Between the muffins and meatballs, you’ll want to make extra on purpose. Cranberry sauce is a holiday staple, after all, and no turkey feast is complete without it. But how often are you left with a cup or two sitting in the fridge? But this year, you don’t need to worry about wasting food. With these 25 fantastic leftover cranberry sauce recipes, you can make everything from breakfast and lunch all the way to dinner and dessert.
25 Delicious Ways to Use Up Leftover Cranberry Sauce
1. Leftover Cranberry Sauce Bars
These leftover cranberry sauce bars are a genius way to keep from wasting food. The outside reminds me of an oaty apple crisp, while the inside is oozing with fruit filling. Plus, with all the holiday baking you’re already doing, you probably have these six ingredients on hand.
2. Instant Pot Cranberry Meatballs
Hosting a Friendsgiving after the main holiday? These cranberry meatballs are fantastic for entertaining. Leftover cranberry sauce gives these tender meatballs a wonderfully tangy and sweet kick. For an added pop, you can also use a sprinkle of orange zest. Ground beef is the best choice for richness, though I enjoy a 50/50 blend of beef and pork. Although, I think ground turkey will work well too.
3. Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
The minimal prep time and few ingredients make this a terrific choice for a weeknight dinner. All you do is load up some chicken breasts in your slow cooker, pour over the cranberry sauce and BBQ sauce, then wait. I like to stash my extra cranberry sauce in the freezer just for this recipe. Then when I know I’ll have a busy day, I let it defrost in the fridge the night before.
4. Cranberry Jello Salad
When it comes to leftover cranberry sauce, there is no shortage of fabulous desserts you can whip up. But if you want something quick and easy, this is number one on my list. You’ll layer a fruity mixture of cranberry sauce, Jell-O, crushed pineapple, and nuts in a casserole dish. You’ll then add a fluffy cream cheese layer on top. Other than boiling water, there’s no cooking at all.
5. Leftover Cranberry Sauce Mini Cheesecake
How adorable will these mini cheesecakes be at your next party! A muffin pan and liners help to achieve the perfect shape and it’s also a great trick for turning cheesecake into a beginner-friendly recipe. Between the graham cracker crust, soft cream cheese, and cranberry topping, these mini cheesecakes are an immaculate bite!
6. Healthy Cranberry Crisp
Cranberry crisp is a holiday staple I’ve eaten every Christmas since I was a kid. Unfortunately, it’s full of sugar. That’s why I make this version instead. With this recipe, I get the holiday tradition I crave without all the sugar. It uses a zero-calorie sweetener and gluten-free flour for a healthier take.
7. Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies with Almond Glaze
If you’re looking in your fridge and wondering how to use up leftover cranberry sauce, why not try these thumbprint Christmas cookies? The cookies are wonderfully buttery and are like a cross between shortbread and sugar cookies. They’re finished off with a dollop of cranberry sauce and an almond glaze drizzle that makes these utterly divine.
8. Slow Cooker Cranberry BBQ Pulled Pork
Leftovers can become tiresome after a few days. So, this year, spruce things up with this lip-smacking sandwich. This pork roast slowly cooks for hours with a tangy mixture of BBQ and cranberry sauce. Once it’s fork-tender, shred up the meat, pile it high on a toasted bun, and dig in!
9. Orange Mousse with Cranberry Sauce
After a big turkey dinner, I often struggle to fit in dessert (I still try! It’s just not as easy). That’s why this light and bright mousse is ideal for the holidays. It’s a decadent infusion of Grand Marnier, orange zest, and white chocolate. All of which goes swimmingly with the cranberry sauce and sugared cranberry topping.
10. Cranberry Smoothie
I can’t believe I never thought to use cranberry sauce in a smoothie! This is a fun and quick breakfast to add to your morning routine. All you do is blend leftover cranberry sauce with banana and coconut milk. There’s also plenty of room for interpretation, like swapping out the coconut milk for nut milk. You could also omit the banana for some Greek yogurt and chia seeds to thicken it up, or even use avocado.
11. Post-Thanksgiving Monte Cristo
Once you sink your teeth into this mouthwatering Monte Cristo, you’ll be so glad you saved some cranberry sauce. The bread is nice and crisp while the inside is oozing with cheese, turkey, and cranberry sauce. If you want this a little sweeter, add a dusting of powdered sugar. For a more tangy take, slather on a layer of dijon mustard.
