Cranberry Sauce Leftovers in glass dishes topped with a dollop of whipped cream on a wooden serving platter all on a wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Cranberry Sauce Leftovers in Mini Jello Cups

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Use leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday meals and mix it with a few other fruits suspended in jello for an easy holiday dessert.

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After the Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner, you’re often left with a smaller amount of cranberry sauce. Instead of letting it go to waste, transform it into delightful Mini Cranberry Jell-O Cupcakes. This recipe is a great way to repurpose leftover cranberry sauce, whether it’s whole cranberry sauce or jellied cranberry sauce.

These festive treats combine the tartness of cranberries with the sweetness of raspberry gelatin, making them a perfect holiday side dish or dessert. Serve them at your Thanksgiving table, Christmas dinner, or any holiday meal to impress your guests.

There are so many different fruit flavors in these cups, but you can change it as you want. I used two different flavors of Jell-O because I didn’t want one flavor to be overpowering.

These cups are similar to Fluffy Frozen Fruit Salad in a way but in individual servings. I’ve posted a lot of recipes with pineapple. It’s my favorite fruit. It adds a lot of sweet and tang to recipes like this.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Great Use of Leftovers: Utilizes leftover cranberry sauce from your big meal.​
  • Simple Ingredients: Requires common pantry items like raspberry gelatin and crushed pineapple.​
  • Versatile Serving Options: Perfect as a dessert or a festive cranberry Jell-O salad.​
  • Make Ahead: Can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container.​

Tips for Success

  • Use a Large Mixing Bowl: This ensures all ingredients are well combined.
  • ​Dissolve Gelatin Properly: Mix raspberry gelatin with hot water until fully dissolved before adding cold water.​
  • ​Incorporate Fresh Flavors: Add orange zest or lemon zest for a citrusy twist.​
  • ​Enhance Texture: Fold in chopped nuts or cream cheese for added richness.​
  • Set in a Jello Mold: For a traditional presentation, use a bundt pan or jello mold.
  • Garnish Ideas: Top with fresh cranberries, a dollop of cool whip, or a sprinkle of brown sugar.

More Delicious Ways to Use Leftover Cranberry Sauce

Looking for additional cranberry recipes? Here are some ideas:​

  • ​Cranberry Coffee Cake: A moist cake with a swirl of cranberry sauce.​
  • Cranberry Pineapple Jello Salad: Combines crushed pineapple and cranberry sauce for a refreshing dish.
  • Cranberry Sauce Muffins: Add a little bit of cranberry sauce to muffin batter for a tart twist.
  • Cranberry Cream Cheese Danish: Layer cream cheese and cranberry sauce in puff pastry for a delightful treat.
  • ​Cranberry Glazed Turkey Tenderloins: Use the sauce as a glaze for leftover turkey.​

These recipes are a good idea for making the most of your Thanksgiving leftovers and adding variety to your holiday table.

Cranberry Sauce Leftovers Step by Step

Ingredients

  • 20 oz crushed pineapple
  • water
  • 3 oz raspberry jello
  • 3 oz strawberry jello
  • 16 oz cranberry sauce
  • 2 apples (chopped)
Diced apples on a bamboo board next to a can of crushed pineapple, a can of cranberry sauce, and two boxes of jello all on a wooden surface

Preparation

Drain the can of pineapple, making sure to reserve the pineapple juice. I used a mesh strainer for this to get as much as possible out. 

Mesh strainer filled with crushed pineapple over a glass measuring cup with boxes of jello, a can of cranberry sauce, and diced apples on a wooden board all on a wooden surface

Add enough water to the juice to measure 2 1/2 cups total. This amount will vary based on how much juice you can extract from the pineapple. 

Glass measuring cup with pineapple juice and water next to a box of jello on a wooden surface

Pour the pineapple and water into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. 

Medium saucepan with pineapple juice and water boiling next to open boxes of jello and a can of cranberry sauce on a wooden surface

Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the Jell-O powders and stir until the Jell-O is completely dissolved in the liquid. 

