The Fresh Fall Ingredient Your Seasonal Desserts Are Missing

Fall desserts tend to follow a few key themes. Notably and quite loudly, the season embraces all things apple; the fruit materializes in the form of apple cider donuts, apple pies, and classic apple crisps and crumbles alike. Fall is likewise no stranger to pumpkin, as evidenced by, of course, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread, and even a variety of pumpkin beers. Yet there's another fresh, seasonal flavor that perfectly encapsulates both the crispness of the autumn season and the onset of the holiday months. That ingredient is cranberry, which can be incorporated in all of your favorite desserts to add a festive twist.

Chef Anna Gordon of New York City's The Good Batch Bakery told Tasting Table that fresh cranberries are both affordable and often overlooked during these chilly months. "They're really easy to find this time of year, they're not expensive, and they can add the perfect little pop of tart into a cookie, crumble, or pie," she said. Cranberries tend to be in season from mid-September to mid-November, so now is the time to use them. As for which recipes work best? Follow Gordon's advice and try them in cookies, crumbles, pies — and way, way more. 

Move over apples. Fresh cranberries are the fruit of the season, with just as much potential for elevating your go-to fall recipes. Think of cranberries the way you would chocolate chips, and you'll understand just how easy it is to use them across your baking. If you're new to working with fresh cranberries, however, pair the two inclusions together. Anna Gordon pinpoints a classic chocolate chip cookie as the perfect vehicle for in-season cranberries: "Just toss them into your favorite chocolate chip cookie with a little cinnamon, and you have a cozy, seasonal variation," she explained.

Yet while cinnamon and chocolate complement the red berry with a fall-inspired twist, so do a slew of other flavors from white chocolate to ginger. You can use the fresh berries as you would their dried counterparts in cranberry-based recipes, such as Tasting Table's simple pistachio and cranberry sugar cookies. Or, try them in an orange-flavored bread, standalone cranberry pie, or buttery cranberry muffins. The ingredient proves incredibly versatile — yet relatively underused — so you can mold cranberries to fit your favorite desserts, regardless of whether you prefer cookies, cakes, or brownies.