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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Gluten Free Cranberry Cookies

    Published: Dec 16, 2020 · Modified: Aug 28, 2022 by Sharon Rhodes · 5 Comments

    Yield 15
    Cook 10 minutes minutes
    Prep 5 minutes minutes
    Jump to Recipe
    White bowl containing 3 Cranberry Cookies, cranberries and cookies on table.
    White bowl containing 3 Cranberry Cookies, cranberries and cookies on table.
    White plate containing 4 Gluten Free Cranberry Cookies, cranberries in bowl on table.
    Plate of shortbread cookies topped with cranberries.

    Chewy and naturally sweet, these gluten free cranberry cookies will be a popular choice for the holidays! And here's a bonus...these sweet treats are also vegan and ready to enjoy in under twenty minutes!

    White plate containing 4 Gluten Free Cranberry Cookies, cranberries in bowl on table.
    Jump to:
    • ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
    • 🤷 Why Choose Gluten Free Cookies?
    • 🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
    • 📋 Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
    • 💭 Expert Tips and FAQs
    • 🍪 More Gluten Free Cookies
    • Gluten Free Cranberry Cookies

    If you are looking for delicious gluten free cookie for a cookie exchange or if you're just looking to fill up your dessert trays this holiday season, then look no further. These cranberry cookies are light and chewy and taste like shortbread. And, they taste even better the next day! I love the POP of sweetness and the color from the dried cranberries. These cookies are perfect for festive celebrations.

    ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works

    1. You don't need a mixer.

    2. No chilling of the dough in the fridge...just measure out the ingredients and stir.

    3. These crispy and delicious cookies come together really quickly!

    🤷 Why Choose Gluten Free Cookies?

    Allergies are everywhere these days. When you are visiting or having guests over, it's nice to offer allergen free options to people who have dietary restrictions. Gluten free cookies are typically made with rice flour, oat flour, or almond flour. A lot of recipes use an all purpose gluten free flour. All work really well and taste great depending on the recipe and ingredients, but these cranberry cookies use almond flour as a base, which besides being gluten free, also adds a slightly nutty flavor.

    🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

    Let's take a look at what's in these yummy cookies! We're talking SIMPLE ingredients!

    I love using a coarse salt in these dried cranberry cookies. I highly recommend using gray salt in this cookie recipe. It's also known as Celtic Sea salt and comes from France. The gray color comes from the clay that lines saltwater ponds and is full of magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and iodine.

    With this recipe, you can use butter or coconut oil. Coconut oil works well for those observing a vegan diet and also provides a delicious taste! Coconut and cranberry taste fantastic together!

    I prefer using dried cranberries with this recipe instead of fresh cranberries. The dried cranberries provide a bit of texture to these sugar cookies and add just enough tang for an amazing after taste with each bite!

    Cranberries, flour, coconut oil, vanilla extract, syrup on a counter to make cookies.

    📋 Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions

    The thing I love most about these cranberry cookies is how super easy they are to put together. If you already have the liquid coconut oil, it makes things even easier! Start off by preheating the oven to 350°F. Then, line a cookie cookie sheet with parchment paper.

    Grab a large mixing bowl and stir together the almond flour, baking powder, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla. Stir well until a nice dough forms.

    White bowl containing Cookie Dough, blue spatula in bowl.

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    Next, fold in the dried cranberries with a spatula or a wooden spoon so the cranberries are evenly distributed into the cookie dough.

    White bowl containing cranberry cookie dough, blue spatula in dough.

    Using your hands, roll the dough forming them into 1 to 2 inch balls. Place the balls on the lined cookie sheet and firmly press down to flatten into cookies. Expert Tip: Lightly press any extra or loose cranberries into the top of dough. This makes them super pretty!

    White plate containing 4 cranberry cookies, cookies and cranberries on table.

    These cranberry cookies don't spread very much, but you should space them out about ½ to 1 inch apart. Once all the cookies have been formed, flattened, and placed, bake them for 8-10 minutes.

    White bowl containing 3 Cranberry Cookies, cranberries and cookies on table.

    And voila! You have yourself some amazingly festive cranberry cookies!!

