No matter what preparation method you choose, cook cranberries only until they pop because overcooking gives them a bitter taste. Since cranberries are almost 90% water, do not thaw frozen cranberries before cooking them. Thawing will cause the fruit to break down, resulting in soft cranberries. Cranberries may be baked with a sweetener to make a topping or sauce. They are also good chopped with oranges to make a relish.

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