35 Fresh Cranberry Recipes (+Produce Guide)

Cranberries are fruits grown on evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the genus Vaccinium. Blueberries, lingonberries and huckleberries are also members of this genus.

They’re one of the only fruits native to North America. The fruit is small, hard and deep red in color, and has a very sour, bitter flavor.

The fruit was named “cranberry” by Dutch and German settlers. They thought the flower of the cranberry resembled the head and bill of a crane, and dubbed it “crane berry”.

The cranberry growing season is from April to November. The major production areas for cranberries are located in the northern part of the United States, including New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington.

Cranberries are very unique and are grown unlike any other fruit. They grow on low-lying vines similar to strawberries, and have small evergreen leaves. The berries are larger than the leaves, and turn from white to dark red when ripe.

They’re grown in beds (otherwise known as bogs or marshes) layered with sand, peat (moss), gravel and clay. Commercial bogs use water bodies like ponds, wetlands, ditches and plumes to provide a natural habitat for wild life and plants.

The plants thrive in well drained soil that’s acidic with a low pH.

Yes, cranberries may be eaten raw, but they are quite tart all on their own. They’re great in salsas, relishes, salads and even smoothies. It’s best to combine them with sweet ingredients or add sugar to tame the tartness.

Cranberries are very nutritious and include a wide variety of health benefits. In fact, they’re a superfood and even outrank almost every fruit and vegetable in disease-fighting antioxidants, including strawberries, broccoli, blueberries and cherries to name a few.

Fresh cranberries are composed of 90% water, with the other 10% composed mostly of carbohydrates and fiber. They’re low in sugar — which is why they’re so tart!

They’re a great source of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins C, E, K1 and magnesium and copper.

All of us have probably heard that we should drink cranberry juice to help prevent bacterial infections like urinary tract or yeast. According to my research, 100% cranberry juice is the best kind to drink, but cranberry supplements are your best bet. Of course, anything of this nature should be discussed with your doctor.

Consuming cranberries regularly may lower the risk of inflammation which can improve gut health and protect against chronic diseases.

Fresh cranberries are sold in plastic bags, so I try to inspect the bags carefully and choose one with the least amount of discolored or bruised berries.

Store the cranberries in the original bag in the fridge and use within a week or so, or freeze for up to one year. When ready to use, be sure to rinse the berries well and discard any discolored or bruised berries.

Cranberries may be made into cranberry sauce straight from the freezer or thawed first.