Medium saucepan with dark red liquid of jello next to a can of cranberry sauce, a bamboo board with diced apples, and a stainless steel bowl of crushed pineapple all on a wooden surface

Add the rest of the fruit to the pan and stir until everything is thoroughly mixed together. 

Medium saucepan with jello and fruit mixture on a wooden surface

Spoon some of the fruit mixture into each baking cup until they are almost full. 

Jello and fruit mixture in glass dishes on a wooden surface

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until the jello is firm.

Cranberry Sauce Leftovers in glass dishes topped with a dollop of whipped cream on a wooden serving platter all on a wooden surface (vertical)

Cranberry Sauce Jell-O Cup Leftovers

Storage: Store leftover cranberry Jell-O cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh and flavorful. If stacking, separate layers with plastic wrap to maintain their shape and prevent sticking. For best quality, refrigerate them within two hours of serving, and enjoy within 3–4 days. Because of the gelatin base and ingredients like crushed pineapple or cream cheese, avoid leaving them out at room temperature for extended periods.

Freezing: To freeze, wrap each cupcake individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. They’ll keep well for up to one month. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator to preserve texture and taste. Don’t forget to label your container with the date to stay on top of freshness—this is especially helpful during the holiday hustle around Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

Recipe

Originally Published On: December 17, 2018

Last Updated On: April 13, 2025

Cranberry Sauce Leftovers in glass dishes topped with a dollop of whipped cream on a wooden serving platter all on a wooden surface

Cranberry Sauce Leftovers in Mini Jello Cups

Use leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday meals and mix it with a few other fruits suspended in jello for an easy holiday dessert.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Cooling Time 3 hours
Total Time 10 minutes
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
cranberry
|
fruit
|
holidays
Servings: 24 servings
5 from 7 votes

Ingredients

  • 20 oz crushed pineapple
  • water
  • 3 oz raspberry jello
  • 3 oz strawberry jello
  • 16 oz cranberry sauce
  • 2 apples (chopped)

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice
  • Add enough water to the juice to make 2 1/2 cups total liquid
  • In a medium saucepan, bring the pineapple juice mixture to a boil
  • Remove from the heat and add the jello powder, whisking until completely dissolved
  • Stir in the pineapple, cranberry sauce, and apples until well combined
  • Spoon into baking cups, filling most of the way
  • Refrigerate for at least three hours, until the jello has set
  • Serve cold
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Nutrition Facts
Cranberry Sauce Leftovers in Mini Jello Cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 71
% Daily Value*
Sodium 52mg2%
Potassium 50mg1%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 30IU1%
Vitamin C 3.3mg4%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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34 thoughts on “Cranberry Sauce Leftovers in Mini Jello Cups”

  5. jack branson

    This is amazing, I’m sure my siblings would love to try this. That should be quick to do in week days, but might try it in the weekend.

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth O

    5 stars
    I love Cranberry sauce and prefer to make it myself or buy freshly made from my favorite store.. Like you, I can’t stand the wiggly canned stuff… You did a great job of using the left overs to make a jello. I have made that and like it.

    Reply
    1. Stephanie Lynch

      I’ve never tried it homemade. I didn’t even really know it was a possibility! My family has always bought the canned stuff. I’ll have to see if I can find a good recipe and try to make it myself this year.

      Reply
  11. Marjie Mare

    5 stars
    This looks festive and it will be so nice to serve them for my party during the Holiday. Although I am going to make it this weekend, I will save the recipe and I will share my table picture with you when I serve it for Christmas dinner.

    Reply
  12. Neely Moldovan

    These look good enough to maybe make me change my mind about cranberries. Although its one of those Thanksgiving dishes I have never been a fan of . But this looks amazing!

    Reply
  17. aisasami

    5 stars
    This is a neat idea, especially for the upcoming holiday season, to deal with leftovers! I don’t have cranberry sauce but will share it with friends and family who do!

    Reply

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