15 Desserts That'll Put You on a Cranberry Kick All Season
It's a well-known fact that most families think of cranberries as the ultimate accompaniment to turkey. We often categorize them as that one-time-a-year, essential side that fits squarely with our holiday traditions–the cranberry salad your aunt always offered to bring or the cranberry sauce mom used to slide right out of the tube.
But cranberries should be celebrated as more than your bird's sidekick. Their bright color and tangy flavor offer the perfect opportunity to amp up the ending to your holiday menu with a dessert that wows your guests.
From bite-sized pies, like our Mini Cranberry Cheesecake Pies or our Mini-Pear Cranberry Pies, to can't-have-just-one cookies and bars, cranberries are the stars to some of our favorite festive desserts. Plus, once you make a cranberry cake (might we suggest our White Cake with Cranberry Filling and Orange Buttercream?), you may never be able to go back to only serving this tangy-tart fruit as a sauce on the side.
White Cake with Cranberry Filling and Orange Buttercream
Recipe: White Cake with Cranberry Filling and Orange Buttercream
The ultimate holiday centerpiece, this layer cake is flooded with a homemade cranberry filling. It's a fan-favorite white cake for good reasons.
1 of 15
Mini Cranberry-Cheesecake Pies
Recipe: Mini Cranberry-Cheesecake Pies
These mini pies are the most festive little winter bites we ever did see. Cranberry compote makes the ultimate finishing touch for a cheesecake center and gingersnap crust.
2 of 15
Cranberry-Pecan Coffee Cake
Recipe: Cranberry-Pecan Coffee Cake
Flavored with cranberries, toasted pecans, and a hint of cinnamon, this coffee cake will be the bright spot on any holiday breakfast or dessert table.
3 of 15
Cranberry-Almond Cookies
Recipe: Cranberry-Almond Cookies
These tasty drop cookies are ready in a snap. Plus, since the recipe makes three and a half dozen cookies, you'll have enough left after the cookie swap to save some for your own sweet tooth.
4 of 15
Cranberry Dreamsicle Trifle
Recipe: Cranberry Dreamsicle Trifle
This trifle is truly the trifecta of holiday desserts: easy to put together, tastes even better the longer it sits, and pretty enough to place at the center of the buffet table.
5 of 15
Pear-Cranberry Pie with Ginger-Almond Streusel
Recipe: Pear-Cranberry Pie with Ginger-Almond Streusel
This festive fall pie is anything but typical. From the buttery vanilla bean crust, to the juicy fruit filling, to the chunky ginger-almond streusel on top, this recipe is the ultimate alternative to your average holiday pie.
6 of 15
Hot Cranberry Bake
Recipe: Hot Cranberry Bake
This simple, crisp-like dessert can be made dairy-free for holiday guests with special requests by using an equal amount of melted or liquid coconut oil in place of butter.
7 of 15
Mini Pear-Cranberry Pies
Recipe: Mini Pear-Cranberry Pies
They may be mini, but this petite dessert packs in the flavor. The perfect balance of tart cranberries and sweet pears, this bite-size pie can be made even simpler by using a refrigerated piecrust.
8 of 15
Apple Cranberry Pie
Recipe: Apple Cranberry Pie
Dial up your favorite all-American dessert with sweet, fresh cranberries.
9 of 15
Cranberry-Orange Butter Cookies
Recipe: Cranberry-Orange Butter Cookies
This butter cookie is the holiday treat your cookie swap is missing. With notes of cranberry and orange, this festive cookie is destined for your next cookie tin.
10 of 15
Cranberry Pull-Apart Bread with Orange-Cream Cheese Icing
Recipe: Cranberry Pull-Apart Bread with Orange-Cream Icing
Sticky fingers are only half the fun in this two-loaf recipe. Tear apart these sweet layers and you'll find tangy cranberries and bright orange zest just waiting to be enjoyed.
11 of 15
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Recipe: Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
This upside-down cake comes together in your slow cooker so you can keep the oven free for the rest of your holiday cooking marathon.
12 of 15
Cranberry Shortbread Bars
Recipe: Cranberry Shortbread Bars
Wow Santa with an extra festive treat by the tree. These Plus, the cranberry filling can be made be made a week ahead of time if you need to get an early start.
13 of 15
Cranberry-Apple Tartlets
Recipe: Cranberry-Apple Tartlets
The tangy filling in these holiday tartlets can be made with either fresh or frozen cranberries.
14 of 15
Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread
Recipe: Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread
Drizzled with melted chocolate and speckled with cranberry flavor, this shortbread is sure to disappear from the dessert table fast.