Dried cranberry recipes offer a delightful twist on traditional cranberry dishes, providing a burst of tart and sweet flavors that can be enjoyed any time of year. Often regarded as the healthier cousin of raisins, dry cranberries have become increasingly popular due to their versatility and ability to enhance both sweet and savory dishes.
In this post, I've gathered over 20 recipes that use dried cranberries in cooking and baking, so you can enjoy the tart and sweet taste of cranberries any time of the year!
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About Dried Cranberries
Dried cranberries are sweeter than fresh cranberries and can double for raisins in some recipes, including salads, baked goods and cereals. They are also portable and store well, which makes them a convenient snack.
Most grocery stores carry dried cranberries in the baking section, next to the raisins, and Ocean Spray and Sun Maid are two major brands. Some stores also carry them in the bulk food section. Customers may find minor nutritional differences, depending on where they buy their product. For example, bulk cranberries may have less sugar while some brands have more fiber.
Calories and Nutritional Value
Bulk cranberries have 87 calories in each ⅓-cup serving. Sun-Maid and Ocean Spray both have 130 calories per serving. The difference in calories may be due to the amount of sugar added during the manufacturing process.
Carbohydrates
Cranberries are quite tart and many manufacturers add sugar during the manufacturing process. The sugar not only enhances the taste, it also helps create the proper texture. Bulk cranberries have 24 g of carbohydrates with one gram of dietary fiber and 23 g of sugar.
Protein, Vitamins and Minerals.
Bulk cranberries have no protein, calcium or vitamin C. They do have one percent of the daily value of iron. Sun-Maid's literature says they have no protein, two percent of the daily value of vitamins A and C, four percent of iron and 35 percent calcium. Ocean Spray cranberries have no protein and the company provides no information on the amount of Vitamins A and C, calcium or iron.
Appetizers Made with Dried Cranberries
Cranberry Goat Cheese Log A simple log of goat cheese is crusted with dried cranberries, nuts, and rosemary to make the perfect holiday appetizer!
Similarly, this festive cheese ball provides another way to enjoy the sweet and savory flavors of nuts and cranberries!
Side Dishes Made with Dried Cranberries
Cranberry sauce from dried cranberries is easy and delicious! This classic Thanksgiving condiment takes on a new dimension of flavor when dried cranberries are added to the mix.
Stuffed Acorn Squash is another Thanksgiving side that uses dried cranberries to enhance the flavor. All the flavors of fall in every bite!
Salads Made with Dried Cranberries
Broccoli Kale Salad is made with massaged kale, broccoli slaw, and dried cranberries. A citrus vinaigrette brings all the flavors together!
Shaved Brussels Sprouts salad delivers a sweet orange vinaigrette dressing in a veggie-packed salad!
Look at the gorgeous colors of this Butternut Squash salad! This vegan salad not only embodies autumn but is an ideal side dish to complement your Thanksgiving feast.
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The addition of dried cranberries makes a classic Broccoli Bacon Salad a little more special!
Cranberry Goat Cheese Salad with a honey balsamic dressing sounds like a perfect light lunch to me!
This Christmas Salad is one of the best salad recipes for Christmas dinner, featuring baby greens, spinach, chopped roasted chestnuts, dried cranberries and feta cheese in an elegant combination topped off by homemade Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.
Using rotisserie chicken is one of my favorite shortcuts! This rotisserie chicken salad offers the best of sweet and savory flavors.
This salad was inspired by a healthy sweet potato salad found on Ikaria Island, Greece, famous for its unusual longevity. If delicious food helps you live longer, you can sign me up!
Sweet Treats
Dried Cranberry Muffins and Breads
Combine two favorite holiday flavors - eggnog and cranberries - to make this Cranberry Eggnog Bread. White chocolate gives it just the right touch of sweet!
Adding walnuts to the batter as well as the streusel topping gives these muffins a full texture and a uniquely satisfying flavor.
Apples and cranberries combine beautifully in this delicious muffin. A taste of fall in every bite!
Dried Cranberry Cookies and Bars
Cranberry and apple crumble bars feature an irresistibly fruity filling between two layers of crumble, for an effortless treat that takes no more than 30 minutes to prepare and no chance of failure!
Making chocolate bark is no sweat; the melting, cooling, and setting process can take less than one hour - perfect if you need a last-minute treat for family and guests!
For some of us, every holiday season involves waiting in line at Starbucks for their delicious Cranberry Bliss bars, eagerly awaiting their delectable blend of tart cranberries, creamy white chocolate chips, and an unexpected hint of orange. What could possibly beat it?! So delicious?
One bite will quickly make these chewy delicious cookies your new go-to treats! Easy to make and packed full of amazing ingredients and textures - one bite will have you hooked.
Brown sugar is the star ingredient for this pistachio cookie recipe. By doubling up on its use over regular granulated sugar you get soft and chewy cookies that are bendable yet flavorful.
Dried cranberries provide a fantastic way to enjoy the unique flavor of cranberries year-round. Whether you're looking to whip up an easy cranberry sauce or add a touch of sweetness and tartness to your favorite dishes, these dried cranberry recipes have got you covered.
Let me know which ones are your favorites!
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