The essential thing to when cooking cranberries is that sugar toughens their skins, so it's best to cook them until tender and then add sugar to taste. In the US, cranberries are simmered in sauces, mixed into bread- or meat-based stuffings for turkey, added to muffins and baked in fruit tarts and pies. Their astringent taste also makes them a good addition to naturally sweet puddings: orange or lemon zest bring out the floral notes of the fruit, while vanilla and cinnamon enhance their sweetness.
