Wondering what to do with leftover cranberry sauce? Here are a dozen bread recipes using cranberry sauce that will have you actually planning for leftover sauce! You can choose from delicious breads, muffins, scones, and even a decadent pull-apart bread that all feature cranberry sauce.
The great thing about these recipes – and our other best bread recipes – is that most can be made ahead and frozen so you can use up your cranberry sauce and have the bread whenever you want.
One of my favorite foods during the holiday season is cranberries and cranberry sauce. I make a mean homemade orange cranberry sauce that’s sweetened only with maple syrup that I pretty much wait all year to eat. (Side note: why do we do this? There’s no law that says we can’t have cranberry sauce in February or April – but I just never think about it!)
But I have to say I think I’m in the minority in my family, so we always have leftovers after the holiday meals. I’m okay with that since I’ll just spread it on toast, but I can’t eat all of it – and I would still like to share.
And that’s where these bread recipes using cranberry sauce come into play. There are a dozen options of breads, muffins, scones – and an incredible looking pull apart bread – that all use up any leftover cranberry sauce you may have. And these are all recipes everyone will love no matter if they take the cranberry sauce at the dinner table or not. My kids love the cranberry crumb loaves I make though they never take the sauce at the meal.
I guess it can just be another way to spread the cranberry sauce love.
Bread Recipes Using Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Crumb Loaves @ AOC. A fun recipe where the topping starts out as part of the dough. You can make this with any kind of cranberries (fresh, dried, sauce), but I love the pockets of sauce that’s created when spoonfuls of leftover cranberry sauce are added to the tops. Bonus – they make terrific food gifts!
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Leftover Cranberry Sauce Bread @ Oh My Veggies. This is a vegan bread that uses some whole wheat, flax seeds, and coconut milk.
Cranberry Sauce Sticky Bread @ Oats & Sesame. Eggless, dairy free, and sweetened with applesauce and cranberry sauce, this is a “sweet and tangy moist bread.”
Holiday Breakfast Recipe: Cranberry Sauce Quick Bread @ The Kitchn. A truly quick bread, this is described as “not too sweet and has the undertones of the plucky cranberry sauce and tartness of buttermilk.”
Cranberry Brie Pull-Apart Bread @ Delish. A decadent appetizer bread that starts with a loaf of premade bread that you cut and stuff with cranberry sauce and cheese. Um, yum.
Quick Cranberry Nut Bread @ Ocean Spray. Of course Ocean Spray would have a way to use their whole berry canned sauce, but any leftover sauce that equals about 1 1/2 cups would work, too.
Banana Cranberry Bread @ Allrecipes. Adding bananas adds a different flavor and moisture (a note on the recipe – I’d substitute real butter in place of the shortening, of course…).
Oatmeal Cranberry Applesauce Muffins @ Genius Kitchen. This muffin is made with whole wheat and oats, sweetened with applesauce and includes both dried cranberries and cranberry sauce.
Cranberry Muffin Recipe with Pecans @ Today’s Creative Life. This recipes uses whole wheat and flaxseed along with the pecans and cranberry sauce.
Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins with Oat Streusel Topping @ Ahead of Thyme. A recipe that blends the cranberry sauce into the dough and then tops the muffins with a brown sugar-oat streusel.
Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins @ Two Peas and Their Pod. A simple batter is made special with leftover cranberry sauce hidden inside of each muffin and sugared tops.
Leftover Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce Scones @ Genius Kitchen. The sauce is mixed into the dough for these scones – make sure to read the recipe and comments as there is some discussion on the amount of half and half. I’d go with the 1/2 cup mentioned in the directions – I think the extra listed in the ingredients is meant for brushing the tops (though can’t imagine you’d need a whole 1/2 cup for that…). I still think these would be amazing, though – they are going on my to-make list!
See what I mean about needing to plan cranberry sauce leftovers now? With these bread recipes using cranberry sauce, you won’t have a problem using it up – the only problem now will be having enough!
Which of these recipes will you be making?
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Hi Jami! Thanks for including my cranberry sauce bread recipe! So many great recipes to use up that leftover cranberry sauce! XOXO Emily
You’re welcome, Emily – it looks so good and I was happy to feature it!