This recipe started years ago as a blueberry dessert. Over the years, my Aunt Tammy and Mimi have transformed it into a delicious cranberry cream cheese dessert recipe.
We love cranberries for Thanksgiving; we don’t care for the traditional can of jellied cranberry.
You can view our cranberry recipes here if you are looking for more ideas for your Thanksgiving table.
Remember, just because it’s a tradition doesn’t mean you can’t mix it up.
Sometimes it’s nice to start your own family traditions, and our citrus cranberry sauce is one of our favorite “new traditions!
Cranberry Cream Cheese Dessert Recipe:
We serve it on the plate with our Thanksgiving turkey, but it could also be used as a dessert.
I love the texture of the cranberries, pineapple, and pecans in the jello.
This would also be great around Christmas. The red is so festive!
Cranberry Cream Cheese Dessert Ingredients:
First Layer:
- 2- 3 oz. packages cranberry jello
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 can whole cranberry sauce
- 1- 8 1/2 oz. can crushed pineapple
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Topping:
- 1- 8 oz. package of cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
How To Make Cranberry Cream Cheese Dessert:
1. Dissolve Jello in boiling water; add cranberry sauce, pecans, and pineapple, including the juice.
2. Pour into a 2 quart, flat serving dish. Cover and chill until firm.
3. Combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until smooth (about 2 minutes).
4. Spread over the congealed layer, then sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Dessert
Ingredients
First Layer:
- 2- 3 oz. packages cranberry jello
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 can whole cranberry sauce
- 1- 8 1/2 oz. can crushed pineapple (20 oz. can on sale)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Topping:
- 1- 8 oz. package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Dissolve Jello in boiling water, add cranberry sauce, pecans and pineapple, including the juice.
- Pour into a 2 quart, flat serving dish. Cover and chill until firm.
- Combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until smooth (about 2 minutes).
- Spread over congealed layer, then sprinkle with chopped pecans.
How do you mix up old family favorites?
If you have Thanksgiving recipes that you’ve changed up, we would love to feature them here.
You can share them on our Facebook page or email us, and you may see your favorite family recipes shared here!
If you try out the cranberry cream cheese dessert recipe, let us know what you think!
I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season!
Sandy
Saturday 24th of December 2022
How far ahead can you make this ?
Shasta Walton
Saturday 24th of December 2022
Hi Sandy, I hope you're having a great day! I recommend not making it more than three days before you need it.
Tracy
Saturday 16th of November 2019
Made this for church, sooo good. I used strawberry jello.
Charity Byrd
Monday 14th of December 2020
That is what I was wondering if you could use Cherry or Strawberry Jello. I can't find any cranberry.