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Rich chocolate brownies with cranberries and pecans are one of my favorite easy-to-make desserts this time of year – it is an unexpected and fun holiday flavor combination.
Served plain or topped with ice cream and hot fudge sauce, I’ve been making cranberry brownies at least a few times every holiday season for years. And without exception, everyone who has tasted them has raved over them.
Cranberry Brownies
The brownie base for this recipe has been my favorite for years. It’s a simple saucepan recipe that comes together in under 10 minutes, making it perfect for snacking any time of day.
The cranberries are a tart counterpart to the rich chocolate fudgy brownies. It’s a fun surprise flavor and they’re always a guaranteed hit on a dessert table. If you haven’t already fallen in love with the pairing of fruit and chocolate, these brownies may convince you to try it soon.
Who doesn’t love a rich, fudge brownie for a sweet snack? The cranberries that have a home in my freezer all year for the Cranberry Christmas Cake have to do double duty for these brownies now too.
Fresh Cranberry Recipes
There’s so much more to fresh cranberries than the cranberry sauce on the table for Thanksgiving dinner. From the crunch of the sugar crust on the bottom to the juicy cranberries to the flaky cake layer on top; Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie is cranberry dessert heaven.
“The sweet heat that you can not stop eating” is the best way to describe this sweet and spicy cranberry jalapeno dip. Double it for a crowd so you don’t run out! Tart cranberries and sweet apples are baked inside a brown sugar and oat crisp for a perfect not-to-sweet cranberry apple crisp.
Tangy cranberry pancakes sweetened with maple syrup make getting out of bed on the weekend a little bit easier. These buttermilk pancakes are a must-make for me the first weekend in December.
Cranberry Christmas Cookies are filled with an abundance of fresh tart cranberries balanced by a buttery sweet cookie. Sweet, tart, and full of cranberries, apples, raisins, and spices, cranberry chutney is sure to become a must-have on the holiday table.
Slightly chewy with a sweetly tart combination, cranberry oatmeal bars are full of cranberries and apples topped with brown sugar and oatmeal crumbs. Fresh cranberries and a hint of lemon are combined in this incredibly moist brown sugar streusel Cranberry Coffee Cake.
And last but not least, tart cranberries and spicy peppers mingle in this sweet and spicy Cranberry Pepper Jelly. Everyone goes crazy for this spicy jam at the very first bite! It’s the perfect addition to a Christmas charcuterie board.
Pecan Brownies
Oh, how I love a fudgy rich pan of brownies when they are sprinkled with nuts in every bite. My go-to brownie add-in is a handful of pecans, but I don’t discriminate with the nuts we enjoy in brownies.
Almond Joy Brownies are gooey fudgy brownies filled with plenty of chocolate, almonds, and coconut.
Kitchen Tip: I use this saucepan and this baking pan to make this recipe.
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe
- butter
- semi-sweet chocolate
- light brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- all-purpose flour
- kosher salt
- fresh or frozen cranberries
- pecans
COOK’S NOTE: These brownies will keep nicely in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. Alternatively, they can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
Frozen cranberries work well in this recipe. I toss the bag of fresh cranberries directly into the freezer after I buy them. The frozen cranberries can be added to the recipe without thawing.
Fruit and Chocolate
Smooth and creamy chocolate fondue that you can make in just a couple of minutes? What’s not to love?? Served with loads of fruit, cream puffs, graham crackers, and pretzels, this Dessert Fondue Board is a treat for the eyes and for everyone’s taste buds.
Sweet and slightly tart fresh blueberries are lightly covered in dark chocolate to create an irresistible sweet snack that doubles as a quick and easy dessert too. My sister gets the thanks for these chocolate covered blueberries every time I make a batch for the freezer.
If you enjoy chocolate covered strawberries, you really do need to try chocolate coated orange slices. They’re like no other dessert and my whole family loves them!
Your favorite trail mix has been transformed into the ultimate candy bar in this Fruit and Nut Chocolate Bark with swirled layers of white and dark chocolate, studded with dried fruits, and crunchy nuts. Salty, sweet, crunchy, chewy, and chocolate all come together in this beautiful and easily adaptable holiday treat.
Cranberry Pecan Brownies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 cups semi-sweet chocolate
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour*
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ½ cup pecans chopped
*Gluten-Free Alternative:
- ⅓ cup brown rice flour
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×9 pan with butter or line with parchment. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the chocolate chips to the butter and stir until melted. Remove from the heat. Add the sugar and vanilla, and stir until smooth.
- Whisk in the eggs. Add the flour and salt. Stir until well combined. Stir in the cranberries and pecans.
- Pour into a well-greased or parchment lined pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with moist crumbs.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 10/5/17 – recipe notes and photos updated 12/4/24}
Are the cranberries whole, or are they chopped?
Add the cranberries whole. Happy baking!
These sound so delicious. I want to make them for Christmas but I’m having to avoid dairy right now. Can you use ghee instead of regular butter?
Hello! I made these exactly this way, and also made batch that substituted almond extract for the vanilla and slivered almonds for the pecans. Holy cow! Both versions are amazing! How do you recommend that I can make these a chewier consistency?
Made these for out-of-town visitors. They were a huge hit! Even my hubby, who doesn’t have a sweet tooth, can’t stay away from them!
