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Christmas Cranberry Cobbler is a great dessert on Christmas Eve that tastes even better leftover on Christmas morning. The sugared cranberries on top give this cobbler a sweet and tart flavor, plus the crystalized sugar that forms after baking gives it just the right amount of texture.
about this christmas cranberry cobbler
Who called for crumbly, golden, cranberry goodness? Oh yea, I guess that was me…
I am SO excited for the holidays and this new dish is just the best thing since sliced crusty bread in my book.
It’s the lazy girl’s guide to happiness, in dessert form really. This Christmas cranberry cobbler is a direct result of an incredible lazy streak when it comes to cooking for anything outside of the wedding I’m catering tomorrow.
I may seem like I’m cool on the surface, but if you could get inside my head, it’s a total mess.
Instead of attempting to make a complicated Christmas cake (it really was on my list this year, but I couldn’t make it happen), I opted for a simple dessert that also doubles as breakfast (presently eating a slice as we speak…). As much as I love the idea of making a layered stunning cake, I know my limitations.
I am not a master cake artist. I accept this. It’s ok that I can’t do everything. Woo saaaa… (anyone get the Bad Boys II reference right there? LOL)
This cobbler for breakfast, mimosas, pjs, presents, card games and endless puppy snuggles (or as many as she’ll allow me…).
Oh and screaming “SANTA!” at the top of my lungs as I open the gifts from Santa that’ll inevitably show up under the Christmas tree. Did I mention he and I are besties?
ingredients
cranberries. I highly recommend using fresh cranberries! It’s the best way to get the best flavor in this cake. If you need to use frozen, that is doable, but be sure to drain the thawed cranberries before you use them in this recipe.
sugar. all you need is granulated sugar for this recipe. You can also use light brown sugar for this recipe if you prefer.
flour. I used all-purpose flour in this recipe. You can also use a gluten-free 1:1 substitute if you would like.
baking powder. the leavener you need for this recipe is baking powder!
cinnamon. you can use your favorite ground cinnamon here!
salt. all you need is kosher salt, finely ground. Do not use coarse salt.
butter. unsalted butter is used in this recipe, but you can also use salted butter. If you use salted butter, be sure to omit the added salt in the recipe list for the cobbler.
milk. use whole milk for this recipe. 2% milk will also work.
eggs. make sure that you select large eggs!
vanilla. I recommend using a high-quality vanilla extract for all your recipes. My favorite is Nielsen Massey – their Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract is amazing.
this recipe’s must-haves
I baked my cobbler in a lodge cast iron skillet and it came out absolutely perfect. You don’t need a baking dish for this recipe!
If you don’t have a set of metal mixing bowls, you need to invest in them. They come in handy every single day.
Another everyday must for my kitchen is a wooden spoon!
baking favorites
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here’s how to make this easy christmas cranberry cobbler
prep cranberries
Toss cranberries and 1/4 cup sugar together in a small bowl. Set aside.
make batter
Start by whisking together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, milk, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
Scrape batter into a cast iron skillet that’s been buttered. Scatter the sugar-coated cranberries on top of the batter evenly.
Note: You can use a baking dish that’s about 10-inch in diameter or 1 1/2 quarts. Be sure to grease it with cooking spray before pouring the batter into the prepared baking dish.
bake
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350˚F, until golden brown on the edges. Serve warm or cool to room temperature before serving.
tips for success
serve at room temp. I know it’s hard to resist eating this cranberry cobbler immediately out of the pan when it comes out the oven… But I swear that this christmas cobbler is absolutely divine at room temperature. That’s why I love making it for dessert on Christmas Eve and serving leftovers in the morning as breakfast!
use fresh cranberries. If you can, use fresh cranberries! You can use frozen, but be sure to thaw and drain them first.
love cranberry orange? Add some freshly grated orange zest to the batter to add a little orange flavor to the mix!
More tasty Christmas baking recipes to try: Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies | Gingerbread Christmas Crack Candy | Christmas Shortbread Cookies | Panettone Bread Pudding
do you have to cook cranberries before baking?
No, you don’t have to cook cranberries before baking. The cranberries cook with the batter so they are still plump and flavorful! They are bursting with flavor in this simple dessert, making it absolutely delicious.
do you thaw frozen cranberries before baking?
If you are using frozen cranberries, yes, you need to thaw them first. I always recommend draining them as well, because the extra liquid can throw off the balance of the cobbler.
Need more holiday recipe inspiration? Check out my holiday recipes page!
what to serve with christmas cranberry cobbler recipe
When I’m eating this cranberry cobbler, I don’t have to pair it with much! If it’s for dessert, a nice cup of coffee or an espresso is ideal. It’s the perfect treat for November or December filled with holiday flavors!
