12 Cranberry Recipes for Fall (Beyond the Sauce)

Tart, jewel-red, and unmistakably fall — cranberries go way beyond sauce. These 12 recipes use them fresh and dried in sides, bakes, and desserts.

Below you’ll find 12 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Classic Cranberry Sauce

Bright homemade cranberry sauce with orange and cinnamon.

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes.
3. The berries will pop and thicken the sauce.
4. Remove the cinnamon stick.
5. Chill at least 2 hours.

2. Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini

Tangy cranberry and creamy goat cheese on toast.

Ingredients

• 1 baguette, sliced
• 1 cup cranberry sauce
• 8 oz goat cheese
• 1/4 cup pecans
• fresh rosemary

Instructions

1. Toast the baguette slices.
2. Spread with goat cheese.
3. Top with cranberry sauce.
4. Sprinkle with pecans and rosemary.
5. Serve at room temperature.

3. Cranberry Orange Muffins

Bakery-style muffins bursting with cranberries.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup oil

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Mix the dry ingredients.
3. Whisk the juice, oil, and egg; combine.
4. Fold in the cranberries.
5. Bake 18-20 minutes.

4. Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries

Roasted sprouts with sweet cranberries and pecans.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Toss the sprouts with oil; roast 20 minutes.
3. Add cranberries and pecans.
4. Roast 5 more minutes.
5. Drizzle with balsamic.

5. Cranberry Apple Relish

Fresh uncooked relish with apple crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 apple, diced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Pulse the cranberries in a food processor.
2. Mix with the apple, sugar, and lemon juice.
3. Fold in the walnuts.
4. Chill 1 hour.
5. Serve cold.

6. Cranberry BBQ Chicken

Sweet-tart cranberry glaze on juicy chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• green onions

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Simmer the cranberry sauce, BBQ sauce, and soy sauce.
3. Brush over the chicken.
4. Bake 25 minutes, glazing twice.
5. Top with green onions.

7. Cranberry Almond Granola

Crunchy homemade granola with cranberries.

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 300°F.
2. Toss the oats and almonds with honey and oil.
3. Bake 25 minutes, stirring twice.
4. Stir in the cranberries.
5. Cool completely.

8. Cranberry Hand Pies

Flaky hand pies with jammy cranberry filling.

Ingredients

• 1 package pie dough
• 3 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp orange zest

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Simmer the cranberries, sugar, and cornstarch 8 minutes.
3. Cut the dough into rounds.
4. Fill, fold, and crimp.
5. Bake 20 minutes.

9. Cranberry Stuffed Squash

Roasted squash stuffed with cranberries and pecans.

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, halved
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Roast the squash halves 35 minutes.
3. Mix the cranberries, pecans, maple, and cinnamon.
4. Fill the squash.
5. Bake 10 more minutes.

10. Cranberry Yogurt Parfaits

Layered yogurt parfaits with cranberry swirl.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup granola
• 1 tbsp honey

Instructions

1. Swirl the cranberry sauce into the yogurt.
2. Layer in glasses with granola.
3. Drizzle with honey.
4. Top with extra cranberry sauce.
5. Serve chilled.

11. Sparkling Cranberry Punch

Fizzy festive punch for fall gatherings.

Ingredients

• 3 cups sparkling water
• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• cranberries and orange slices

Instructions

1. Combine the juices in a pitcher.
2. Add sparkling water just before serving.
3. Add ice, cranberries, and orange slices.
4. Stir gently.
5. Serve in glasses.

12. Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

Chewy cookies with cranberries and white chocolate.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cream the butter and sugar.
3. Mix in the flour.
4. Fold in cranberries and chips.
5. Bake 11-13 minutes.

Love these 12 cranberry recipes for fall? Pin this roundup for later and explore more easy recipes at simplymealful.us.