49 Cranberry Recipes That’ll Brighten Up Your Plate

Updated: Feb. 05, 2024

Savor the rich, tart taste of cranberry with sweet and savory recipes for pizza, muffins, crumbles and more.

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Citrus Cranberry Pie

To showcase abundant fall cranberries, make this beautiful lattice-topped cranberry pie. A dollop of orange cream complements the slightly tart flavor. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Cranberry Glazed Pork Chops

This main dish is simple enough for a weeknight, but the cranberries also make it a perfect choice for a Christmas dinner. It's colorful, juicy and easy. After all, it comes together in less than 30 minutes so you're out of the kitchen and with your family at the table in no time. —Roxanna Chan, Albany, CA
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Cranberry-Apple Nut Crunch

My mother gave me the recipe for this dessert, which I think is especially pretty and very appropriate for fall. I updated the recipe to use instant oatmeal to make it even easier. —Joyce Sheets, Lafayette, Indiana
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Thanksgiving Lover's Pizza

Got Thanksgiving Day leftovers? Forget ho-hum turkey sandwiches and try this unique take on pizza instead. Get creative with different variations: use whole berry or jelly cranberry sauce; add dollops of mashed potatoes on top; drizzle with turkey gravy; sprinkle with stuffing or dressing; or try unique pizza crust varieties. —Carla Parker, Anderson, South Carolina
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Frosted Cranberry Drop Cookies

I started making these treats after tasting a batch my friend whipped up. I immediately requested the drop cookie recipe and have been baking them by the dozens ever since. The icing is an ideal complement to the tart berries in the cookies. —Shirley Kidd, New London, Minnesota
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Turkey-Stuffed Acorn Squash

We stuff acorn squash with leftovers like turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce. Make as much or as little as you need to use everything up. —Cindy Romberg, Mississauga, Ontario
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Cranberry Cheesecake

Every year when the cranberries are harvested, my family looks forward to eating this cheesecake. —Nairda Monroe, Webberville, Michigan
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Cranberry Meatballs

Lots of people have asked me for this recipe, but I knew I had a real winner when my grandmother asked me for it! —Tammy Neubauer, Ida Grove, Iowa
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Cranberry Jalapeno Cheese Spread

This easy spread is based on several different relishes and spreads I've tasted or made before. I love the sweet and spicy combination of flavors. —Diane Nemitz, Ludington, Michigan
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Cranberry-Orange Bars

My mother has had this recipe for years. I love it! These bars make great snacks, but can also be served for dessert. —Margaret Adelman, Bellingham, Minnesota
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Almonds

If Brussels sprouts taste bitter to you, roast them for a gentle sweetness that goes with cranberries and almonds. This side dish won us over. —Claudia Lamascolo, Melbourne, Florida
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Apple-Cranberry Stuffing

I leave out the giblets my mom used in her stuffing and bump up the fruit and wild rice instead. The result is this delicious apple cranberry stuffing. —Miranda Allison, Simpsonville, South Carolina
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Brisket with Cranberry Gravy

Cranberry sauce adds a pleasant sweetness to this slow-cooked brisket. Use jellied sauce instead of whole berry sauce if you like. —Nina Hall, Spokane, Washington
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Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

Tart, juicy cranberries enhance the delicate pumpkin flavor of these muffins. Sometimes I dust the tops with powdered sugar to add a little sweetness. —Sue Ross, Casa Grande, Arizona
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Cranberry Chicken and Wild Rice

Tender chicken is baked in a sweet-tart cranberry sauce for this elegant entree. This chicken is delicious, and it’s so easy to prepare and I love that I can do other things while it bakes. —Evelyn Lewis, Independence, Missouri
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Cranberry Brie Bites

My family hosts a holiday drop-in each year, and that's where these cranberry Brie bites made their first appearance. They're easy to make, but look like a gourmet treat. —Cindy Davis, Bonita Springs, Florida
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Cranberry-Apple Pork Chops

These colorful, sweet-tart chops deliver seasonal flavors in each bite! —Katie Shireman, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Cinnamon-Apple French Toast

Serving this on Christmas morning is a tradition in our home. It's wonderful because I can make it the night before and pop it in the oven while we are opening gifts. —Jill Peterson, Richfield, Wisconsin
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Roasted Butternut Tossed Salad

This salad makes an easy and special side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, and it's packed with nutritious veggies, almonds, berries and squash. —Katie Wollgast, Florissant, Missouri
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Cranberry, Brie & Turkey Pizza

While traveling in New Zealand, my husband and I discovered turkey pizza. We came up with our own version for a creative way to use leftovers. —Kristin Stone, Little Elm, Texas
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Cranberry Slices

The holidays wouldn't be complete without a plateful of homemade cookies to give family and friends. Try these for gifts.—American Dairy Assoc, Stacy Duffy, Chicago, Illinois
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Sweet Potato-Cranberry Doughnuts

