26 Cranberry Desserts for Thanksgiving So You Can Skip the Sauce

Apple, Cranberry, and Pecan Galette

This homemade apple and cranberry galette is best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! For easier slicing, let the finished pastry cool slightly before cutting.

Test Kitchen Tip: Toast your pecans ahead of time and let cool before chopping and adding to the dish.

Cranberry Pie with Honey Meringue

As one reviewer shared, "Made this pie for Thanksgiving and loved it." Your guests will rave about the tart cranberry orange filling and the fluffy honey meringue. Just before serving, use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the meringue.

Cranberry-Chocolate Cheesecake

Classic cheesecake gets a decadent makeover with a bit of help from rich chocolate swirls and a sprinkling of beautiful ruby-red cranberries.

Test Kitchen Tip: Take this Thanksgiving dessert over-the-top with a sprinkle of sugared cranberries. To make, roll frozen cranberries in granulated sugar and serve.

Bourbon Cranberry Cookies

Bourbon and cranberries? Definitely a winning combo. A bourbon chocolate ganache adds even more luxury to the spiked cranberry cookies.

Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Panna Cotta

Layers of sweet cream and cranberry-ginger sauce star in this showstopping cranberry dessert for Thanksgiving. Pour the prepared fillings into 5-ounce glasses and chill up to 24 hours before serving. Finish each glass with sugared cranberries and fresh mint.

Cranberry Orange Upside-Down Spice Cake

Mandarin oranges and a ginger-cinnamon combo give an extra dimension to this cranberry cake. What makes the cake so soft? That'd be the 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt. Serve this cranberry orange dessert with a pile of homemade whipped cream.

Cranberry-Almond Wedges

Cranberry cakes are an excellent holiday-season snack. And if you love almond cake's dense, rich taste, you'll adore this sweet-tart cranberry variation made with a sugar cookie mix.

Cranberry-Chai Cupcakes

You won't be able to say no to these spicy-sweet treats, especially if you love fresh cranberries. These holiday desserts are topped with sugared cranberries and our luscious chai and cream cheese frosting.

Crustless Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce

Skip the crust! This Thanksgiving cranberry dessert with cream cheese is enough to get your guests talking. Top off the creamy five-ingredient cheesecake with our luscious homemade cranberry sauce.

Cranberry-Cream Tartlets

With a gingersnap crust and a cranberry cream filling, these cute mini tarts are a fun, personalized cranberry dessert for Thanksgiving. The recipe calls for dried and fresh cranberries, meaning the flavor comes through. To make a single tart, use a 10- or 11-inch tart pan instead of individual pans.

Apple-Cranberry Crisp

One part apple dessert, one part cranberry dessert, plus a brown sugar-cinnamon topping and lots of fresh fruit, this comfort dessert is ideal for entertaining out-of-town guests. We like to serve this cranberry crisp with a scoop of vanilla or lemon yogurt.

Layered Cranberry-Quince Mold

If you're looking for easy cranberry desserts, canned cranberry sauce is what you want. Dress up the sauce by pairing it with creamy lemon, quince, and walnut in an elegant mold ($27, Target). For mini molds, try preparing in 12 individual 3/4-cup molds or ramekins.

Cranberry-Orange Tea Ring

Store-bought dough makes this a surprisingly easy-to-bake cranberry dessert recipe. Dried cranberries, orange peel, pecans, and lots of spice combine into this delicious tea ring that's perfect for any fall party.

Fluffy Cranberry Mousse

Topped with tart cranberry sauce, this creamy mousse takes only 20 minutes to make and is a light, elegant dessert option for any occasion. Have we proven to you how many easy cranberry desserts exist yet?

Cranberry-Cashew Clusters

Cranberry cookies are surprisingly addictive. Keep a stash of these vanilla, nut, and dried cranberry no-bake treats on hand for unexpected guests—or for yourself.

Cranberry, Pear & Walnut Cake

This party-worthy cranberry dessert is chock-full of classic fall ingredients. Homemade caramel sauce adds a special touch.

Cranberry Tarts

These mini fresh cranberry desserts are great for brunch or dessert. If you like to plan ahead, you can place the tarts in freezer bags and freeze for up to 4 months.

Cranberry Crunch Cookies

If you're a cookie lover, these chewy and crunchy cranberry cookies are for you. The secret ingredients? Crunchy cereal with cranberries and almonds. They're easy to make and a treat to eat.

Pear-Cranberry Deep-Dish Pie

The warm flavors of ripe pears and tart cranberries come together with ginger and nutmeg in this delicious homemade pie. The best part? An extra-deep baking dish ($17, Crate & Barrel) means there's more of this cranberry dessert to love.

Cranberry-Pumpkin Gingerbread with Sherry-Cream Cheese Drizzle

Sure, cranberry cakes are delicious, but so are pumpkin cakes and gingerbread—this treat boasts all your favorite fall flavors in one bite. A rich, drizzled frosting infused with sherry and cream cheese tops off this fall dessert.

Nuts About Cranberries Tart

This cranberry dessert lets other ingredients share the spotlight—a sweet mixture of pears, cranberries, almonds, and pistachios fills this gorgeous tart. You can make the rich buttery pastry crust yourself or use a store-bought crust.

White Chocolate-Cranberry Crispy Treats

Classic crispy rice cereal treats get a holiday makeover with white chocolate, dried cranberries, a dash of nutmeg, and some toasted pecans. Simply mix the ingredients, scoop into a greased pan, and let stand—your easy cranberry desserts are ready to be eaten.

Apple-Cranberry Pie

Apple and cranberry desserts are central to fall, so the combo is a guaranteed holiday knockout when served together. Orange peel and lemon juice add a hint of citrus to the pie.

Cranberry Blondies

Turn regular blondies into a festive dried-cranberry dessert recipe. Two-ingredient cinnamon whipped cream (1/2 cup whipping cream, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon) adds a little spice to the sweet treat.

Cranberry Twist Bread

A homemade orange icing takes this cranberry bread recipe from brunch to dessert! Fill a simple yeast dough with pecans, cranberries, and orange zest for a sweet Thanksgiving dessert idea that goes great with a cup of coffee.

Pumpkin-Cranberry Bread

This spiced quick bread recipe "bakes" hands-off in your slow cooker. You'll need just a few pantry ingredients to throw it together, including canned pumpkin, pecans, and frozen cranberries. This easy cranberry recipe makes a thoughtful holiday gift.