12. Gluten-Free Cranberry Sauce Muffins
One of my favorite ways to use up leftover cranberry sauce is to turn it into these gluten-free muffins. They’re great for a quick breakfast or energizing afternoon snack. Plus, they don’t fill you with empty carbs like regular muffins. For an even healthier spin, add in some chopped nuts and use coconut sugar instead of refined sugar.
13. Crock Pot Cranberry Pork Chops
Elegant dinners don’t have to stop just because the holidays have come and gone. You can still have a stress-free, restaurant-worthy meal at home thanks to this easy recipe. With just 10-minutes of prep, you can have dinner cooking in the crockpot while you fix up some easy vegetable side dishes. The balsamic vinegar and BBQ sauce give this special cranberry sauce a tangy and sweet flavor. Serve with mashed potatoes or garlic green beans.
14. Cranberry Coffee Cake with Leftover Cranberry Sauce
Be it breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack, this cranberry coffee cake is a true delight. Almond, lemon, and vanilla extract infuse this cake with bright and cozy flavors, and the cranberry sauce is the perfect touch for a fruity swirl. Pair this with any one of these espresso drinks for a truly indulgent coffee break.
15. Cranberry Mayonnaise
I enjoy a turkey sandwich as much as the next gal, but I miss the creamy goodness of mayo in most leftover recipes. Luckily, with this recipe, you get the best of both worlds. Aside from cranberry sauce and mayonnaise, you’ll also add a little bit of lemon, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
16. Leftover Turkey Sandwich
Speaking of Thanksgiving leftovers, turkey sandwiches are a classic, aren’t they? Use the leftover cranberry sauce as is, or slather on some of that cranberry mayo I mentioned above. Bonus points for also using up those leftover dinner rolls.
17. Cranberry Hand Pies
No matter the time of year, these cranberry hand pies are a delightful treat. Feel free to add some more sugar to the filling, but if your cranberry sauce is already sweet I’d leave it out.
18. Cranberry Pancakes with Leftover Cranberry Sauce
Slow down this weekend and treat the family to a high stack of these sweet and tart fluffy pancakes. Unusually, there’s cranberry sauce both in the pancakes and on top. The double dose makes this a great recipe if you have a ton of sauce leftover.
19. Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites
These nibbles are an impeccable winter appetizer and so easy to make. You’ll start with a crostini, then smear on some goat cheese. Finally, top it off with cranberry sauce, and sprinkle over some toasted pecans.
20. Turkey & Stuffing Turnovers
Reinvent your leftover turkey sandwiches with these irresistible hand pies. The puff pastry crust is flaky and buttery, while the inside is nothing but leftovers. Turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing to be exact. If you’ve got some gravy, you can pour a little in there too.
21. Cranberry Sauce Bundt Cake
Baking is a fabulous way to use up leftover cranberry sauce and this recipe certainly doesn’t disappoint. I love the crunch of the pecans and the tartness of the cranberries. It’s even got a lovely drizzle of a powdered sugar glaze to balance it all out.
22. Cranberry Pistachio Brie Appetizer
While this recipe is meant for sharing, you may not want to after the first bite! The combination of creamy brie, sweet cranberry sauce, and salted pistachios is a fantastic balance of all the right flavors. It’s so good, I could eat it up with a spoon!
23. Leftover Cranberry Sauce Parfait
I can’t decide what I love more about this recipe: the simplicity, or the taste! These four-ingredient parfaits come together in less than five minutes and I bet you’ve already got all the ingredients too. Plus, the assembly is so easy. Just layer Greek yogurt, cranberry sauce, and granola until you fill a glass. Then, drizzle on some honey to your liking.
24. Thanksgiving Pizza
Why order pizza the day after Thanksgiving when you can save some money and make one with leftover ingredients? Cranberry sauce is a superb substitution for traditional red sauce. As for the toppings, some leftover turkey and shredded cheese nails it.
25. Cranberry Fluff
Few things are as heavenly and festive as this cranberry fluff. Use frozen whipped topping to create a fluffy texture, then add in some crushed pineapple and mini marshmallows to make it a whimsical treat. If eating as a dip, I recommend serving with pretzels and Graham Crackers. Otherwise, you can serve this as a side or even a cake filling. Click on a star to rate it!
Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 1 No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.
Share on social media: Let us improve this post!
