Best Cranberry Substitutes For Every Recipe

Fresh Cranberry Substitutes

Fresh cherries are your best bet when replacing fresh cranberries. They offer a similar tartness and maintain their shape while cooking, just like cranberries. Plus, they have that same satisfying burst when you bite into them. For every cup of fresh cranberries, use one cup of pitted fresh cherries.

Pomegranate arils work wonderfully as a fresh cranberry substitute, especially in salads or as garnishes. Like cranberries, they provide little bursts of tart juice and add beautiful color to your dishes. They’re particularly good in recipes where the cranberries aren’t cooked.

Chopped Granny Smith apples provide that perfect tartness you’re looking for. While the texture is different, they hold their shape well when cooked and provide a similar acidic bite to cranberries.

Red currants are perhaps the closest match to fresh cranberries in terms of tartness and size. They’re small, bright, and pack that same punch of acid that makes cranberries so special in recipes. Use them in a 1:1 ratio for any recipe calling for fresh cranberries.

Frozen Cranberry Substitutes

Frozen cherries make an excellent stand-in for frozen cranberries because they maintain their structure when thawed and cooked. They work particularly well in baked goods and sauces, providing that perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Frozen blueberries can replace frozen cranberries in most recipes. While sweeter than cranberries, they provide beautiful color and a similar texture when cooked. Just reduce the sugar in your recipe slightly to compensate.

Frozen raspberries offer that perfect tartness that makes them a great cranberry substitute. They break down a bit more than cranberries when cooked, but this makes them perfect for sauces and fillings where a smoother texture is desired.

Mixed frozen berries provide a complex flavor profile that works well in place of cranberries. The combination of different berries creates depth while maintaining that crucial sweet-tart balance. Plus, they’re usually easy to find year-round.

Cranberry Sauce Substitute

Cherry preserves mixed with orange zest make an excellent cranberry sauce alternative. The cherries provide that familiar berry taste, while the orange zest adds the citrusy notes that make cranberry sauce so special. Add a splash of lemon juice to increase tartness if needed.

Try my Homemade Spiced Pear Sauce recipe (omitting the cranberries) for a unique twist. The warming spices and natural pear sweetness create a delicious alternative that pairs beautifully with holiday meals.

Pomegranate molasses thinned with orange juice creates a sophisticated substitute with the perfect balance of sweet, tart, and tangy flavors. The thick syrup provides body similar to cranberry sauce, while the orange juice brightens the flavor.

Fig jam with a splash of lemon juice offers a different but equally delicious alternative. While figs are sweeter than cranberries, the added citrus helps balance the flavor, and the texture is remarkably similar to cranberry sauce.

Cranberry Juice Substitute

Pomegranate juice makes an outstanding cranberry juice substitute. It matches cranberry’s deep color and provides that perfect mix of sweet and tart notes. For recipes that call for cranberry juice in marinades or sauces, pomegranate juice works beautifully because it has similar acidic properties that help tenderize meats.

Tart cherry juice offers a comparable tartness to cranberry juice while bringing its own unique flavor profile. It works especially well in cocktails and beverages like my Fresh Cherry Recipes collection. When using it in cooking, you might want to reduce the sugar slightly as cherry juice tends to be a bit sweeter than cranberry.

Apple juice mixed with a splash of lemon juice creates a good substitute that’s probably already in your fridge. Use about ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice per cup of apple juice to achieve that cranberry-like tartness. This combination works particularly well in baking recipes or marinades.

Red grape juice with a touch of lime provides both the color and sweetness you’re looking for. Adding just a small amount of lime juice (about 1 teaspoon per cup) gives it that signature tartness that makes cranberry juice so special in recipes.

White Cranberry Juice Substitute

White grape juice makes the perfect substitute for white cranberry juice because it has a similar light, crisp sweetness. It works beautifully in cocktails and punches where you want to maintain a lighter color, like in my Fresh Summer Drink Recipes.

Apple juice provides a readily available alternative that matches the sweetness level of white cranberry juice. It’s particularly good in recipes where the juice is being used to add sweetness and moisture, like in marinades or baking.

Pear nectar offers a unique twist as a white cranberry juice substitute. Its subtle flavor and natural sweetness work well in both cooking and beverages. The slightly thicker consistency can be an advantage in some recipes, adding body to sauces or glazes.

Light colored cherry juice (from Rainier cherries) brings a delicate flavor that’s similar to white cranberry juice. While it might be harder to find, it’s worth seeking out special recipes where you want that light color with a sophisticated flavor profile.

Dried Cranberry Substitute

Dried cherries make an excellent stand-in for dried cranberries in any recipe. They provide similar chewy texture and tart-sweet flavor that works beautifully in baked goods, trail mixes, or salads. 

Raisins (golden or regular) are probably the most accessible substitute for dried cranberries. While sweeter than cranberries, they provide that same chewy texture and fruity flavor. Golden raisins tend to be more delicate in flavor and work particularly well in lighter dishes.

Dried blueberries offer a wonderful alternative with their natural sweetness and similar size to dried cranberries. They’re especially good in breakfast recipes or baked goods where you want bursts of berry flavor without too much tartness.

Chopped dried apricots bring a different but equally delicious element to recipes calling for dried cranberries. Their bright, tangy flavor and chewy texture make them a great substitute, especially in baked goods or grain salads.

Dried goji berries provide both the tartness and the vibrant color of dried cranberries. They’re slightly smaller but pack a nutritional punch and work beautifully in sweet and savory recipes.

Substitute for Cranberry Jam

Cherry preserves create a wonderful alternative to cranberry jam, offering that perfect balance of sweet and tart. The texture is virtually identical, and the flavor profile works in all the same applications, from spreading on toast to using as a filling in baked goods.

Mixed berry jam provides complexity and depth that mimics the distinctive flavor of cranberry jam. The combination of different berries creates a well-rounded flavor that works beautifully in recipes like my Cherry Oatmeal Bars (just swap the filling).

Raspberry jam offers that perfect tartness that makes it an ideal cranberry jam substitute. It has a similar consistency and works wonderfully in both sweet and savory applications, from thumbprint cookies to glazes for meat.

Fig jam might seem like an unusual substitute, but its thick consistency and sweet-tart profile make it a fantastic alternative to cranberry jam. Add a small splash of lemon juice to brighten the flavor if needed.

Substitute for Cranberry Jello

Cherry jello provides the closest match in both color and flavor to cranberry jello. It works perfectly in layered desserts or as a base for fruit salads. For an extra special twist, try using it replacing any other jello called for.

Raspberry jello brings a similar tartness and beautiful color that makes it an excellent cranberry jello substitute. It sets up with the same consistency and works well in all the same applications.

Mixed berry jello offers a complex flavor profile that can make your dish more interesting than using plain cranberry jello. The combination of berry flavors creates depth while maintaining that familiar jello texture.

Strawberry jello with a splash of lemon juice makes a great substitute to replicate that sweet-tart cranberry flavor. Add about ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice per package of strawberry jello to achieve the right balance.

Recipe Tips

• When substituting in baked goods, maintain the same ratio of liquid to dry ingredients.
• For sauces, adjust sugar levels based on the sweetness of your substitute.
• In recipes where cranberries are a garnish, focus on color and texture matches.
• Taste as you go when using substitutes in cooking, as sweetness levels can vary.

FAQs

Cranberry Recipes You’ll Love:

• Easy Turkey Cranberry Sliders
• Homemade Spiced Pear Sauce With Cranberries
• Refreshing Bohemian Cocktail