We are just flying through the holiday season, and if your schedule looks anything like ours, you probably have several get-togethers, parties, and potlucks to attend. It seems there is always an abundance of pies at these sorts of gatherings – pumpkin, pecan, apple, etc. That’s why we like to switch it up and bring something unique to the table. Cranberries are a holiday staple from Thanksgiving to Christmas, so when we’ve got fresh fruit like this in season, we’ve got to start baking. What better way to celebrate the season than with some fun and unique cranberry desserts? Go ahead and check out our top 5 favorite cranberry recipes in the list below!
Cheery Cranberry Butter Cake
Oh my gosh, how much do we love any iteration of an ooey-gooey butter cake?? So much. And this cranberry butter cake is no exception – it’s addictively delicious! With a smattering of pantry staples and two stages to the recipe, you end up with a creamy, caramelized, sweet and tart dessert that steals the show no matter what else is served alongside it. Seriously, this stuff is what dreams are made of and we can’t get enough.
Cranberry Cake Loaf
A cranberry cake loaf is one of our favorite holiday treats. You’ll often see a variation of this at those national coffee chains or at your local coffee shop because it is delightfully sweet and seasonally festive. We thought, why pay for this when we can make our own cranberry loaf cake at home? It’s super easy and delicious – here’s how we do it! Get the recipe here!
Cranberry Pineapple Pecan Jello Salad
You’ve seen strawberry and peach versions of it before, but now we’re doing a cranberry pineapple version of our very favorite jello salad. We used pretzels and a sprinkling of brown sugar as the base of our crust before, but not this time; instead, we used spiced, chopped-up pecans to create a sweet, nutty crust for our addictively delicious cream cheese filling and cranberry pineapple jello top layer. This stuff, you guys. It’s so, so good. Get the recipe here!
Cranberry, Apricot, Pistachio Fudge
Nothing sings the sweet song of the holidays like fudge filled with festive cranberries and pistachios — the colors of Christmas, and beautiful bits of amber-colored apricots. The creamy white chocolate base is the perfect foundation for these sweet and salty flavors, cut into perfect bite-sized nibbles. We prefer this over fruitcake because the colors are so bright and appealing. Get the recipe here!
Cranberry Walnut Upside Down Cake
This festive upside down cake is a holiday tradition in our house. It’s simple and moist with hints of orange and cinnamon, and it’s crowned with a sweet and tart layer of caramelized cranberries. Chopped walnuts add a hint of salty nuttiness with just the right crunch. We think it tastes incredible, and it makes such an elegant display on the serving platter. Get the recipe here!