, and I’m not gatekeeping it. 👏

🍒 What Makes These Cookies So Magical?

Soft and chewy with that irresistible homemade goodness, these cookies are packed with:

Sweet dried cranberries that are juicy, plump, and tangy 🍒
Toasty walnuts for the perfect nutty crunch 🌰
Warm cinnamon & vanilla for cozy depth ✨
Old-fashioned oats for that hearty, chewy texture 🥣
Brown sugar for rich caramel flavor 🍯
And not one but two secret ingredients that take it over the top (keep reading 😉)

There’s something magical about the combo of chewy oats, soft centers, a tiny hint of cinnamon, and sweet-sour bursts of cranberry in every bite. It’s nostalgic, comforting, and honestly, very hard to stop at one.

🏆 The Famous Cookie Copycat (With a Twist!)

These cookies are inspired by a popular restaurant version (you know the one), and after lots of test batches, I’ve finally nailed that close-to-perfect copycat recipe. But of course, I had to add my own spin. 😄

Here’s the twist:🙋🏻‍♀️

I love to add white or semi-sweet chocolate chips. You don’t have to, but trust me — the sweet creaminess of chocolate adds a melt-in-your-mouth moment that pairs beautifully with the tart cranberries and earthy oats. Highly, highly recommended. 😉

🎉 Perfect For…

🍂 Fall baking days
🥰 Cozy weekends at home
🎁 Sweet edible gifts
☕ Coffee breaks
🍽️ Potlucks and holiday dessert tables

Honestly, there’s no wrong time for these cookies.

🍪 Final Thoughts

If you're a fan of chewy oatmeal cookies and love that sweet-tart cranberry flavor with a nutty crunch and cozy cinnamon, you’re going to fall hard for these Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies. 💛

They’re easy, full of heart, and just feel like home. Whether you’re baking for the holidays, meal-prepping snacks for the week, or simply craving a soft, bakery-style cookie — this one’s for you.

Go ahead, bake a batch (or two) — and don’t forget the chocolate chips! 😉🍪

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Servings – 24 Cookies Prep Time – 40 Minutes - includes chilling time Cook Time – 13-15 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons un-sulphured or dark molasses; I prefer Grandma’s brand as well as my grandmother and mother did. And well... You can find it everywhere.
1 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oat, you can also use quickoats as that is what most of us buy now for conveneince of quick meals for our families
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional if you don't like or are alergic to nuts
3/4 cup white chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips, optional

✨ Secret Ingredients:

A touch of maple syrup (1 tbsp!) — adds depth and enhances that brown sugar warmth 🍁
A dash of orange zest — trust me, just a little wakes up the cranberries and adds a bakery-fresh brightness 🍊

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl cream the softened butter and both sugars together until smooth.

Add the eggs; mix well until thin batter forms. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Add in vanilla, maple syrup, orange zest and molasses and mix until combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients 1/2 at a time to the wet ingredients and mix well to combine.

Once all indredients are combined, add in the oats, cranberries, and walnuts (if using); mix well.

The cookie dough will be on the thicker side and a little sticky. Chill the dough for 30 minutes to an hour in the refrigerator; this will prevent spreading of your cookies while baking; its one of the most crutial steps. (Trust me, I am very impatient and have learned my lesson over the years. 🙃) If you need to chill the dough longer (up to 2 days), allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. This makes for easy clean up and helps make the bottoms evenly golden brown; Set aside.

Roll balls of dough; about 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. I personally like to use the 1" ice cream "cookie" scoop with the quick release handle.

Bake for 13-16 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft and under-baked. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to “set” on the baking sheet during this time.

Notes:

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions:

Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Baked cookies freeze well—up to three months.
Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well—up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Pre roll cookie dough into balls, place on cookie sheet and freeze for 3 hours; until firm. Place frozen dough balls into a ziplock freezer bag and keep frozen until ready to bake. Remove as many cookies as you would like to bake at that time. Bake as normal; no need to defrost.

Bring your cranberries back to life:

Before you start making your dough, you can soak your dried cranberries in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain water and spread cranberries out on a paper towel. Blot very well to dry – this makes them extra plump for your cookies. This extra step is completely optional!

💡 CWT Tips: for the Best Cookies Ever

Want plumper cranberries? Soak them in warm water (or orange juice!) for 10 minutes and drain and spread cranberries out on a paper towel. Blot very well to dry – this makes them extra plump for your cookies. This extra step is completely optional!
For a crispier cookie, flatten slightly before baking. For softer, taller, chewy cookies, chill the dough for 20 minutes before scooping, and shape into a cylindrical shape.
Double the batch — trust me. These disappear FAST.

Nutrition:

This website is the project of an unpaid hobby, fully maintained and supported by CWT. There are NO paid affiliations, professional photographers, nutritionists or paid product reviews associated. CWT is not a certified artist, dietician or nutritionist. Any nutritional information shared on this site is an estimate counted through measurements and package nutritional information used in each recipe at that given time. If calorie, macro counting and other nutritional values are important to you and your health, CWT recommends running the ingredients through your choice of nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can and will vary depending on national brands used per recipe. Anything created by using CWT's recipes, or tutorials is fully the readers responsibility. CWT is not responsible or will be held liable for the outcome of the readers completed project or recipe(s).

"These cookies are... Sweetened with brown sugar, moist and tender centers, slighty crisp edges, buttery and loaded with oats, jemmed with cranberries, spiced with a hint of cinnamon! They are fantastic!" - CWT Fan