Ruby-red, tart, and tannic, cranberries add zing to everything they touch and as such deserve to be showcased in your Thanksgiving spread. (Their acidic flavor is an ideal counterbalance to heavier dishes like mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy.) Here are 14 of our favorite ways to cook up this all-American crop including tempting desserts, a variety of relishes, and a zippy cocktail.
 Brown Sugar-Cranberry Oat Muffins
A cozy make-ahead option (bake them off the night before), these tender muffins will start your day off on a sweet note.
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 Traditional Cranberry Sauce
Purists will appreciate this zingy four-ingredient take on this traditional Thanksgiving condiment. |
Apple-Ginger-Cranberry Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
For something a bit different than your standard apple pie, consider this double-crust recipe which pairs Golden Delicious apples with cranberries and candied ginger. |
 Waldorf Salad With Cranberries and Walnuts
Vegan and gluten-free, this super-crunchy salad is a Thanksgiving side that virtually everyone at your table can enjoy. |
Dressed up with cozy spices, blood orange juice, and thin slices of the citrus fruit, this elevated take on cranberry relish is a treat for both your eyes and tastebuds. If blood oranges find elusive, it’s okay to substitute other varieties of orange like Cara Cara, Valencia, or Navel. |
Chess tart can be too sweet for some, but not this clever variation which studs the buttermilk custard filling with cranberries and orange zest. |
 Nordic Cosmo
If you’d like to serve a before-dinner drink, might we suggest this sophisticated spin on the cosmo? Juniper berries, dill, and aquavit lend a decidedly Scandinavian feeling to this juicy cocktail. |
Chunky and sweet, cranberry apple relish takes well to everything from Thanksgiving turkey to stuffing; leftovers practically beg to be swirled into your morning oatmeal. |
Supremely festive, this deep-dish cranberry pie deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving table. |
 Turkey-Fontina Panini With Cranberry-Fig Chutney
So much better than your average turkey-and-stuffing leftovers sandwich, this panini can be made with leftover cranberry sauce instead of the cranberry-fig chutney. |
 Ginger-Citrus Cranberry Compote
A trio of bold flavors (cranberries, orange, and ginger) meld together harmoniously in this compote. |
 Pear-Cranberry Pie
Delicately-floral pears provide a study in contrast to tart and tannic cranberries in this seasonal dessert. |
Roasted Squash With Cranberries and Thyme
For something a bit lighter than candied yams, but still sweet-leaning, consider maple-citrus glazed squash with cranberries and thyme. |
 Cranberry-Port Chutney
If you plan to serve port as an after-dinner drink, set aside a bit to flavor this decadent chutney. |
Have a glut of cranberries on your hands? Find even more recipes for the fall fruit here.
