Q: I bought two big jars of 100% cranberry juice at a half-off sale, and am looking for some suggestions on how to use them!
So far I have just been adding a little to my water bottle, but thus far am only halfway through the first jar!
Sent by Sara
Editor: Sara, you could try the juice in a holiday cocktail, or you could skip the puree step in this recipe for cranberry squares with walnut shortbread crust, and just use the juice.
Readers, what else would you suggest?
Related: 11 Grown Up Cocktails Without the Alcohol
(Image: R.W. Knudsen)

Comments (25)
Back in college we'd always mix half cranberry juice with half Sprite.
I doubt they're serving cranberry juice from big dispensers in the college cafeterias these days...
You could make either jello jigglers or a jello mold (using Knox gelatin and the cranberry juice).
Cranberry granita?
simmer about a cup of it on low heat for 20 or so minutes- it will reduce and make a really nice syrup that goes well with savory or sweet.
Cosmos! or freeze some in ice cube trays and add those to drinks.
orange-cranberry pancakes with cranberry reduction maple syrup. NOM.
I used to drink a lot of 100% cranberry juice for kidney health. I liked adding some sparkling water to it and drinking it. Also, when I made cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, I used half cranberry and half pomegranate juice, along the lines of this: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/11/cranberry-pomegranate-sauce/
It was delicious, by the way. The only cranberry sauce I've ever really liked.
jelly?
Mix it with some maple syrup and a little water and drink it.
Freeze it into ice cubes and keep it around for the next time you get a UTI.
I drink half cranberry juice and half iced tea. It tastes alot like the bottled TAZO tea. Only cheaper.
I have almost a full one in the fridge that I can't even stand to drink, it's so bitter. Cranberry is great because it keeps bacteria from sticking to mucosal surfaces (thus helping with utis, as Rachel said, and maybe even preventing gum disease from what I understand) although you can get kidney stones if you drink lots and lots of it, also from what I hear. Please do post a follow up if you find a good recipe, I can't seem to make it drinkable. I imagine something sweet like mango would be good, and my old cran juice had mostly grape juice which was yummy.
I would suggest boil some water in the kettle, fill up your mug with the hot water, a gloop of cranberry juice and a slop of orange juice. Tart but lovely.
It is not a concentrate once you open it -it has to be in the fridge.
it really isn't for everyone, but I love putting cranberry juice and a little bit of lemon in with hydrated chia seeds, then drinking them. I have that for breakfast every day and I love it, but the gloopy texture of the hydrated seeds is probably pretty unpleasant to a lot of folks.
Use this as a splash in your cape cod and you will never go back
I use cranberry juice instead of water when I make my steal cut oatmeal. It leaves it a lovely pink color and is very tasty.
GLOGG! If you can find the bottles of "glogg" mix at IKEA or specialty stores, you can have yourself a delicious, but not too sweet, hot spiced drink.
Otherwise you could mull the cranberry juice by adding brown sugar and steeping a little muslin or cheesecloth bag of whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, a piece of candied ginger, orange peels, and a star anise or two. Let it simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes and you'll not only have a delicious air freshener, you'll have a delicious beverage. I love making glogg for parties on chilly nights.
You can also mix it half and half with a sweeter juice like grape, apple, or pomegranate if you want to drink it straight.
It would add some tanginess to a marinade for duck or chicken thighs.
A favorite party drink that really looks great in a sparkly crystal tumbler: Cranberry juice, Meyers's dark rum and a lemon slice. It is a tasty balance of sharp and sweet.
Make a cranberry vinaigrette with just a touch of honey to perk up a bowl of salad greens. Add walnuts?
I don't think most people (not ALL of the commenters above) realize that this is unsweetened cranberry & very tart! I have a jug of this stuff in the fridge too & take in in a shot glass for UTI's.
I love mixing 2 parts club soda to 1 part cranberry juice. Good for the urinary tract and the taste buds.
It's great for drinks (mixed with other juices, tea, or wine for a sangria, smoothies), reduced and sweetened for pancake/waffle syrup, homemade candy (in particular 'pate de fruit'), sauces (fresh/frozen cranberries & cranberry juice), curd, frozen desserts (sorbet, granita, ice cream), make jelly or vinegar, even dye Easter eggs or fabric with it. For most uses you'll have to sweeten it (honey's a great complement) and add another flavor, like orange, but in the case of the pate de fruit the sugaring on the outside makes it a perfect tart/sweet candy.
Because it doesn't last long after opening a bottle, at least not long enough to consume something with a taste that strong, I often freeze my juices in ice cube trays and bag the cubes... that way I get the best use instead of having an open bottle or carton go bad.
A Pink 'green' smoothie!!! : 1 cup water, 1/4 cup cran juice, 2 stevia packets, 1 cup frozen berries, handful of spinach--blend until liquid.
My favorite winter cocktail is unsweetened cranberry juice, sparkling water (or sprite if you like things sweeter) and malibu rum. It tastes like sunshine. Not quite as healthy as some of the other suggestions, but still delish!
Substitute it for lemon juice in drinks or recipes. Try Cumin-Cranberry marinade for chicken breasts.
Ditto for smoothies!