3 Recipes for Cranberries

Moss and humus decorate the land where wild cranberries grow. The fruit thrives in acidic, sandy marshes, where plants and fungi exist in various states of decay and growth. 

Cranberries announce themselves between late fall and early winter, appearing as little red dots growing from tangles of stems close to the ground. Their flowers look like the heads of cranes bowing, which is maybe why English-speaking settlers called the fruit “crane-berries”. 

When it is time to harvest, the conditions have to be near-perfect. The berries take months to grow, and unexpected frost can decimate an entire crop. Cultivation begins with water. Modern cranberry farmers flood these marshy beds, the water reaching knee-high. This practice serves two purposes: First, it insulates the fruit, protecting it from colder temperatures. Second, it allows for convenient harvest.  Farmers use specialized tools to separate the fruit from their stems, and because they are mostly hollow inside, the berries float to the surface of the water. 

With a history that dates back long before the invention of Thanksgiving, the cranberry is one of the only fruits native to North America. The berries were ground up and mixed with other plants to treat wounds, and the juice was used to dye clothing. One indigenous recipe, pemmican, consists of cranberries mixed with venison and lard, essentially making a food rich with energy, perfect for the long winter months. 

It makes sense why cranberries are tied to the holidays: their ripeness window coincides with the season. However, their reputation as only a food we eat as a side or in a jellied sauce cuts the fruit short. Maybe we can imagine the fruit as something more — maybe it is time to reconsider the cranberry. 

FAQ About Cranberries 

When are cranberries in peak season?

Fresh cranberries are harvested from November to January. However, frozen, dried, and canned cranberries can be found all year.

Can I eat a cranberry raw? 

While eating cranberries raw is perfectly safe, it is not advisable, as they are very sour. Fresh cranberries are primarily meant to be used as an ingredient. 

How should I store my cranberries?

If you happen to have an excess of fresh cranberries, the best way to store them is to freeze them. Because most of a cranberry’s mass is hollow, the fruit can be cooked immediately from frozen. 

Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Recipe

Move over, pumpkin pie! Get lost, Dutch apple gallette! This cranberry-swirled cheesecake is worthy to replace the holiday classics. As a staunch cream cheese lover, I love it. 

Yield: 8 servings
Active time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust

2 sleeves of graham crackers (about 14-16 crackers)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon salt

For the filling

2 cups cream cheese, softened
1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cranberry sauce
Zest of 1 orange
 

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter or cooking spray.

In a food processor, blend the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add the brown sugar and kosher salt to the graham cracker crumbs, then pulse to combine. Pour in the melted butter and pulse again until the mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed. You can optionally do this all by hand.

Press the graham cracker mixture evenly into the bottom of the springform pan. Place a baking sheet under the springform pan and bake for 10 min. Let the crust cool while you make the filling.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Then, add the yogurt, sugar, eggs, and orange zest and whisk until smooth and well-combined.

Pour the filling into the cooled crust, then add dollops of the cranberry sauce on top of the cheesecake (Tip: if you’d prefer a smoother filling, blend the cranberry sauce before topping the cheesecake filling).

Use a butter knife to swirl the cranberry sauce into the cheesecake filling. Bake the cheesecake for 30-45 minutes or until the center has a slight jiggle but the edges are set.

Let the cheesecake cool completely, then place in the fridge until ready to serve. 

Cranberry Spritz Recipe

This non-alcoholic beverage evokes a cranberry-vodka, sans the liquor. The sweetness of the cranberry sauce is especially nice here, mimicking grenadine. Best of all, it comes together as quick as it takes to mix a drink. 

Yield: 1 servings
Active time: 2 minutes
Total time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cranberry sauce 
1 tablespoon lemon juice 
1 Ginger Meyer Lemon Aura Bora 
Ice, for serving

Instructions

In a glass, add the cranberry sauce and lemon juice. Stir to combine. 

Top off with Aura Bora or drink of choice. Optionally, adjust sweetness with agave syrup or honey. 

Cranberry Honey Butter Recipe

The tart cranberries mix with the richness of the butter. Honey and salt balances flavors out; making this spread perfect for savory and sweet applications. 

Yield: 4 servings
Active time: 5 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 stick softened butter 
2 tablespoons honey 
1 teaspoons Maldon salt 
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce 
Zest of an orange 

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, honey, Maldon salt, cranberry sauce, and orange zest. Use a spatula to mix everything together until well combined. 

Transfer the cranberry butter to parchment paper. Fold the edges of the parchment paper over the butter, then roll the parchment tightly around it, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper. It should form a log shape. 

Chill the cranberry butter in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before use. Spread it on pancakes, muffins, scones, etc.