I grew up near Idaho, which is famous for spudnuts, a doughnut made from mashed potatoes. I reworked a recipe using sweet potatoes and cranberries to come up with this variation. I like to serve them for dessert. —Joni Hilton, Rocklin, California
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Turkey Quesadillas with Cranberry Salsa

A sweet-tart cranberry salsa is the ideal accompaniment to leftover turkey in this breezy quesadilla. With a hint of lemon and pear, the salsa is also good with chicken or pork. —Jodi Kristensen, Macomb, Michigan
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Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Cranberry Quinoa

I travel every year to Peru on a medical mission trip and was introduced to quinoa there. For years I made a similar chicken dish with rice, so I tried it with quinoa. We love it. —Joyce Moynihan, Lakeville, Minnesota
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White Candy Bark

This speedy candy recipe can be varied depending on the type of fruit or nuts you have on hand. Since we have a walnut tree, I use walnuts, but pecans could also be substituted, as well as dried cherries in place of the cranberries. —Marcia Snyder, Grand Junction, Colorado
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Cranberry-Sesame Spinach Salad

For a feast or any occasion, we love this snappy fall salad that balances sweet and sour with good crunch from almonds and sesame seeds. —Stephanie Smoley, Rochester, Minnesota
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Cran-Apple Salad

This tart and tasty salad goes so wonderfully with lots of different meals. Folks will think you slaved over it, but with less than five ingredients, preparation takes only minutes! Crunchy walnuts, celery and apples are special way to dress up canned sauce. —Lucille Foster Grant, Nebraska
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Gobbler Cakes

I watched a chef make crab cakes and decided to try it with turkey and stuffing. Now the kids request them year-round, so I buy cooked turkey. —Suzee Krebs, Brielle, New Jersey
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Tart Cranberry Chicken

My husband loves chicken when it’s nice and moist, as in this autumn recipe. I serve it over hot rice with a salad and warm rolls. The ruby red sauce has a wonderful sweet-tart flavor. —Dorothy Bateman, Carver, Massachusetts
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Cranberry Zucchini Bread

Nutmeg and cinnamon add spice to these flavorful loaves. The flecks of green zucchini and red cranberries give each slice a festive look that's just right for the holidays. —Alice Manzo, South Easton, Massachusetts
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Beef Roast with Cranberry Gravy

I can easily get this robust recipe ready in the morning and let it cook all day so that it's ready for dinner when I get home at night. The hearty beef dish is also good for the weekends when we want to spend time outdoors or on day trips.—Diane Nemitz, Ludington, Michigan
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Cranberry Sweet-and-Sour Pork

This fresh take on a beloved Asian-style dish is sure to cause a stir at the dinner table. —Gert Snyder, West Montrose, Ontario
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Cranberry-Walnut Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are one food that picky eaters often resist, but a burst of cranberry flavor may change their minds. You can also add garlic and dried fruits. —Jennifer Armellino, Lake Oswego, Oregon
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Cranberry-Apricot Pork Tenderloins

A cranberry and apricot stuffing wonderfully complements pork tenderloin. This is an elegant entree that you can pull together in no time. —Joann Brown, Los Alamos, New Mexico
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Apricot-Apple Cranberry Sauce

Though I prefer this as a side dish, my sister swears it makes the best topping in the world for a slice of Thanksgiving turkey. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho
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Apricot Cranberry Chicken

Before we had kids, my husband and I used to make a lot of challenging recipes, but now we keep things a little simpler. This tangy chicken has big flavors that everybody likes. —Brooke Ruzek, Elk River, Minnesota
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Acorn Squash with Cranberry Stuffing

If you have squash or cranberry lovers at the table, here’s your new go-to recipe. It’s colorful, the blend of flavors is delicious and it’s a fitting addition to a Thanksgiving menu. —Dorothy Pritchett, Wills Point, Texas
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Cranberry Cornbread Casserole

What could be better on a cold day than a warm casserole and creamy sweet cornbread put together? Since it starts with a mix, this side takes no time to make. Just bake, scoop and eat. Yum!—Valery Anderson, Sterling Heights, Michigan
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Pomegranate-Glazed Green Beans

Green beans are a popular vegetable in our house. They get a nice zing from this slightly tangy glaze featuring fruit juices, vinegar, maple syrup and seasonings.—Geraldine Saucier, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Cranberry-Gorgonzola Stuffed Chicken

Chicken breasts go from ordinary to extraordinary when filled with tart cranberries and creamy Gorgonzola. Make it a meal with couscous and a green salad. —Kara Firstenberger, Cardiff, California
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Slow-Cooked Cranberry Hot Wings

Cranberry wings remind me of all the wonderful celebrations and parties we've had through the years. My daughter’s friends can’t get enough of these wings. —Noreen McCormick Danek, Cromwell, Connecticut