red jewels
Recipe: cranberry nut dessert
Just a reminder that Menu for Hope IV is underway as I type! Be sure to visit the full list of prizes being offered over at Chez Pim. If that’s too confusing for you, visit the various regional hosts at the end of Pim’s post – the prizes are being offered from all over the globe! Hurry up! Go! Bid! Do you really want someone else walking off with YOUR prize?!? Well then, get on it! [after you read the rest of my post] :)
Are you freaking out right about now? Maybe now? Maybe – NOW? It’s a big time of year for baking and cooking and feasting and festivities – no matter what the festivities may be. I typically find myself making all manner of sweets and baked goods to share with friends, neighbors, our slow but friendly small town post office, the Subaru dealer, Kaweah’s favorite kennel… When I add up the list though, there just isn’t the time to mass produce super fancy time-intensive confections for everyone. That’s why I love the goto recipes, the ones that are easy to make and delicious to boot.
’tis the season of the cranberry
My mother-in-law gave me this recipe years ago and I cannot tell you how many dozens of times I have made this recipe and doled it out to the masses (the masses = my co-workers and other people I know). So when I see cranberries arrive at the market, I know what I’m going to be baking for a few months. The other nice thing about cranberries is that they freeze well and can be tossed right into the recipe just like fresh cranberries. Even so, I tend to make this between November and January.
the star ingredient
add walnuts, or substitute a different nut if there are allergies
The best part of this recipe is how all of the ingredients are dumped into a big bowl, mixed together, and then baked in a dish. No wait, the best part of this recipe is one of my absolute favorite ingredients in any pastry or baked good…
the secret ingredient: almond extract
People will bite into the cake and their eyes will wander around trying to pinpoint the lovely flavor they are experiencing. Bakers will identify it immediately, but most others just get a dreamy look on their face and repeat, “there’s something in this that tastes… tastes like… what is that flavor?” Almond extract, kids. Repeat after me: almond extract.
spread into a pie dish
I grease my baking dishes, but you should be warned that the only sticking point (pun intended) to this recipe is that it is slightly sticky on the pan. Nothing horrible, but any intricate pan designs might result in some swearing and unhappiness on your part – your recipients will be oblivious because they will be too busy stuffing their faces with this red-jeweled treat.
the berries are like dots of candy
Cranberry Nut Dessert
[print recipe]
from my best mom-in-law
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh cranberries (fresh is best, but you can use frozen)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a pie dish. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, cranberries, and walnuts. Mix the dry ingredients together and coat the berries. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Pour the eggs, melted butter, and almond extract into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Spread the batter into the pie dish and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (crumbs are okay). Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Goes well with a scoop of ice cream!
December 11th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
This looks lovely! Almond extract is one of my favorite smells and flavors.
December 12th, 2007 at 7:07 am
I love your polish pottery!
December 12th, 2007 at 7:39 am
Jen- this dish resembles a blueberry cobbler I make. Of course, it doesn’t have the lovely walnuts that you put. Almond extract is so good, it’s hard for me not to over do it. I was wondering, do you serve it the way you would a cobbler or like a pie?
December 12th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
What a festive and seasonal dish. Do you serve it by scooping some into a bowl, or does it cut like a pie or cake? Looks delicious!
December 13th, 2007 at 12:16 am
It makes for such a lovely cake.
December 13th, 2007 at 7:28 am
Amy – ditto on the almond extract!
Rachel – thanks :) My grandma-in-law gave that to me several years ago. It’s very special.
Christine – Oh, it’s not very much like a cobbler in that it has more structural integrity and can be sliced like a cake. It’s sort of a sticky cake or a cakey sticky thing. When you cut a slice, it will come out as a slice, but it’s not as light and fluffy as cake. So I guess serve it more like a pie (and with ice cream!)
Elle – you can do both, but it will come out fine like a slice of pie or cake too.
Peabody – thanks, lady! :)
December 13th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
This looks good! The tart cranberries go well in sweet dishes. I am definitely going to be looking for some almond extract when I go shopping this weekend.
December 13th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
This sounds AWESOME. A month or so ago in the NYTimes, Melissa Clark mentioned that she hates almond extract. My response was, “WHAT?!?” Every baked good to which I’ve added almond extract has tasted amaaazing. I’m sure this is no exception!
December 13th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Kevin – mmm, if you find a good recipe to use with that almond extract, I hope you’ll post it!
Dana – if you like almond extract, you’ll like this one. I cannot believe Clark hates almond extract?! Oh well – more for us ;)
January 28th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
This was divine. I made this cake along with the Artichoke chicken and ate like a king. I think I’m going to cook everything you posted on this site.
Thank you sooooo much!
January 30th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Seth – this dessert is such a winner because it’s so easy and delicious! :) I’m so glad you are finding the recipes useful. Thanks for your sweet comment!
June 21st, 2008 at 9:06 pm
i like this article, thank you
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Nusantara – thank you!
November 20th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
This is very similar to one I make that I found on the back of an OceanSpray bag. It’s on their website too, but it doesn’t have the almond extract. Now I have to try this new version! My husband will go nuts! He he he
November 21st, 2008 at 10:12 am
Leitha – the almond extract is awesome in the recipe. I hope you like it!
May 26th, 2009 at 11:29 am
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November 17th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Very nice dessert. Newsflash you’ve added.
January 3rd, 2012 at 12:46 pm
I know this is an old post but I am just reading through your blog. Your photography is amazing and your dog is a cutie. I made this over the weekend and it was so delicious. I’m now running to the store to buy up all the cranberries so that I can make it again and again. I’ve made two of your recipes so far and both were keepers :D
May 1st, 2012 at 4:45 pm
OMG, looks sooo yummy! I am definitely bookmarking this to try later, thanks! I also adore your polish pottery! I’m literally the biggest fan of polish pottery out there! I love how it can be so incredibly beautiful and so functional at the same time! Love love love. I just stumbled upon Polish Pottery and was blown away by some of their pieces. Thought I would share cause there might be other polish pottery fanatics out there as well =)
March 29th, 2013 at 8:18 am
I have made this recipe a million times now, and it is always a winner. Guilty secret — I actually increase the amount of almond extract because I just love it so much (this is not required, folks, but I’m a glutton for it). Super easy, super fast, and my god is it ever delicious.
November 1st, 2013 at 4:01 am
[…] Cranberry Nut Dessert – Use Real Butter […]
November 1st, 2013 at 5:04 am
[…] Cranberry Nut Dessert – Use Real Butter […]
November 20th, 2013 at 5:01 am
[…] Recipe from: Use Real Butter […]
March 11th, 2015 at 3:12 pm
love lost and spent 6 hours reading recipes to find now i will love again
December 27th, 2018 at 8:48 am
Hello Jen! Greetings from RI. Just wanted to say that this is the 12th year in a row that we’ve made several of these for holiday parties and family gatherings. It is ALWAYS a hit. Hope you and J and the pups are well. So glad Caroline introduced us all those years ago. Happy New Year!
January 11th, 2019 at 10:46 am
Kelley – So great to hear! Happy New Year, friend, and keep on baking! xoxo
November 26th, 2023 at 3:26 pm
Aunt Margaret shared this dessert with my friends and I when we visited Pagosa a few years ago. Every year, one or both of them text me asking for the recipe! I’ve lost the paper copy but as I’m a fan of real butter as well, I always remember the name of your blog so I am able to find the recipe each year. We love it! Thanks for sharing!