Making cranberries the star ingredient of any dessert can liven up the flavors of pies, tarts, cookies, and cakes with its sweet-tart taste. Cranberry pies, bar treats, cookies, and cakes not only warm up Thanksgiving tables and brighten up holiday gatherings, but they also make for delightful gifts. Here are a variety of delectable cranberry dessert recipes, ranging from simple to elaborate, designed to suit any celebration or occasion.

You can prepare the compote and crumble ahead of time for this berry pie. Loaded with a fruity filling, warm spices, and a buttery topping, this recipe is a sure hit. Another quick yet delightful dessert idea is adding cranberries and rolled oats into a buttery chocolate chip cookie dough proposed by Cookbook author Sally Sampson.

Renowned cookbook author Dorie Greenspan suggests using leftover cranberries for a tart recipe. Fill flaky pastry shells with cranberry sauce with a hint of nuts and dried fruit, and top it off with slightly sweetened whipped cream. And if you're looking for something different, try a dessert layered with colorful cranberries and gin, sparkling wine, and elderflower liqueur. This recipe results in a festive, spiked gelatin centerpiece that complements a spread of pastries.

For a more exotic flavor, Cookbook author Vallery Lomas has a recipe for soft and cakey drop cookies. Incorporated with freshly grated ginger, ginger syrup, ground dried ginger, lime zest, and vodka-soaked dried cranberries, these cookies are sure to impress your guests.

F&W's Paige Grandjean’s pie recipe involves roasting cranberries to concentrate their flavor. Highlights of this dessert include lemongrass and gochugaru, with strips of dried mango adding a tropical flourish. Granola sprinkling provides a crunchy, streusel-like finish to this pie.

Cranberries can also be incorporated into cheesecake, as suggested by iconic pastry chef Claudia Fleming. Her holiday cheesecake is covered in a tart cranberry gelée and candied pistachios, a combination that can be prepared ahead.

Another cranberry dessert invention is from James Beard Award-winning writer and chef Lisa Donovan. She glazed her tender cranberry cake with a vanilla-infused buttermilk for a remarkable finish.

Handcraft your cranberry sauce to serve on top of Palestinian puddings, while Adeena Sussman, cookbook author, suggests curdling cranberries with orange scent for her fried dough balls.

The beloved baking duo, Cheryl and Griffith Day, suggests a layered cake with cranberries tossed in simple syrup and rolled in sugar. Meanwhile, chef Joanne Chang and pastry chef Sarah Jordan offer cranberry-studded cookies and cranberry-swirled lemon curd bars, respectively. Finally, F&W's Justin Chapple suggests a free-form, fruit-filled, ginger-laced pie packed with frozen cranberries for an easy and delightful dessert.