    💭 Expert Tips and FAQs

    • While I love the taste and texture of using gray salt in this recipe, you can also use kosher or Himalayan salt. Check out the difference between Kosher, sea, pink, and grey salt here.
    • You can buy fractionated coconut oil in the same aisle as olive oil in a lot of grocery stores. Fractionated means the oil has been divided and only the liquid component remains.
    • This dough doesn't spread out while baking so shape your cookies how you want them. I like to roll them into a ball then flatten them into a nice round disc. Rinse your hands between and leave them damp for a smooth finish.
    • If you don't want to use your hands to form the dough into balls, use a small butter scoop. Just form the mixture into a small ball, and then release the dough onto the lined cookie sheet.
    • If you love nuts, try adding in some chopped pistachios or pecans.
    • Store these cookies in a glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid on the counter top. These cranberry cookies will keep for 5-7 days.
    • If you want to take it a step further you can even make your own dried cranberries! You don't need a dehydrator or any fancy equipment either. Making your own dried cranberries is a fun holiday project!

    🍪 More Gluten Free Cookies

    If you're looking for more cookie recipes then you're going to LOVE these!  My Almond & Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies are sweet, chewy bites of goodness that are gluten free and grain free. Are you a fan of banana bread? If so, these Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies are easy to make, super healthy, and are perfect for breakfast! And these Ginger Almond Cookies are sweet and slightly spicy. Using almond flour adds so much flavor and provides an allergy friendly gluten free cookie.

    White bowl containing 3 Cranberry Cookies, cranberries and cookies on table.

    Gluten Free Cranberry Cookies

    Chewy and naturally sweet, these gluten free cranberry cookies will be a popular choice for the holidays! And here's a bonus...these sweet treats are also vegan and ready to enjoy in under twenty minutes!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Rest: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 15
    Calories: 133kcal
    Author: Amanda Mason

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups almond flour
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon grey sea salt
    • ⅓ cup maple syrup
    • 2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup dried cranberries, plus a small handful to press on the tops

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
    • Pour in the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract and mix well until a nice dough forms.
    • Add in the dried cranberries and fold to combine.
    • Roll the dough into 1 to 2 inch sized balls and place them on the parchment lined baking sheet. Expert Tip: Rinse your hands every so often and leave them a bit damp for rolling a smoother ball! 
    • Flatten the balls and shape them into round discs. They will not spread out during baking so no need to worry about spacing. I fit 15 perfectly on one sheet. Lightly press any extra cranberries into the tops.
    • Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet at the halfway point. Check the bottoms at 8 minutes to see if they are golden. Be careful as they are fragile at this point!
    • Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet to firm up then transfer to a wire rack to cool off completely.
    • Store in a sealed glass or plastic container at room temperature.

    Notes

    • While I love the taste and texture of using gray salt in this recipe, you can also use kosher or Himalayan salt. Check out the difference between Kosher, sea, pink, and grey salt here.
    • You can buy fractionated coconut oil in the same aisle as olive oil in a lot of grocery stores. Fractionated means the oil has been divided and only the liquid component remains.
    • This dough doesn't spread out while baking so shape your cookies how you want them. I like to roll them into a ball then flatten them into a nice round disc. Rinse your hands between and leave them a damp for a smooth finish.
    • If you don't want to use your hand to form the dough into balls, use a small butter scoop, form the mixture into a ball, and then release the dough onto the lined cookie sheet.
    • If you love nuts, try adding in some chopped pistachios or pecans.
    • Store these cookies covered in a glass or plastic container on the counter top and will keep for 5-7 days.
    • If you want to take it a step further you can even make your own dried cranberries! You don't need a dehydrator or any fancy equipment either. Making your own dried cranberries is a fun holiday project!

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    Enter your email to receive this recipe, along with weekly food inspiration!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 0.6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @RecipesWorthRep or tag #RecipesWorthRepeating!

    Update Notes: This post was originally published in December 2018, but was re-published with updated instructions and pictures in April 2021.

    « 14 Instant Pot Recipes That Will Convince You To Buy This Kitchen Gadget
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    469 shares

    About Sharon Rhodes

    Sharon is the creator of The Honour System, a real foods centered recipe website that features easy to make meals and snacks. Her motto is "Treat yourself but don't cheat yourself".

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes

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      Recipe Rating




       

    1. Joanne

      December 15, 2024 at 8:11 pm

      5 stars
      Just what I like in a cookie, delicious, only a few ingredients and quick to make. I didn't have maple syrup so I used date paste and they still worked. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        December 16, 2024 at 7:33 pm

        Great substitute!! So glad you loved them and they turned out so great!!

        Reply
    2. DrT

      November 04, 2021 at 9:54 pm

      5 stars
      Easy, quick, and DELICIOUS! Thanks Amanda, we love 'em.

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        November 05, 2021 at 8:46 am

        Yeah!! So glad you love them!!!

        Reply
    3. Kelli at Hungry Hobby

      December 05, 2018 at 8:51 pm

      YUM!!! So simply and delicious!

      Reply

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