Cranberry sauce is a traditional holiday favorite, but that isn't the only way (or time) you can enjoy the great taste of cranberries. Try one of these tasty recipes to add something a little different to your holiday table.
Five Tasty Cranberry Recipes
If you find a new favorite among these delicious recipes, pick up several bags of fresh cranberries while they are easy to find in the supermarket and freeze them for use throughout the year.
Cran-Raspberry-Orange Sauce
This tasty sauce is a bit of a twist on traditional cranberry sauce. The addition of fresh raspberries and orange juice gives it a delightful flavor that pairs perfectly with poultry dishes or ham.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces whole cranberries, fresh or frozen; thaw frozen berries before using
- 1 cup sugar (or equivalent measure of Truvia or Splenda)
- 12 ounces raspberries, fresh or frozen; thaw frozen berries before using
- 2 tablespoons orange juice, fresh-squeezed or purchased
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except raspberries in sauce pan over high heat.
- Bring to a boil.
- Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat to medium.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to low.
- Add raspberries to pan.
- Stir and simmer for five more minutes.
Serving
This dish can can be served hot or cold. It will be more like a traditional cranberry sauce if you allow it to chill before serving, though it is quite tasty drizzled over ham or turkey while it is warm.
Turkey and Cranberry Wrap Sandwiches
This wrap sandwich is a great alternative to traditional turkey and cranberry sandwiches. It's a great option for holiday leftovers, though you can enjoy it any time of the year with deli turkey and your own packaged or homemade cranberry sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (The cran-raspberry-orange sauce recipe above can be used, but any whole berry cranberry sauce will work.)
- 8 flour tortillas, white or spinach
- 1 to 2 pounds leftover turkey, cut into thin slices or chunks
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach or spring mix
Instructions
- Place cream cheese in a small bowl.
- Add cranberry sauce.
- Mix until well blended.
- Lay tortillas on a flat surface.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over tortilla.
- Place two to four ounces of turkey on each tortilla.
- Cover turkey with baby spinach or spring mix leaves.
- Roll up to form wrap sandwiches.
Options
You can add other items based on availability and your preferences. Tasty variations include:
- Add 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the cream cheese and cranberry sauce mixture.
- Sprinkle dried cranberries on top of the spinach or spring mix.
- Add sliced Swiss or cheddar cheese to the sandwich.
Cranberry and Turkey Pinwheels
These tasty cranberry pinwheels taste great and look very elegant, though they are surprisingly easy to make thanks to refrigerated dough.
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce package crescent roll dough
- 1/2 cup leftover turkey, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup of whole berry cranberry sauce (The cran-raspberry-orange sauce recipe above can be used, but any whole berry cranberry sauce will work.)
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Spay a large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray
- Remove crescent roll dough from package and place on a cutting board or wax paper.
- Roll out the dough.
- Pinch the perforated edges together to form a single sheet of dough.
- Spread cranberry sauce across sheet of dough in a thin layer.
- Sprinkle cubed turkey evenly across the cranberry sauce.
- From the longest side, roll up to form a circular loaf.
- Cut into slices approximately 1/4 of an inch thick.
- Place on prepared cookie sheet, leaving space between each piece.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are browned.
Variations
A few variations include:
- Use cranberry chutney instead of cranberry sauce.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese over the turkey.
Cranberry Orange Almond Loaf
This easy-to-make quick bread is a great way to bake with fresh cranberries. It can be served for breakfast or as a dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup sugar (or equivalent measure of Truvia or Splenda)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed or pre-made
- 12 ounces whole cranberries, fresh or frozen; thaw frozen berries before using
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl; stir to combine.
- Add egg and juice, mixing well.
- Stir in melted butter.
- Add cranberries and slivered almonds, gently folding until distributed throughout batter.
- Place batter in prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes, checking with a knife or toothpick to verify that it is cooked before removing from oven.
- Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.
Serving
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cranberry Maple Syrup for Pancakes or Waffles
Cranberries can also be a great addition to your breakfast table. Try this terrific cranberry maple syrup recipe for a seasonal twist on a traditional breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups maple syrup
- 2 cups cranberries, separated; fresh or frozen; thaw frozen berries before using
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Bring maple syrup and all but 1/4 cup of the cranberries to a boil in a medium sauce pan.
- Reduce heat to low as soon as a boil is reached.
- Simmer until the cranberries pop, which will take about three minutes.
- Use a spoon or spatula to crush the cranberries.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup of cranberries.
- Continue simmering about two minutes, until the newly added berries just begin to pop.
- Remove from heat.
- Add butter, stirring until it melts.
Serving
Serve while warm over your favorite pancake or waffle recipe.
Enjoy Delicious Cranberries
Cranberries taste great and have numerous health benefits. These are just a few of the many ways to work cranberry into your menus. From making your own cranberry sherbet to creating a cranberry glaze for your turkey, there are plenty of tasty options to try.