Want to make it extra special? Serve this à la mode with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you need another sweet treat, add a tray of cookies to the spread! Classic snowball cookies, cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies, and mini chocolate chip cookies are some of our favorite recipes.
For breakfast, a chilled glass of champagne or mimosa or coffee is a go-to for our family, especially during the holiday season when we are always celebrating!
Need a cocktail to pair with this for dessert or brunch? This cranberry spice sparkler is the ideal pairing!
how to store and reheat
Store. Store this cranberry cobbler in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
Reheat. To reheat, I simply place a slice on a microwave-safe plate and reheat for 15 to 30 seconds until warmed through. You can also just let it come to room temp before eating!
Finally, if you make this Christmas cranberry cobbler, please be sure to give this recipe a rating or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment. Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!
Oh and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you make the recipe! Love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!
Christmas Cranberry Cobbler
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 9 Tbsp unsalted butter melted + more for the pan
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Generously butter a 12-inch cast iron skillet.
- In a small bowl, toss together the cranberries and 1/4 cup sugar. Set aside.*
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, milk, sugar, egg and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring to combine.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared cast iron skillet. Scatter the sugared cranberries over the top of the batter evenly.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature (surprisingly awesome at room temp by the way!).
I’m so behind on reading my fav blogs! Man I missed out. Those Pomegranate Pork Tacos and Peppermint Biscotti went in my list of recipes to try, as will this Cranberry Cobbler!! I like baked goods that have little bites of fresh fruit in them. This looks great! Good luck on catering the wedding. I know it will be great! I remember my catering days. Catering stressed me out so much I think I developed a twitch. haha!
Beautiful Meghan! And so perfect for Christmas. Have a wonderful holiday!!
Love this cranberry cobbler recipe…must try!
This recipe is fantastic! My sweetie and I browned a few walnut bits in butter in the cast irpn and mixed em into the batter and made the recipe as-is for Thanksgiving. Yummy, thanks!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it!
The cranberry-cobbler cake was excellent! The sugar may not adhere to all the cranberries- just sprinkle it evenly across the top before baking! Super-yum!
Yay! I am so glad you loved it!
I have no iron skillet. What other pan would
work?
As long as it is the same size and oven safe, a different kind of skillet will work!
I have 8” and 12” cast iron skillets … should I make the cobbler thicker or thinner & adjust the baking time or use a 9” square glass pan? I also have a 10” Pyrex casserole dish. Any suggestions???
I would just make the cobbler thicker and use the smaller pan! Then just add time onto the total baking time – I suggest in 5 minute increments ?
Did you recently change cobbler recipe? I need the other one! Lol
Thank you
Hi there! I did just do an update! It’s the same recipe with a couple minor tweaks for improvement and new pics ❤️
Can I get a copy of the last recipe please? I’m going to try this one as well.
Also, I wanted to mention it’s most delicious to eat hot but we agree that it tastes great at room temperature as well. Our family enjoys either way. And I thought it’d be too dry after being in fridge and warmed but nope it’s still delicious. We have thoroughly enjoyed this recipe. A fun little addition is to add the Wiltons white sparkling sugar on top after it comes out of oven. It adds just a little more holiday feeling and isn’t too sweet. It makes the cranberries look frosty. Delicious and so pretty!
Your cake looks so delicious, my kids love cranberry so much.
Full of Christmas vibe! Thank you for your sharing, Meghan.
Thank you Marina!
This looks delish! I want to make a large batch for a party – could I use a disposable 9×13 aluminum pan?
I haven’t made it in a pan before, but I don’t see a reason it wouldn’t work! I would double the recipe – it might just need a few more minutes to bake through in the pan.
Hi there,
Can I make this in a springform pan instead of the cast iron skillet?
Thanks,
Whitney
Yes! You can use a 12-inch springform instead of a cast iron skillet. I recommend greasing it well with cooking spray or using parchment paper to line it. If you only have a 10-inch pan, you could use it as well, but the cobbler will be thicker and will need another 5-ish minutes added to the cook time to cook all the way through.
Hi! I made this in my normal springform pan. It turned out well.
One question though- do you have a trick for getting the sugar to stick to the cranberries more? My cranberries were dry and I added the sugar like you said, but ended up with most of my sugar at the bottom of the bowl and not on the cranberries. I still like the dessert, but it definitely lacks that sweetness the tart cranberries may need when serving to others.
Oh fantastic! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know! If the sugar isn’t sticking well enough, you can add a 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of water or simple syrup to wet the berries, then add the sugar. Make sure the water or simple syrup is cold.
Can you make these in individual portions such as a bakery treat?
You can cut the cobbler into individual portions!
Love this recipe. I have been making it for the last 3 years. Although I replaced vanilla extract with almond simply because of personal preference.
Oh I love the idea of using almond extract! I’m going to try that next time!