9 Easy Dried Cranberry Recipes You'll Love - fANNEtastic food (2024)

One of the best ways to instantly make a recipe feel holiday-inspired is to add dried cranberries! They’re deliciously sweet-tart and a perfect way to dress up both sweet and savory dishes. Plus, they’re easy to store and don’t require any extra preparation!

9 Easy Dried Cranberry Recipes You'll Love - fANNEtastic food (1)

Want to save this post?

Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I’ll send you great content every week!

What are dried cranberries?

Dried cranberries are fresh cranberries that have been partially dehydrated (like how raisins are made from grapes). They last longer, are easier to store, and are easier to cook with (because you don’t have to cook them at all!).

They’re often found in trail mix or snack mixes, baked goods, and salads. But, they’re even more versatile than that, as you’ll see shortly with this list of dried cranberry recipes!

Best Recipes with Dried Cranberries

Whether you prefer sweet or savory recipes, I’m sharing a variety of delicious fall and winter dried cranberry recipes below!

All of these dishes can be enjoyed year-round, but some are especially perfect for the holiday season. Enjoy!

Cranberry Chicken Salad with Walnuts

Say hello to the most delicious and flavorful chicken salad ever! It’s packed with goodness like walnuts, dried cranberries, and green onions.

Plus, it’s a lighter – but still super creamy – than traditional chicken salad, thanks to a secret ingredient: Greek yogurt!

Enjoy it on a sandwich, in a wrap, with crackers, or on its own. Perfect for meal prep lunches!

Vegan Cranberry Quinoa Salad

This is one of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes, and it’s so simple to make! Fluffy quinoa is tossed with dried cranberries, pecans, and fresh herbs – plus a simple lemon olive oil dressing.

This easy side dish is dairy free, gluten free, and vegan, so everyone can enjoy it! Perfect for your holiday table.

Fun fact: it was also served at our wedding! 🙂

Cranberry Butternut Squash Muffins

These fall-inspired muffins are nutritious and tasty at the same time, with butternut squash puree, whole wheat flour, flaxseed, banana, dried cranberries, and more! Warm spices amp up the flavor even more.

These butternut squash cranberry muffins are a satisfying make ahead breakfast, snack, or healthier dessert.

Peanut Butter Bliss Balls

I love having these no bake snack bites on hand for whenever afternoon hunger strikes! They take five minutes to throw together, and have a delicious peanut butter honey flavor. Chia seeds, oats, and dried cranberries amp up the nutrition factor.

Additionally, they are really easy to customize: you can swap out the peanut butter for your favorite nut butter, add shredded coconut, use another dried fruit, or add chocolate chips. You do you!

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins with Dijon

Dried cranberries might seem like an interesting addition to meatloaf, but the sweet-tart flavor pairs so well with the savory ground turkey mixture here.

These mini meatloaf muffins are nutritious, protein-packed, and make a perfect fall or winter dinner. Healthy comfort food for the win!

Oatmeal Banana Pumpkin Cookies

Looking for a tasty yet nutritious dessert that isn’t a total sugar bomb? You’ll love these oatmeal cookies made with wholesome ingredients like banana, pumpkin puree, dried cranberries, and oats.

They’re soft and chewy, deliciously-spiced, and sweetened with maple syrup. Plus, there are no eggs, butter, or milk – which means these cookies are dairy free and vegan, too!

I’m a huge fan of granola bars! They’re portable, satisfying, and easily customizable with different flavors and mix-ins. This particular homemade granola bar recipe is easy to make, vegan, and gluten free!

They have a wonderfully chewy texture, and are made with wholesome ingredients like oats, dried cranberries, almond butter, walnuts, and flaxseed. Make a batch ahead of time, and enjoy them all week long!

Cranberry Yogurt Scones

These soft and tender yogurt scones are studded with dried cranberries! They’re a perfect baked treat for holiday brunches or dessert. They’re also super moist and lightly sweet (without being too sweet).

Plus, while these scones may look fancy and seem complicated to make, they’re actually surprisingly easy!

Sweet Potato Cranberry Muffins

Here’s another delicious autumn breakfast muffin or snack you need to try! Sweet potato, dried cranberries, and shredded coconut make a delicious flavor combination.

Plus, there’s no butter or oil needed to make them!

How to Store Dried Cranberries

If unopened, dried cranberries should last at room temperature (in a cool, dark place like the pantry) for at least one year.

Once opened, it’s best to store them in the refrigerator (or freezer), as that will definitely prolong their shelf-life.

Whether you’re a longtime dried cranberry lover or just trying them for the first time, I hope you enjoy these recipes! And if you have some fresh cranberries leftover from the holidays, be sure to try this yummy cranberry orange bread!

9 Easy Dried Cranberry Recipes You'll Love - fANNEtastic food (2024)

FAQs

9 Easy Dried Cranberry Recipes You'll Love - fANNEtastic food? ›

Fresh, raw cranberries are the healthiest. If they're too sour for you, you can still enjoy sweetened versions as part of a healthy diet. Eat dried cranberries with low-sugar foods, such as plain yogurt, oatmeal, or nuts. If you prefer juice, you can sip a glass of 100% cranberry juice (not “juice co*cktail”).

