Cranberry Dessert
This cranberry dessert is an easy and delicious layered cranberry dessert with a buttery graham cracker crust, a sweet cream cheese layer with cranberry filling in the middle, and topped with brown sugar pecan topping.
Servings: 9 Servings
Ingredients
Cranberry Filling
- 12 ounce fresh cranberries
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 8 ounce cream cheese
- 8 ounce cool whip
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Pecan Topping
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup melted butter
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Cranberry Filling
- In a medium saucepan add cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and cornstarch. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the cranberries start to burst and thicken up remove from the heat and let cool.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Using a medium mixing bowl, stir graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together until combined.
- Spread mixture into prepared baking dish, and press into an even layer.
Cream Cheese Mixture
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese for approximately 2-3 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined then fold in cool whip until incorporated.
- Spread half of the cream cheese mixture in an even layer over the crust.
- Spread the cranberry sauce on top of the cream cheese mixture and spread evenly.
- Add the remaining cream cheese mixture.
Brown Sugar Pecan Topping
- In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, pecans, and butter together.
- Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove, let cool, then break into small pieces.
- Sprinkle brown sugar pecan topping over cream cheese mixture.
- Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4+ hours or overnight.
Notes
- Bring your cranberry mixture to a boil over medium heat to avoid burning. Don't try to rush it with high heat!
- Stir the cranberry filling constantly while it cooks to prevent scorching and sticking.
- Whip your cream cheese until light and fluffy before adding any other ingredients for the best texture.
- Fold in the Cool Whip gently to keep as much of that light, airy texture as possible in your cream cheese mixture. Don't stir it in.