I baked these brownies yesterday and came out good. I used frozen cranberries, (left them on counter top while i did the prep work) and it was difficult to stir them in the batter. As soon as I added cranberries, batter became a lump. Nevertheless, brownies came out great. Thanks for the recipe. I also baked your Christmas cranberry cake.
The recipe says 9×9 but the link to the pan you use shows a 9x 13. Just wanted to make sure. If the recipe is for a 9×9 how much extra should I add to make enough for 9×13?
There should be 9 and 10 inch options for that pan through the link. That said, you’ll just double the recipe for a 9×13 pan. It works perfectly. The brownies will be slightly thicker, but still delicious. I typically double this recipe and bake in a 9×13 pan.
As a cranberry grower I would like to thank you for your enthusiasm in using cranberries in so many different recipes! Keep up the amazing work.
I could never have too many cranberry recipes! We love them.
This is the best way to have chocolate for Thanksgiving! I made these last year and they were eaten right up. The second time I made them, I used frozen fresh cranberries, and they made the brownies a little too “wet”, and they had a tendency to break apart. Is there anything I can do to prevent that from happening with the frozen berries?
We still ate the over-moist brownies. You never want to waste chocolate!
I’m so happy that you love these brownies as much as we do, Cindy! I would probably toss those frozen cranberries in a strainer in the sink as I started the recipe and allow them to thaw a bit before mixing them into the recipe. Maybe even try blotting them lightly with a paper towel?
This were delicious! A new favorite for sure. Just one question. It is a tablespoon of vanilla (not a teaspoon)? I made as written but wondering if it needs this much.
I do use a tablespoon, Clare, but you are welcome to reduce it.
I’m not sure this is going to work, but I doubled the recipe & using a 9×13 glass dish. Thinking good thoughts!
It will work beautifully, Karleen! I double it all the time.
They are in the oven baking. A friend in another part of the state wants me to make them first. Lol glad she & hubby are 4 hours away. The two of us have them all for us. Well, I may be lucky to get two.
Fabulous and easy recipe.
I’m so glad that you love the brownies, Julia!
I was wondering is half a cup flour is enough ? And can I use dried cranberry?
Thanks
You only need a half cup of flour for this recipe, Leila. Unfortunately, you won’t have the same results using dried cranberries.
Soak dried cranberries in warm/hot water for about 30 min then drain the cranberries saving the liquid. I only use a little of the juice back into the recipe and drink the rest.
These brownies are the best! I love pairing chocolate with fruit, and the chocolate and cranberry combo works really well. They’re not super sweet. I used frozen cranberries without any problems and omitted the pecans since I didn’t have any on hand. It’s hard to keep brownies looking pretty when cutting, so to avoid that issue I baked them in a cupcake pan using liners at 325° for approx 24 minutes. I had enough batter for 12 single serve brownies. I kept checking on them after 18 min so that they didn’t overtake. No mess, super easy, and deliciously perfect!
That’s awesome, Regina! I’m so happy to hear that you loved them.
These are great. I added some bourbon. Next time I will add a little corn syrup for chewiness, and probably reduce the two eggs to 1 egg + two yolks. Might also add a chewy add-in, maybe orange-flavored craisins.
I’m glad you are enjoying the brownies!
Super fun and festive brownie! Super easy and one pot desert. The mix of the chocolate and cranberries is a great new twist on the ole standby of brownie.
I’m so happy that you like the brownies, Kim! They’re still one of my favorites.
i had the same experience: toward the end of the mixing — i guess when i added the cranberries? — stirring almost came to a complete halt. if i had been using a plastic spoon or spatula it would surely have snapped in half. but it came out great.
If the cranberries are frozen, the batter will definitely freeze up. It still works nicely though. I’m glad you liked the brownies, they’re one of our favorites, Suzanne.
So I must not have cooked mine long enough – instead of a brownie, mine came out more like fudge. No complaints here! They were delicious. Loved the pop of tartness from the cranberries. Will be making these again for Christmas and just may undercook them again!
I’m glad they were a hit, Gabby. It does sound like they could’ve baked a little longer.
Question- when you say one cup cranberries, is it fill the measuring cup or 8 ounces? Still love the brownies/fudge. I’m getting to the point where I like ounce measurements instead of cup measurements. Thank you.
Hi, Gabby. I’m just referring to one cup of cranberries. Whatever ounce measurement that comes out to should work. Happy baking!
Best brownies ever. I used walnuts instead of pecans and they were a huge hit. I also used a large glass measuring cup to melt the butter and chips in the microwave then just mixed the brownies in there. One dish clean up, Easy, and good.
Sounds great Mama Lorna!
Mary,are the cranberries plain raw cranberries or dried? Thank you for sharing the recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Fresh or frozen cranberries are perfect in these brownies, Barbara.
Hi, your brownies look amazing, but I just would like to know if by the add-ins you mean the pecan and the cranberries because I cannot find them in the preparation, and the semi sweet chocolate is mean to be chocolate chips or can be any chocolate?, I’d love to make these for a party, so please help me! Thank you
Yes, the cranberries and the pecans are the add-ins here. I’ll make a note to clarify that in the recipe, Dia. Thanks!