If you’re searching for the ultimate Big Chewy Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate and Pecan Cookies, congratulations; your hunt ends here.
These bakery-style beauties are thick, soft in the middle, crisp around the edges, and loaded with all the good stuff: tart cranberries, rich dark chocolate chips, crunchy pecans, and just enough cinnamon spice to make you feel all cozy inside.
Like my Cranberry Cream Cheese Cookies, they’re part cookie, part hug, and just the right amount of “extra.” Perfect for holidays, cookie exchanges, potlucks, or a random Tuesday when only a giant chewy cookie will do.
Jump to:
- A quick look at the recipe
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredient notes and easy substitutions
- How to make the best chewy oatmeal cranberry chocolate pecan cookies
- What to serve with these cookies
- Recipe variations and twists
- Storing and freezing tips
- Recipe FAQs for this recipe for Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate and Pecan Cookies
- Pro tips for perfect results every time
- More easy cookie recipes
- 📋 Recipe:
A quick look at the recipe
- ✅ Ready in: 35 minutes
- 🛒 Ingredients: 15
- 🍽️ Yield: 16 giant cookies
- 👩🍳 Difficulty: Easy → “No-Fuss Favorite”
- 🧊 Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Oversized and over-the-top delicious. These are BIG cookies—like “two hands and a napkin” big—with a satisfyingly soft center and chewy oatmeal texture.
- Loaded with flavor and texture. Tart dried cranberries, melty chocolate, buttery pecans, and warm cinnamon? Yes, please.
- Easy to customize. Like my Butterscotch and Chocolate Chip Cookies, you can mix and match the add-ins based on what’s in your pantry; this cookie isn’t fussy.
Ingredient notes and easy substitutions
Below are my ingredient notes (including substitutions) for the main ingredients in this recipe and how you can make it your own. The recipe card below provides a complete list of all ingredients and measurements.
Here’s a quick rundown of the all-stars in this recipe:
- Butter: Room temp, but not melted! This gives you that perfect creamed base for chewy cookies.
- Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Brown sugar adds chew, while white sugar adds just a touch of crisp.
- Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats give these cookies that hearty, chewy texture. Avoid quick oats—they’ll make things cakey.
- Cranberries: Dried cranberries add a sweet-tart bite. No cranberries? Try dried cherries or chopped dried apricots.
- Chocolate chips: Dark chocolate plays beautifully with the tart fruit and warm spices, but feel free to substitute milk, semisweet, or even white chocolate.
- Pecans: Toasted chopped pecans add that buttery crunch. Walnuts are a fine stand-in.
And a special shoutout to cornstarch—the secret to a soft, chewy center that stays that way for days.
How to make the best chewy oatmeal cranberry chocolate pecan cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla, mixing just until combined.
- Whisk the dry ingredients; flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt; in a separate bowl.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until just combined, then add the oats.
- Gently fold in the cranberries, pecans, and chocolate chips. A rubber spatula or sturdy wooden spoon works great here! Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Scoop into 4-ounce balls, flatten slightly (don’t roll them smooth!), and bake at 350°F for 14–16 minutes until golden on the edges and slightly gooey in the center.
- Cool on a wire rack (if you can wait that long), and enjoy!
What to serve with these cookies
These cookies are practically a dessert on their own, but if you want to pair them:
- A tall glass of cold milk (classic).
- A glass of sweet tea or coffee for a cozy afternoon snack.
- Bourbon ice cream for an adult cookie sandwich situation you won’t regret. Or my Praline Pecan Ice Cream for both big and little kids.
Recipe variations and twists
- Tropical vibe: Swap cranberries for dried pineapple and add shredded coconut.
- Nut-free: Omit the pecans and add extra chocolate or dried fruit.
- Festive twist: Add white chocolate chips and a dash of orange zest for a holiday flair.
- Breakfast cookie: Toss in a handful of sunflower seeds and a tablespoon of flaxseed. Boom—breakfast. Sorta.
Storing and freezing tips
- Room temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days, if they last that long.
- Freeze baked cookies: Let them cool, then freeze in a single layer or stack them with a sheet of wax paper between each cookie before storing them in a zip-top bag.
- Freeze dough balls: My favorite option, so my cooking-loving husband won’t be tempted, and we will always have freshly baked cookies. Scoop and freeze unbaked dough on a cookie sheet, then package them in freezer bags for fresh-from-the-oven cookies any time. I do this and make 4-5 at a time.
Recipe FAQs for this recipe for Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate and Pecan Cookies
The combo of brown sugar and cornstarch is key, and don’t overbake! Take them out when they’re just golden on the edges and still a little soft in the center.
Technically, yes—but you’ll lose some chew and texture. Rolled oats are best. I have used quick (not instant) oats before, and the cookies still tasted great.
Sure, just use a #24 or medium cookie scoop to make them smaller and reduce the baking time by a few minutes. But honestly, part of the charm is that they are BIG cookies.
It gives the flour time to hydrate and, even more importantly, helps the cookies hold their shape because of the high butter content.
Pro tips for perfect results every time
- Use a digital scale to weigh out 4-ounce dough balls for uniform cookies.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough—trust me, it makes all the difference.
- Leave plenty of room on the cookie sheet between the dough balls; the cookies will spread when baked.
- Press a few extra chocolate chips and cranberries into the tops before baking to make them picture-perfect.
- All ovens bake differently, so watch the cookies closely in the last few minutes and remove them if they look done. If you like crispier edges, bake a minute or two longer, but keep an eye on them!
- Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them. Let them cool, then freeze in a single layer or stack them with a sheet of wax paper between each cookie before storing them in a zip-top bag.
- For smaller families, you can freeze unbaked dough balls on a cookie sheet and package them in freezer bags for fresh-from-the-oven cookies at any time. When I do this, I usually bake 4-5 at a time.
More easy cookie recipes
If you like this cookie recipe, you might also like these other family favorites:
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Did you make this recipe? I’d be thrilled to hear what you thought! Did you add your own twist or have a tip to share? Drop a comment below—I read every one—and don’t forget to leave a star rating. Your feedback not only makes my day but also helps others find and perfect this recipe.
Thanks for stopping by Grits and Pinecones! Your visit means the world to me. I hope you’ll swing back soon for more Southern-inspired goodness.
📋 Recipe:
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Big Chewy Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate and Pecan Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Baking sheet and parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats do not use instant or steel-cut oats
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1½ cups dried cranberries
- 1 cup roasted pecans, chopped
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla, mixing just until combined.
- Whisk the dry ingredients; flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt; in a separate bowl.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until just combined, then add the oats.
- Gently fold in the cranberries, pecans, and chocolate chips. A rubber spatula or sturdy wooden spoon works great here!
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Scoop into 4-ounce balls, flatten slightly (don’t roll them smooth!), and bake at 350°F for 14–16 minutes until golden on the edges and slightly gooey in the center.
- Cool on a wire rack (if you can wait that long).
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