Cranberry Recipe Ideas so you don’t waste those berries!

What’s up toots?

I bet on this day nearly a week after Thanksgiving that you might have leftover cranberries somewhere in your fridge or freezer.

So here are some ideas for you.

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Meringues are an extra special cookie because having them turn out perfectly is quite an accomplishment.

Having any batch of cookies turn out is an accomplishment but meringues look so fancy and quite upmarket, especially if you pipe them instead of plopping them on the baking tray with a spoon.

Another reason to fall in love with meringues is their shelf life, if you can keep your family or roommates from devouring them all the first day.

You can keep meringues in an airtight container at room temperature for two weeks. Or freeze meringue cookies in a hard container like a cookie tin for a month.

One note of caution, choose a dry day for making meringues.

Too much humidity can cause the sugar in the egg whites absorb moisture, which will prevent your mixture from forming stiff peaks.

Your meringues may also weep because of humidity or turn soft. No one wants to eat sad, saggy meringues.

Ingredient List for Meringues

Equipment You’ll Need

Meringue Cookie Recipe Notes

You’ll want to prepare in advance by putting your metal or glass mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for an hour. The cold will help your egg whites stiffen into peaks.

Speaking of egg whites, pull those out of the fridge. You want the egg whites at room temperature. If you forget to pull the egg whites out, you’ll just have to beat them longer.

Be sure to scrub the bowl and whisk with hot, soapy water before drying and putting in the freezer. If any oil or a speck of dirt gets in your egg whites, it can keep your egg whites from stiffening.

Start with egg whites at room temperature. Add the salt and cream of tartar immediately. 

Beat the egg whites/salt/cream of tartar mixture for at least five minutes before beginning to add the sugar.

You’ll slowly add the sugar a couple tablespoons at a time, beating for a minute or two after each addition.

Once you’ve added all the sugar, continue beating until the all the sugar has been thoroughly absorbed by the egg white mixture.

You’ll know the sugar has been absorbed by rubbing a bit of the egg white/sugar mixture between two finger pads. If you feel any grains of sugar, you need to continue beating the mixture. 

Keep beating until you feel the mixture and it’s completely smooth and creamy.

Add extract and food coloring, beat until combined, about a minute.

These need to bake immediately. 

Prepare your piping bag or plastic bag if you’re going to use a pastry tip to form the meringues.

If you’re going to use a regular Ziplock type bag, snip about a quarter inch off one corner of the bag and insert the piping tip. 

Put the bag inside a drinking glass or a mug and pull it open and down over the mug.

Having the opening held open by the cup will make it easier to fill with meringue.

Spoon the meringue mixture into the bag and close it with a rubber band or a twist tie.

Smoosh the meringue down towards the tip end of the bag.

Using one hand to guide the tip and the other hand to apply pressure, extrude meringues into kiss shapes. These should be about twice the size of a Hershey’s Kiss. 

These will not spread so you can space them fairly close together. 

Bake at 220 F for 90 minutes. 

Turn the oven off at the end of the 90 minutes and leave the meringues in the oven until it cools down.

Remove from oven and find an airtight container to store the meringues in once they have cooled completely. 

These will keep for a month at room temperature in an airtight container. 

If you don’t have raspberry oil, you can use a different flavor. 

If you don’t have any food coloring, leave them white.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cranberry Recipe Ideas

If you’re planning to do anything with cranberries, I suggest a food processor for making your life easier.

You can get a good puree or a fine chop with just the push of a button.

I’ve had this food processor for years and years. It’s a real workhorse.

This is a mini version.

Recipes to Use Up Leftover Cranberries

Grilled Glazed Maple Cranberry Chicken (With Cranberry Salsa)

Holiday Cranberry Gin Fizz Cocktail is a very pretty pink drink. But, I can’t make this drink.

I played a dumb drinking game in college drinking gin and let’s just say, I’m 50 now and still can’t stand the smell of the stuff. (Mom, you didn’t read that.)

White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies

Have you had the amazing Cranberry Bliss Bars at Starbucks? Try a cookie form: Cranberry Bliss Bar Cookies

I have trouble with the word curd. It reminds me of, well, you know. It rhymes with curd and starts with a t.

But I adore lemon curd. It’s probably one of my most favorite foods.

I want to try making this Cranberry Curd Tart.

I adore a good scone. I’d like to try these Cranberry Orange Scones.

Have you ever tried the King Arthur Cranberry Orange scone mix? It’s good and simple.

Vegan Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Roast

Cranberry Meringue Tart

So, making quesadillas from leftover turkey is one of my favorite things to do after Thanksgiving. The teenager would probably like these Leftover Turkey, Brie And Cranberry Quesadillas because he likes brie. I do not. No soft cheese for this girl. Unless it’s bleu cheese or goat cheese

Cranberry Chicken Salad (One Pot)

Cranberry Brie Bites (One Pan)

What do you make with leftover cranberries? Or do you eat them all up?

xo,

Jennifer

Have you seen these my most popular recipes?

Cranberry Recipe Ideas