My Favorite Cranberry Recipes

Can you believe it’s almost Thanksgiving?  One of my favorite memories from childhood is reading “Cranberry Thanksgiving” by Wendy Devlin with my mom, then seeing the cartoon version on TV, and finally getting to make the Cranberry Bread that’s the star of the book.  We used an actual grinder to grind the cranberries, since this was way before food processors came along. It took what seemed hours to my little brother and me, but the bread was the best ever.  Now my kids and I make it, in muffin form, for teachers on the day before Thanksgiving…and it’s much easier with a Cuisinart!

But I digress down Memory Lane…cranberries taste like fall to me, even more than pumpkin or apples, so today I’m recapping some of my favorite recipes using fresh, tart cranberries.

First, the most amazing one…Sugared Cranberries.  It’s essentially no-cook and super easy.  It does take about 24 hours for them to be ready, though, so plan accordingly!  These are a great addition as an appetizer, a snack-y dessert, or even as a hostess gift.  Give them a try! Everyone I’ve ever served them to (from preschoolers to grandparents) has loved them.


We also love Cranberry Marmalade, like canned cranberry sauce except infinitely better! Better yet, it only takes a few minutes to cook and can be made days ahead of the meal.Marm-Sauce

For something a little different, but just as delicious, try this Cranberry Salsa…it’s full of bright, fresh flavors with a bit of kick.

salsa

And, of course, my favorites include a couple of out-of-this-world desserts!  I took these Pecan, White Chocolate, and Cranberry Pie Bars to bunko last month, and my family was quite upset that I came home with an empty pan!  They’re so much better than pecan pie because the crust stays crisp while the filling is nice and gooey with the tartness of the cranberries to offset the sweetness. Really.

Pie-Bars-ChaosServedDaily

And, last but certainly not least, these Orange Cranberry Cheesecake Bars make frequent appearances at our house! They don’t crumble easily, so they’re perfect to take to holiday gatherings.  

There now…don’t you just want to rush to Costco and buy a giant bag of cranberries? Don’t tell anyone, but I bought my fourth big bag there today, I’ve made so many cranberry recipes already…and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!  And I still have to make Cranberry Muffins for teachers next week!  I better go get another one tomorrow, don’t ya think?

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About Megan

My various hats: mom to three crazy teens and one quirky dog, wife of 27 years to my retired GI Joe, and high school math teacher. After my husband's retirement from the Army, we've settled in the Pacific Northwest. Crafting, cooking, photography, and reading keep me sane (that's a relative term!) and I hope you'll enjoy following along as I navigate the chaos of life!
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2 Responses to My Favorite Cranberry Recipes

  1. Stephanie F. says:

    WHOO HOO! I’m so glad you posted this! Before bed last night I was thinking, “I have to go to Megan’s website and search for that sugared cranberries recipe! I’m really craving them!” You must have been reading my mind!! THANK YOU! Have a great day Megan! 🙂

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