Although they’re often not the first item on my grocery list, I recently acquired a large bag of Craisins and, after a few days, realized that I wasn’t exactly sure what to do with them. The tiny dried fruits add sweetness to my cereal in the mornings, but I never knew how many recipes you could make with Craisins.
Oceanspray has come out with multiple varieties including granola clusters, milk chocolate, and greek yogurt. Thankfully their shelf life is pretty long, so I decided to explore my options with the gallon-sized bag of dried cranberries sitting in my pantry.
Sprinkle on top of a spinach salad
Photo courtesy of @nourishingfir on Instagram
Take your salad to the next level by adding crumbled feta cheese, Craisins, and walnuts for a sweet combination of fruits and veggies.
Mix with Brussels sprouts, bacon and toasted walnuts á la Chrissy Teigen
Photo by Kelda Bajon
Brussels sprouts aren’t normally everyone’s favorite food, but everything is better with bacon. The Craisins combine with the roasted sprouts and crispy bacon for a fun array of flavors. Order Chrissy’s book for the exact recipe, or find a similar version here.
Bake into cookies
Photo by Haley Abram
Not just for Christmastime. You can substitute other dried fruits for the white chocolate to have in the summer, or try this easy updated oatmeal cookie.
Blend into a smoothie
Photo courtesy of@ julia_ilya on Instagram
Strawberries, raspberries, bananas, mango…the options are endless.
Make your own trail mix
Photo courtesy of neighborfoodblog.com
The fun thing about DIY trail mix is that its whole concept is to mix together a bunch of foods that you like. You can make it sweet (almonds, dried bananas, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, M&Ms) or salty (peanuts, cashews, pretzels, popcorn, and sea salt), or anything in between.
Mix into your yogurt or oatmeal
Photo courtesy of @7chicaschowing on Instagram
Add some sweetness without scooping on the sugar – Craisins are a not-too-sweet addition to your morning meal.
Crush and simmer into a cranberry chutney
Photo courtesy of @lizlenoremiller on Instagram
Cranberry sauce isn’t just for Thanksgiving; you can serve it on top of toast, sweet and savory Brie tartlets, pork chops, and even more. While most recipes call for fresh cranberries, Craisins can be substituted or added for a denser flavor.
Pile onto a chicken salad sandwich
Photo courtesy of @cookinwithdj on Instagram
Chicken salad can be great with crackers, on a bed of lettuce, or just on its own. Get creative with the mix-ins to fit your tastes, but don’t forget the Craisins.