Orange and Cranberry Parfait Recipe
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Last Updated on March 26, 2026 by becky
Combining layers of cranberry compote, pieces of fresh orange, and dollops of cranberry mousse, this orange and cranberry parfait recipe topped with crushed ginger snap cookies and candied ginger makes an easy winter dessert.
Why Make This Parfait Recipe?
Although I love to bake complicated cakes and pastries, I also enjoy a good, old-fashioned, no bake dessert. Parfaits (and their close cousin, the Eton Mess) rank near the very top of my no-bake list.
While lime curd and whipped cream (or peanut butter and jelly!) rank at the top of my favorite summertime parfaits, this cranberry and orange version brings together some of the best flavors of winter. Featuring cranberry mousse, crushed ginger snaps, pieces of fresh orange, cranberry compote, and bits of candied stem ginger, this parfait makes an easy no-bake dessert for a winter evening.
As a bonus, many of the ingredients lend themselves to advance preparation, so this seasonal parfait also offers a stress-free option for entertaining. You’ll need to assemble everything just prior to serving, but that only takes a couple of minutes. And the ingredients are easily doubled, tripled, or quadrupled if you’re serving a crowd.
Ingredients for Making This Orange and Cranberry Parfait Recipe
To make this cranberry and orange parfait recipe, start by gathering the following ingredients:
- Cranberry Juice – You’ll use cranberry juice to create a soft-set cranberry jelly, then blend it with freshly whipped cream to make the cranberry mousse. Save the rest to make cranberry punch, or a cranberry simmer pot.
- Cranberry Sauce – Or cranberry compote. I recommend my homemade cranberry compote recipe, but a store-bought cranberry sauce, cranberry chutney, or cranberry curd will also work.
- Granulated Sugar – For sweetening the mousse. Depending on the amount of sugar in the cranberry juice you’ve chosen, you may wish to use more or less granulated sugar to taste.
- Gelatin – For setting the cranberry jelly before blending it into the cream. I developed this recipe with platinum leaf gelatin. Please visit this post to learn how to convert gelatin sheets to powder.
- Fresh Ginger – You’ll need about 10 grams, or one tablespoon of peeled and grated fresh ginger. You can omit the fresh ginger if using my cranberry compote recipe, which is already pretty ginger-forward!
- Whipping Cream – Or heavy cream, in the US. To make the pretty pink mousse, you’ll whip the cream with a hand mixer or stand mixer, then fold in the soft-set cranberry jelly.
- Navel Oranges – I used two navel oranges, peeled, sectioned, and cut into small pieces. Sections of fresh mandarin orange, or drained canned mandarin oranges, will also work. If desired, slice a third orange and add to the rim of each glass for a pretty garnish.
- Honey – For tossing with the orange pieces. Omit if using sweetened canned oranges.
- Ginger Snaps – Crushed ginger snaps (ginger biscuits) add a layer of crunch. You can use store-bought cookies or make your own. Save a few extras to crush and sprinkle over the top of each parfait.
- Candied Ginger – Small pieces of store-bought or homemade candied ginger add a pretty finishing touch.
Cranberry Parfait Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Place the ginger snaps in a large ziploc bag. Then, use a rolling pin or kitchen mallet to crush. Remember that you’re aiming for large chunks and pieces, not the sandy crumbs you’d use for a ginger snap pie crust.
- Do not assemble the parfaits more than an hour or two in advance. If you do this, the moisture from the cream and fruit will turn the ginger snap cookies into mush.
- Start with store-bought. For a shortcut, substitute store-bought cranberry sauce and store-bought ginger snap cookies.
- Mise-en-place. To keep the process smooth, have all components—mousse, oranges, crushed cookies, and compote—ready to go before you begin to assemble the parfaits.
- Disposble bags work best. Use a disposable piping bag for even layers, especially for the cranberry mousse.
- Don’t overfill the glasses. This recipe yields 2-3 servings, or a few more if you opt for small jars or verrines.
- Add the crushed cookies and candied ginger pieces just before serving. Otherwise, they’ll turn soggy. You can also garnish with a slice of fresh orange, or a sprinkling of crushed pistachios.
The Best Glasses for Assembling a Winter Parfait
To asssemble your parfaits, you will need individual containers. Wine glasses, small glass jars, mini mason jars, verrines, or drinking glasses will all work. You don’t need anything fancy—simple glassware you already have on hand is perfect. I used 4-inch tall stemless wine glasses to assemble my parfaits.
Be sure to choose clear containers to showcase the pretty layers of pale pink mousse and bright orange fruit, so your parfaits look as good as they taste. Other than the “no bake” factor, the best part of parfaits is their visual appeal!
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
You can prepare the cranberry mousse up to 24 hours in advance, and refrigerate it in the piping bag until ready to use.
If using homemade cranberry compote, you can prepare it up to three days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or, make the compote up to one month in advance and freeze it until ready to use, then thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to serve the parfaits. For a shortcut, you can also use a store-bought cranberry compote or cranberry sauce.
Do not assemble the parfaits until just prior to serving.
Other parfait recipes you might enjoy:
Key Lime Parfait
Eton Mess Recipe with Mixed Berries
Parfait with Chocolate and Cherries
Peanut Butter and Jelly Parfait
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Print
Orange and Cranberry Parfait Recipe
- Total Time6 hours
- Yield2-3 parfaits 1x
Layers of cranberry sauce, fresh oranges, and cranberry mousse come together in this easy winter dessert.
Ingredients
Cranberry Mousse:
120 milliliters cranberry juice (1/2 cup)
140 grams cranberry sauce or compote (1/2 cup), store bought or homemade
50 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
4 grams platinum leaf gelatin (2 leaves), soaked
10 grams finely grated fresh ginger (1 tablespoon), omit if using cranberry ginger compote
180 milliliters whipping cream (3/4 cup)
Oranges:
2 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
30 milliliters honey (1 tablespoon)
Assembly:
100 grams crushed ginger snap cookies (about 10 2-inch cookies), store bought or homemade
140 grams cranberry sauce or compote (1/2 cup), store-bought or homemade
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger, store-bought or homemade
To Garnish:
Candied ginger, crushed pistachios, orange slices, crushed ginger snap cookies
Instructions
Cranberry Mousse:
Place the leaf gelatin in a bowl of cold water, and set aside to soak.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together cranberry juice, cranberry sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil, whisking gently until the sugar dissolves.
Whisk in the soaked gelatin leaves, and allow them to dissolve in the hot liquid.
Remove from heat and whisk in the ginger.
Pour into a small bowl and refrigerate for 3 hours, or until soft-set, like a thin jelly.
Once the cranberry mixture is ready to use, add the whipping cream to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
With a rubber spatula, fold the cranberry mixture into the whipped cream.
Scoop the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with decorative tip. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until you’re ready to assemble the parfaits.
Oranges:
With a sharp knife, cut each orange section into 2-3 pieces. Add to a small bowl and toss with the honey. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assembly:
Spoon components into parfait glasses, dividing each one equally between the glasses. (This recipe yields 2 larger parfaits, or 3 smaller (stemless wine glass-sized) parfaits.)
I suggest layering in the following order: oranges, half of the cranberry mousse, cranberry compote, crushed ginger snap cookies, remaining cranberry mousse.
Garnish with chopped candied ginger, chopped pistachios or chopped pecans, crushed cookies, or additional orange slices.
Notes
This recipe can be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Chilling Time: 5 hours
- Category: Custards and Puddings
- Method: No Bake
