Use leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday meals and mix it with a few other fruits suspended in jello for an easy holiday dessert.
Jump to RecipeWho else is still working on the leftovers from Christmas Dinner? Do you have any cranberry sauce leftovers? Try using it up to make some mini jello cup full of fruit and flavor to add a bit of flair to regular cranberry sauce.
I will admit, I’ve never cared for cranberry sauce on it’s own. The canned stuff is just so wiggly and strange and I just can’t do it! My family almost always has some for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. While others eat it up, I leave it off my plate.
But, that also sometimes means having an extra can or two in the pantry if your family didn’t eat it. Or, maybe, you forgot to put it out to begin with and now are wondering what to do with the can. Maybe, just maybe, you have a bunch leftover from the holidays.
Instead of letting it gather dust, try this recipe. My boys weren’t too sure about the jello cups at first, mostly because of the texture. But they both said they liked the flavor. While they didn’t eat many, Justin and I ate all of the Cranberry Sauce Leftovers.
There are so many different fruit flavors in these cups, but you can change it as you want. I did two different flavors of jello 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.

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)

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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


Recipe
Originally Published On: December 17, 2018
Last Updated On: August 1, 2023

Cranberry Sauce Leftovers in Mini Jello Cups
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
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.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Leftover Turkey Tortellini Soup
- Turkey Gravy from Scratch
- Smooth and Creamy Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes
- Instant Pot Turkey Roasted to Perfection
- Grandpa’s Sweet Potato Casserole
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Ambrosia Salad
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Pumpkin Pie
- Cranberry Sauce Leftovers in Mini Jello Cups
- Homemade Stuffing or Dressing Recipe with Fresh Bread
- Creamy Homemade Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Apple Pie
- Chicken and Dumplings
Pineapple Recipes to try
- Grilled Pineapple Pork Chops
- Pineapple Bread Casserole
- Pineapple Coconut Dessert Bars
- Hawaiian Chicken Wraps: An Easy Summer Meal
- Crystallized Pineapple: A Sweet Snack with Only 3 Ingredients
- Pineapple Shrimp Stir Fry
- Hawaiian Chicken
- Strawberry Pineapple Daiquiri Frozen Drink Recipe
- Carrot Cake with Pineapple Filling
- Hawaiian Meatballs in the Slow Cooker
- Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- 5 Ingredient Rum Runner Cocktail Recipe
- Hawaiian Lit’l Smokies in the Slow Cooker
- Frozen Piña Colada
- Fluffy Frozen Fruit Salad
- Tropical Yogurt Parfait
- Frozen Fruit Cups: The Perfect Summer Treat
- 5 Cup Salad Recipe: A Perfect Cool Summer Dessert
What a fun idea! My son would love this since he loves cranberry sauce! AND such a great to use up the leftovers!
I am not a huge fan of cranberry sauce but still love these. If your son likes cranberrys then he probably would really enjoy these. And what kid doesn’t like jello? 🙂
Ooh, neat idea! My girls love anything Jello – and we already have silicone baking cups!!!
Right?! I mean, what kid doesn’t love jello!
What a fantastic idea. I also leave the cranberry sauce off my plate and find it strange that people enjoy it. This is definitely a good idea for the leftovers!
Yeah, I can’t get past the texture of it on its own. But when it’s mixed into something like this I don’t mind it at all.
Oh that’s such a cute idea, I’ll have to save this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
They are fun and taste great. I hope you enjoy!
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.
You could do it either way. The thing that takes the longest is letting them set so the jello firms up. We make them in the evening and let them refrigerate overnight usually.
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.
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.
This is such a genius idea I can’t believe I’ve never thought of it before! Looks so yummy!
You could easily switch some of the fruit to whatever you have on hand, too! It’s such a great way to use up some leftovers.
This sounds like a great snack amongst a friends-mas /get together. I love snacks and cranberries and jello are my favorite.
It’s definitely a great dessert for a crowd. And depending on how many people you have it would be very easy to double as long as you have room to store them in the refrigerator!
CRANBERRY SAUCE = Thanksgiving… A little more than a month away and I AM SUPER PUMPED about it!!!
I’m excited too! Of course, for the food, but also because we are heading to Florida so we get to spend a week with my family!
This looks so yummy and easy! We might have to try it by skipping ahead to the leftovers part 😉
Hah, nothing wrong with that! I went out and bought a can just to make these 🙂
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.
There’s nothing wrong with having it a few times this season! I can’t wait to see it on the table 🙂
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!
I don’t really care for it either on its own. But when they are mixed into something like this I don’t mind it at all.
These look so tasty! I really like the presentation as well. Would be a fun thing to serve at a party!
You’re right, it’s tasty and looks so pretty! And who doesn’t love jello? 🙂
I want this now lol!!! This looks sooo delicious, I am making it soon for sure. Thank you for the great recipe.
They are a great healthy-ish snack!
This is such a creative idea! I’m not cooking this year, but I am going to pass this along to my mom.
They make a great snack or dessert. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This is such a great idea! I love using leftovers in such different ways.
I do too. And it’s better than them sitting forgotten in the pantry.
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!
They are a delicious way to have a healthy-ish snack or dessert. Thanks for passing the recipe along!