If you have some leftover cranberry sauce today, try these cranberry sauce smoothies made with oats, yogurt, milk, and a dollop of leftover whipped cream!
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! We spent the day with both sets of parents, and the kids had so much fun. I’m sharing this recipe today because it is the perfect Thanksgiving weekend breakfast or snack!
Homemade cranberry sauce is the best!
Cranberry sauce is my favorite dish at the holiday table because of the combination of sweet and tart. I also think it goes well with everything (obvi I like my food to mix a bit!)
When I learned to make cranberry sauce from whole berries one of my first Thanksgivings after graduating from college, I started to love it a whole (berry) lot more.
I love to add some bourbon during cooking, and boy-oh-boy this might be my favorite version of all! Sadly cranberry sauce is quite polarizing, and not everyone loves it as much as I do. So unlike the sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie, you might find yourself with some leftovers.
Health Benefits of Cranberries
If you’re a cranberry lover like me, you can keep frozen cranberries in your freezer and make some sauce whenever you please! You should because they are very good for you:
- Cranberries are packed with antioxidants
- Recent studies have identified over two dozen antioxidant phytonutrients in cranberries
- The phytonutrients in cranberries also have anti-inflammatory properties
- Cranberries may also help with UTIs, although the research is a bit inconclusive
- Cranberries contain vitamin C, manganese, and fiber for 46 calories per cup
What Can You Do With Leftover Cranberry Sauce?
- Dollop it into Greek yogurt for a high protein breakfast or snack
- Stir it into hot creamy oatmeal
- Enjoy in a bowl with graham crackers as a “crust”
- Make cranberry sauce smoothies!!
Cranberry Sauce Smoothies
I love to make these quick and easy cranberry smoothies on Black Friday morning, and they are delicious!
Smoothie Ingredients
Inside you’ll find a blend of cranberry sauce, oats, yogurt, and milk plus ice and a dollop of leftover whipped cream. Oats for whole grains and Greek yogurt for protein!
My cranberry sauce may be laced with a tiny bit of bourbon, but a little bourbon flavor for breakfast never hurt anyone 😉 It was very subtle and the alcohol had cooked out anyways.
Make these dairy free by using almond or soy milk, gluten free with GF oats, and add some plant-based coconut whip if you like!
Cranberry Sauce Smoothies
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup cow's milk or almond milk
- 1/3 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt I recommend plain, vanilla or lemon flavor!
- 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce
- 1 handful ice
- 1 dollop whipped cream optional
Instructions
- Blend everything together.
- Divide between two glasses.
- Dollop with leftover whipped cream, if you wish!
Other Recipes With Cranberry Sauce
Orange Cranberry Breakfast Smoothie
Liz takes the edge off the crans by blending the sauce with other mixed berries. Maybe a bit more kid friendly!
Cranberry Pineapple
A tropical twist!
Fresh Cranberry
The texture of this one is like an acai bowl!
Veggie Inspired – Dairy Free
This recipe uses fresh frozen cranberries with a touch of sugar or maple syrup
Cranberry Orange
I love the addition of orange, almonds, and cranberry juice
Chocolate Cranberry Smoothie
Two layers! I love the flavors.
Jessica Johnstone says
Hi Kath, I just made these cranberry smoothies for lunch with a leftover turkey sandwich, delicious! Thanks for the idea, I will be making more. Hope you are well. Jessica from Durham
Kath Younger says
Yay!! Thanks for writing in 🙂
And hope you are well! Long time no see 🙂
Cindy says
Made this today using leftover cranberry sauce and non fat vanilla Greek yogurt. Didn’t have oats so left them out. This was awesome. Best smoothie I have ever had. Thanks for the great recipe.
Kath Younger says
Yay thank you!!
Wonderful cook says
Fantastic recipe. So pretty and so healthy! I also added chia seeds to smoothies. This is now my go-to smoothie recipe!