Cranberry Orange Brownies

Cranberries and orange…….a match made in heaven…….or in Cranberry Orange Brownies!

Cranberry Orange Brownies 3

Tart ruby red and delicious cranberries, harvested from bogs when cold weather arrives and available throughout the winter months. Fresh cranberries are a signature fresh fruit of autumn and early winter.

Cranberry Orange Brownies 1

The combination of tart cranberries sweetened with oranges, another fruit of winter, is a classic flavor pairing in baking.

Blond brownies are a tasty treat in their own right, but add the tart of the cranberry and sweet bright citrus of the orange, and you have a fall dessert treat that is sure to please.

A basic brownie batter…butter, sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, a bit of orange flavoring, those beautiful berries, and orange zest. Sprinkled with a bit of my favorite turbaned sugar that gives a nice sugary crunch to the top. Baked to a perfect golden brown.

Cranberry Orange Bownies are gooey, chewy, tart and sweet. The perfect fall dessert!

Cranberry Orange Brownies Collage

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Cranberry Orange Brownies


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon orange flavor extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 3/4 cups fresh cranberries, divided
  • 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Instructions

  1. Beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla, and orange flavoring and beat again. Sift together the salt, baking powder, and flour. Slowly beat into the butter mixture. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cranberries, and orange zest by hand.
  2. Spread the batter in a greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the extra 1/4 cup cranberries and turbinado sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 23-25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Store in a sealed container.

Notes

made mine in a smaller pan for a thicker brownie. Adjust baking time if using a smaller pan.

 

Pistachio Cranberry Crack

Pistachio Cranberry Crack

Pistachio Cranberry Crack

DISCLAIMER: I will not be held responsible for the amount of this you will want to eat!!!!!

This is the most addictive thing I have ever made……..hence the name. Seriously, I could not get enough. Tim and I almost made ourselves sick eating it…….it was that good!!!!

I know Christmas is over, but the Holiday season is not………not quite yet. I am sure many of you still have another Christmas or two, and there is still New Years Eve. Make this, take this, be the star……..if after you make it, there is any left to take…..lol.

Having all things I like…….dried cranberries, pistachios, white chocolate……..heaven……..I sorta sang that last word.

Pistachio Cranberry Crack

I have seen recipes with saltine crackers as a base and skimmed by them, saltines are something I am not overly fond of. They remind me of being a kid…….when we were sick we got saltines and flat 7up. But, they add the perfect touch of salty crunch to this recipe. A quick brown sugar, butter toffee over the saltines, then white chocolate topped with the cranberries and pistachios………salty, sweet, tart, nutty…….and in one bite! As if you can only eat one bite!

Pistachio Cranberry Crack Collage

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Pistachio Cranberry Crack

Pistachio Cranberry Crack

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 24 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 40 Saltine Crackers
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 bags (12-ounces each) white chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon oil (I used coconut but any oil will do)
  • 1 bag (5-ounces) dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pistachios ,chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and grease with cooking spray.
  3. Arrange the saltines, in a single layer; set aside.
  4. In a small saucepan combine butter and light brown sugar; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted.
  5. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil; continue to cook, stirring until it turns a caramel color; about 1 minute.
  6. Remove from heat and pour over the crackers.
  7. The crackers will start to move around slightly but you can push them back into place.
  8. Bake in 400* 4 to 5 minutes, or until mixture is bubbly.Remove from oven and set aside.
  9. Place chocolate chips and oil in a microwave proof bowl.
  10. Microwave in minute intervals until the mixture is just melted. Remove from the microwave and continue stirring until all the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth.
  11. Pour half of the melted chocolate over the crackers and smoothing with an offset spatula. Let stand 1 minute.
  12. Pour the rest of the melted chocolate over the first layer and smooth it out again using an offset spatula.
  13. Add pistachios and dried cranberries on top. Press down slightly to make sure the adhere to the chocolate.
  14. Place in the freezer or refrigerator until solid and cold. The freezer will work faster.
  15. Break up into pieces.

Keywords: dried cranberries, saltine crackers, toffee, white chocolate, dessert