Rich chocolate brownies loaded with cranberries and pecans are one of my favorite easy-to-make desserts this time of year—an unexpected and fun holiday flavor.
For years, I made cranberry brownies and served them with ice cream and hot fudge sauce at least a few times every holiday. Without exception, everyone who tastes them raves about them.
Cranberry Brownie
The brownie base for this recipe has been a favorite of mine for years. This is an easy pot recipe that comes together in less than 10 minutes and is perfect for any time of day snack.
Cranberries are the tart of a gorgeous chocolate cake with rich chocolate. It’s a fun surprise flavor and they’re always guaranteed on the dessert table. If you haven’t fallen in love with the pairing of fruit and chocolate yet, these brownies might convince you to give it a try soon.
Who doesn’t love rich, fudgy brownies with a sweet tooth? Now the cranberries I have at home in my freezer year round for a Cranberry Christmas Cake now have to do double duty for these brownies too.
Fresh Cranberry Recipes
Fresh cranberries make so much more than cranberry sauce on the table. From the crunch of the sugar crust on the bottom to the juicy cranberries to the flaky cake layers on top; Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie is cranberry dessert heaven.
“A sweet treat you can’t stop eating” is the best way to describe this sweet and spicy Cranberry Jalapeño Dip. Double it so you don’t run out! Tart cranberries and sweet apples bake in a brown sugar and oatmeal crispy interior for a perfect, unavailable Tart Cranberry Apple Crisp.
Rich cranberry pancakes sweetened with maple syrup make waking up on the weekends easier. These buttermilk pancakes are the first weekend of December hit for me.
Cranberry Christmas Cookies are filled with plenty of fresh, tart cranberries, balanced by a buttery sweet cookie. Cranberry Chutney is sure to be a must-have on your holiday table, sweet, tart, apple, raisin and spice filled with cranberry, apple, raisin and spice.
Cranberry Oatmeal is slightly chewy, a combination of tart and tart, filled with cranberries and apples and topped with brown sugar and oat crumbs. Fresh cranberries and lemon flavor merge into incredibly moist brown sugar jam cranberry coffee cake.
Last but not least, tart cranberries and spicy peppers come together in this sweet and spicy Cranberry Pepper Jelly. First bite and everyone went crazy for this spicy jam! This is the perfect addition to a Christmas charcuterie board.
Pecan Brownie
Oh, how I love a rich brownie when every bite is sprinkled with nuts. My favorite brownie add-in is a handful of pecans, but I don’t discriminate against the nuts we enjoy in our brownies.
Almond Joy Brownies are gooey brownies filled with tons of chocolate, almonds and coconut. The chocolate and nutty brownies are great, have pecans or walnuts, and get bonus points for being gluten and dairy free too.
Kitchen Tip: I used this pan and this baking dish for this recipe.
You will need the following ingredients to make this recipe
- butter
- semisweet chocolate
- light brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- egg
- all purpose flour
- kosher salt
- fresh or frozen cranberries
- pecan
Cook’s Note: These brownies will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. Plus, they can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
Frozen cranberries work great in this recipe. After I purchase, I throw a bag of fresh cranberries in the freezer. Frozen cranberries can be added to recipes without thawing.
Fruit and chocolate
Smooth and creamy chocolate fondue you can make in just minutes? What’s not to love? Complete with fruit, cream puffs, Graham crackers and pretzels, this dessert fondue board is a treat for the eyes and everyone’s taste buds.
Sweet and slightly tart fresh blueberries are lightly covered in dark chocolate to create an irresistible sweet treat that also doubles as a quick and easy dessert. My sister thanks these chocolate covered blueberries every time I make a batch for the freezer.
Before I even took my first bite, I knew I wanted these dark chocolate raspberry brownies (the house smells amazing while they’re baking!) What I didn’t expect was the intense raspberry flavor in every bite. Chocolate and raspberries make a spectacular pair, don’t they?
If you like chocolate covered strawberries, you really need to try the chocolate coated orange slices. They are like no other dessert and my whole family loves them!
Your favorite trail concoctions are packed into this ultimate candy bar with Fruit and Nut Chocolate Bark, topped with layers of white and dark chocolate and topped with dried fruits and crunchy nuts. Salty, sweet, crunchy, chewy, and chocolate all come together in this beautiful and easy-to-adapt holiday treat.
Serve: 16 Serve
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*Gluten-free alternatives:
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Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×9 pan with butter or parchment paper. Melt butter in medium pot over medium-high heat.
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Add chocolate chips to butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.
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Stir in eggs. Add flour and salt. Stir until well combined. Stir in cranberries and pecans.
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Pour into a well or parchment paper lined pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownie comes out with moist crumbs.
Frozen cranberries work great in this recipe. After I purchase, I throw a bag of fresh cranberries in the freezer. Frozen cranberries can be added to recipes without thawing.
Calories: 164KCAL · carbohydrate: 17g · protein: 2g · Fat: 10g · Saturated fat: 5g · Polyunsaturated fat: 1g · Monounsaturated fat: 3g · Trans fats: 0.1g · cholesterol: 29milligrams · sodium: 70milligrams · Potassium: 103milligrams · fiber: 2g · sugar: 11g · Vitamin A: 129IU · Vitamin C: 1milligrams · calcium: 20milligrams · iron: 1milligrams
{Originally posted 17/5/17 – updated 12/4/24 with recipe notes and photos}