What is the best way to eat dried cranberries? ›

Fresh, raw cranberries are the healthiest. If they're too sour for you, you can still enjoy sweetened versions as part of a healthy diet. Eat dried cranberries with low-sugar foods, such as plain yogurt, oatmeal, or nuts. If you prefer juice, you can sip a glass of 100% cranberry juice (not “juice co*cktail”).

How many dried cranberries should I eat a day? ›

HOW MUCH CRANBERRIES TO EAT DAILY? Studies confirming the health-promoting properties of cranberries have typically used doses of 100-300 g of fresh cranberries, equivalent to 7-10 g of dried cranberries, and 100-150 ml of 100% cranberry juice.

What is the difference between Craisins and dried cranberries? ›

Dried cranberries may be marketed as craisins due to the similarity in appearance with raisins, although the word "Craisin" is a registered trademark of Ocean Spray. Craisins were introduced as part of a packaged cereal produced by Ralston Purina in 1989.

Do I need to soak dried cranberries before baking? ›

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.

How many dried cranberries should I eat a day for UTI? ›

As medicine, cranberry dried powder has most often been used by adults in doses of 250-1500 mg by mouth daily for up to 6 months. Cranberry extract has most often been used in doses of 120-1600 mg by mouth daily for 12 weeks. And cranberry juice drinks are often used in doses of 120-750 mL daily for up to 90 days.

Is it OK to eat dried cranberries everyday? ›

Dried cranberries are safe for consumption provided you enjoy them in limited quantities. Excessive consumption of dried cranberries may cause an upset stomach, diarrhoea, and nausea. It may also increase the risk of kidney stones in predisposed individuals.

Can you eat too many dried cranberries? ›

Cranberries come under the category of GRAS (generally regarded as safe), but consumption in large amounts can cause upset stomach and diarrhoea in young children. Concentrated extracts of cranberries contain a high amount of oxalates. Oxalates are a risk factor for kidney stones when consumed in high amounts.

Is it good to eat dried cranberries before bed? ›

Dried fruit is full of fiber and is good for you in moderation. However, you should not eat it close to bedtime because the high fiber content can make you bloated and gassy at night. Dried fruit also contains high levels of sugar, which can give you a sugar high.

Are dried cranberries good for your bowels? ›

Improves Digestion

Cranberries are high in natural fiber and contain about 4.6 grams per serving. This hit of fiber keeps your digestive tract moving along and prevents constipation. It also keeps you full, preventing afternoon sugar cravings and too much snacking.

Which is better for you raisins or dried cranberries? ›

Our Pick: Raisins

In this nutrition faceoff, raisins win because they offer a high amount of potassium and have no sugar added. Practically speaking, both raisins and dried cranberries can be part of a diet consisting of minimally processed foods.

What are the pros and cons of dried cranberries? ›

Both forms of cranberries will offer you the same nutritional benefits and medicinal value. However, dried ones are high in carbs, calories, and sugar than fresh ones, but they still contain most of the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in fresh ones.

Is dry cranberry good for kidney? ›

How Dried Cranberries Support In Renal Function. As well as having potential benefits for urinary health, cranberries may also be able to help with chronic kidney disease. Research suggests that the anthocyanins found in dried cranberries are good for kidneys and protect against damage to the kidneys.

Should dried cranberries be washed before eating? ›

Dried fruit. This kind of food is considered to be one of the dirtiest. This is especially true for fruit that is sold by weight. Even if you bought dried fruit in a nice package, you have to wash it first or even soak it for a few hours.

How to prepare dried cranberries for baking? ›

Step-by-step directions
  1. Cut the cranberries in half and toss in a bowl with sweeteners and oil.
  2. Spread on a parchment-lined baking pan and separate each individual berry as best you can.
  3. Place the baking sheet in a 200ºF oven and let dry, 3 hours or longer. ...
  4. Store in the refrigerator for several months.
Nov 11, 2018

What can I do with old dried cranberries? ›

Piquant and sweet dried cranberries are a fall baking favorite. Our repetoire of recipes with dried cranberries features bread, muffins, desserts and cookies.

Can we eat dried cranberries directly? ›

Cranberries are widely consumed dried, as a juice, or in supplements. They're a good source of a few vitamins and minerals — and exceptionally rich in several unique plant compounds. Some of these compounds may help prevent UTIs, stomach cancer, and heart disease.

What is the healthiest way to consume cranberries? ›

Cranberry juice that is 100% juice (which is very bitter) or a 100% juice blend is one option for getting the benefits of cranberries without added sugar. Another option is to eat cranberries and forgo a supplement. It does not take very many cranberries to reap health benefits and they are very versatile in recipes.

Can dried cranberries be eaten raw? ›

Is it safe to eat cranberries raw? Cranberries are generally considered safe whether they are cooked or raw. However, because of their notoriously bitter, sharp taste, most people prefer not to eat them raw or unsweetened. This bitterness is due to the high tannin content of cranberries.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Neely Ledner

Last Updated:

Views: 6210

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (42 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Neely Ledner

Birthday: 1998-06-09

Address: 443 Barrows Terrace, New Jodyberg, CO 57462-5329

Phone: +2433516856029

Job: Central Legal Facilitator

Hobby: Backpacking, Jogging, Magic, Driving, Macrame, Embroidery, Foraging

Introduction: My name is Neely Ledner, I am a bright, determined, beautiful, adventurous, adventurous, spotless, calm person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.