Step 1: Express angle as sum.
\[
\frac{7\pi}{12} = \frac{\pi}{3} + \frac{\pi}{4}
\]
Step 2: Use \(\cos(A+B)\) formula.
\[
\cos(A+B) = \cos A \cos B - \sin A \sin B
\]
Step 3: Substitute known values.
\[
\cos \frac{\pi}{3} = \frac{1}{2}, \quad \sin \frac{\pi}{3} = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}, \quad \cos \frac{\pi}{4} = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}, \quad \sin \frac{\pi}{4} = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}
\]
Step 4: Compute cosine.
\[
\cos \frac{7\pi}{12} = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} - \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} \cdot \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} = \frac{\sqrt{2}-\sqrt{6}}{4}
\]
Step 5: Final conclusion.
\[
\boxed{\frac{\sqrt{2}-\sqrt{6}}{4}}
\]