Christmas is so close we can taste it. And it tastes good. From a sauce, to a crisp, to muffins suitable for breakfast or dessert, it’s cranberry time! Try these recipes from Jennifer Miller, Hillary Irwin, Melissa Baratta and Sabrina Szteinbaum.
The Ultimate Cranberry Sauce
by Jennifer Miller (mealdiva.com)
Ingredients
1 (12oz) package of fresh cranberries
1 orange, zested and juiced ( if the orange is not juicy, add 1-2 tbs. fresh orange juice as well)
½ cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Directions
1. Put all of the ingredients into a saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Remove cinnamon stick and stir.
4. Serve at room temperature or cool and refrigerate.
Apple Cranberry Crisp
by Hillary Irwin (SimplyBeautifulMom.com)
Ingredients
5-6 baking apples (such as Fuji), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour
Topping
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tbsp. coconut oil
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Coat a 9-inch round pie pan with coconut oil.
3. Combine all of the filling ingredients and toss well. Place in the pan, cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, until slightly tender. Remove from the oven and stir.
4. To make the topping, mix flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and nuts in a medium bowl with a fork.
5. Add butter and coconut oil and blend with a pastry blender or your fingertips.
6. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit.
7. Put back into the oven and bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes until the fruit is fork tender and the topping is lightly browned.
8. Let cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Cranberry Orange Muffins
by Melissa Baratta (Some Sugar Added)
Makes 1 dozen
Ingredients
2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries (frozen will also work)
2/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 heaping tbsp. orange zest
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 tbsp. coarse or turbinado sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in bowl; mix together. Stir in cranberries.
3. In a separate bowl, combine milk, butter, orange zest, vanilla and egg; add wet mixture to the flour mixture, and stir just until combined (do not overbeat).
4. Spoon batter into muffin tins lined with wrappers or sprayed with cooking spray.
5. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes, until muffins spring back when touched in center or toothpicks come out clean. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
Cranberry-Ginger Pear Pie
submitted by Sabrina Szteinbaum
Recipe from www.browneyedbaker.com.
Ingredients
For the Crust
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. granulated sugar
½ tsp. salt
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
2 to 4 tbsp. ice water
For the Filling
3 pounds Bartlett or Bosc pears, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices
¼ cup + 2 tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
8 ounces (2 cups) cranberries, fresh or thawed
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
For the Topping
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. crystallized ginger, chopped
¾ tsp. ground ginger
⅛ tsp. salt
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1. Make the dough: Put the flour, sugar and salt in the processor bowl of a food processor and pulse once or twice to combine. Add the butter and continue to pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add 2 tbsp. of water as you continue to pulse, adding more water a tablespoon at a time if necessary; stop pulsing when the dough just starts to come together. Remove the dough from the food processor and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. The dough can also be frozen for up to 2 months and thawed in the refrigerator.
2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, and gently press the dough into the bottom of the pan and against the sides. Leave the overhanging dough in place and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until completely chilled and firm.
3. Remove the dough-lined pie plate from the refrigerator and trim the overhanging dough to ½-inch beyond the lip of the pie plate. Tuck the overhang under itself, making the folded edge flush with the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the dough, then transfer the dough-lined plate to the freezer for 1 hour before using.
4. Make the filling: In a large bowl, toss the pears with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave until the pears turn translucent and release their juices, 4 to 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Uncover and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
5. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 400°F.
6. Prepare the Topping: Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, crystallized ginger, ground ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture is completely moistened. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
7. Finish the filling and assemble the pie: Combine the cranberries, remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, and fresh ginger in a food processor and pulse until the cranberries are roughly chopped, about 5 pulses. Drain the cooled pears and discard the liquid. Return the pears to the now-empty bowl and add the cranberry mixture, stirring to combine. Transfer the mixture to the chilled dough-lined pie plate. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the pear filling, breaking apart any large clumps.
8. Bake the pie: Place the pie on the baking sheet and bake until the juices are bubbling and the topping is a deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool completely (about 4 hours), before serving. The pie can be stored, covered, at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Still want more? Check out Lisa Panzariello’s Cranberry Orange Bars, from our recent 12 Days of Cookies extravaganza!