Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. This initial step is crucial as it ensures your cookies bake evenly. While the oven is heating, line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. This prevents the cookies from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. This step helps to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt throughout the flour, ensuring consistent flavor and texture in your cookies. Set this mixture aside for later.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and both sugars together until creamy and smooth. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes. Make sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the ingredients effectively. This process aerates the mixture, resulting in a light cookie.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture, and beat until combined. The mixture should become fluffy and pale in color. This is a sign that you’ve incorporated enough air, which will help your cookies rise during baking.
With the mixer off, add all of the dry ingredients from your earlier whisking. Turn the mixer on low to combine everything. Be careful not to over mix; you want just enough to incorporate all the dry ingredients without developing gluten, which could lead to tough cookies.
Gently fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries using a spatula. This is a great time to make sure the mix-ins are evenly distributed throughout the dough, ensuring every cookie has a perfect balance of flavors.
Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are about 2 inches apart. They will spread while baking, so give them space to avoid merging together.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Keep a close eye on them, as every oven varies. You may want to check a minute or two early to ensure they don’t overbake.
Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. This adds a beautiful finish and enhances the sweet and salty flavor. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
