Holidays & Entertaining Holidays Thanksgiving 9 Clever Ways to Use Your Leftover Cranberry Sauce Don’t know what to do with all the leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving? Try making these easy recipes. By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 24, 2022 Cranberry sauce is a mainstay at the Thanksgiving table. But once the big meal is over, you likely want to repurpose it into something a little different. Wondering what to do with leftover cranberry sauce? It can be used in a variety of sweet and savory recipes, spanning appetizers to dessert. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week, or frozen for a month or two. Below, see our suggestions for delicious cranberry sauce recipes. If You'll Be Serving Canned Cranberry Sauce This Thanksgiving, Read Up 01 of 09 Oatmeal With Cranberry Sauce Con Poulos get the recipe Yes, you can eat leftover cranberry sauce for breakfast (and we'll guarantee you'll love it). A bowl of warm oatmeal is a blank slate for flavor, which is why tart cranberry sauce is the perfect accompaniment. In fact, we took inspiration from our Baked Oatmeal With Cranberries and Almonds. Simply spoon leftover cranberry sauce on top of creamy oats. It would also be great atop pancakes or waffles. 02 of 09 No-Churn Pumpkin Ice Cream With Cranberry-Raspberry Compote No churn pumpkin ice cream is the perfect addition to your seasonal dessert arsenal. Serve it with hot apple pie for the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert mash-up. Get the recipe: Pumpkin No-Churn Ice Cream With Cranberry-Raspberry Compote. Max Kelly get the recipe Adding a tart flavor to dessert is a great way to keep it from being cloyingly sweet. That's why we like spooning leftover cranberry sauce over vanilla ice cream (or gelato, or sorbet) for the easiest, most satisfying dessert you'll eat this holiday season. The only dessert that's more delicious is our No-Churn Pumpkin Ice Cream With (leftover) Cranberry-Raspberry Compote. 03 of 09 Spiced Cranberry Toaster Tarts Gentl & Hyers get the recipe These sweet-tart treats are a grown-up version of those super sugary breakfast pastries you loved as a kid. Rather than cooking dried cranberries with marmalade and spices, go ahead and spread the dough with your leftover cranberry sauce before baking. It's the perfect morning-after-the-meal breakfast bite. 04 of 09 Cranberry-Lingonberry Sauce Greg DuPree get the recipe Here, your leftover cranberries mingle with lingonberries, their crimson-colored Scandinavian cousin. If you don't have a whole pound of cranberries leftover, don't worry. This recipe's forgiving, but do your best to reduce the other ingredients in similar proportions. 05 of 09 Cranberry Ganache Tartlets Philip Friedman; Styling: Michelle Gatton Get the recipe Here, you'll use your leftover cranberries or cranberry sauce to form the filling of a delicious bite-sized dessert. In step two, simply skip the extra sugar and simmer the sauce with the cream before using it to fill the tart shells. Add chocolate and toppings, let chill, and you've got yourself a fancy little 10-minute treat. 06 of 09 Baked Brie With Cranberry Sauce Greg DuPree get the recipe Tart cranberries pair deliciously with creamy brie or camembert cheese. Simply spoon the leftover cranberry sauce over a round of brie. Top with chopped toasted pecans and garnish with fresh rosemary. Serve warm with toasty bread, like in our Baked Brie With Cranberry Compote and Pecans, for a crowd-pleasing appetizer. 07 of 09 Cranberry and Plum Relish With Port Most of the plums in this rich, complex relish will break down to a jammy consistency. The remaining fruit should be soft, but still intact when cooking is complete. For a slight kick, add a pinch of crushed red chili flakes. The spice combined with the acidity of the fruit helps cut through the richness of the rest of the Thanksgiving meal. Get the recipe: Cranberry and Plum Relish With Port. Heather Meldrom get the recipe This cranberry and plum relish is perfect for smearing onto your leftover turkey sandwiches, serving on top of grilled pork chops, mashed potatoes, or drizzled on vanilla ice cream. If you're using leftover cranberry sauce, cut the sugar in the recipe in half to avoid going overboard on sweetness. 08 of 09 Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf With Cranberries Gentl + Hyers get the recipe Whether you prefer fresh or from-a-can, this Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf is a delicious way to use your leftover cranberry sauce. The savoriness of mushrooms and onions pairs perfectly with sweet-tart cranberries. It's vegetarian-friendly, too. 09 of 09 Cranberry Ricotta Cake Greg DuPree get the recipe Here, you'll combine of fresh cranberries with butter, sugar, and ricotta cheese for a delicious dessert. The best part is that this cake is beyond easy to bake, and chances are, you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit