Seasonal produce
When are cranberries in season in the US?
Fresh cranberries are widely available from October to December, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service. The harvest runs about mid-September to mid-November, so fresh bags show up in October and are mostly gone after December. Here’s the calendar, how to pick, and how to keep them past Thanksgiving.
Cranberry season at a glance
Cranberries are harvested in the fall, generally from mid-September through mid-November (US Cranberries, the industry’s promotion group). Massachusetts growers give a slightly earlier end date: mid-September through early November. Fresh berries are on US shelves from October through December (USDA ERS and Penn State Extension). Outside that window, cranberries come frozen, dried or as juice and sauce.
Where they grow
Cranberries grow in the northern US, mainly in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Oregon, New Jersey and Washington. USDA ERS says Wisconsin typically harvests about 60 percent of the US crop and Massachusetts about 25 percent. So “local” cranberries are a northern thing, and most US-grown berries come from Wisconsin and Massachusetts.
Why fresh berries are only part of the crop
Most cranberries are wet harvested: the bog is flooded, the berries float up, and they go to juice, sauce, dried berries and other processed products. Massachusetts Cranberries puts it at more than 90 percent. The fresh berries in the bag come from dry harvesting, where machines comb the berries off the vines. Those berries are graded by color and by their ability to bounce, and soft ones don’t bounce.
How to pick a good bag
Look for bright, glossy, firm berries. Penn State Extension says a fresh cranberry will bounce when dropped, because of the small air chambers inside it. Skip any that are shriveled, soft, wrinkled or blemished. A standard 12-ounce bag holds about 3 cups.
How to keep them
Penn State Extension says fresh cranberries are usually fine in the refrigerator for about two weeks, with quality slipping after that, and can last up to four weeks in the original bag in the crisper. To freeze them, put the bag straight in the freezer for up to twelve months, or sort, wash, blot completely dry and pack in a container with a half inch of headspace. Frozen berries don’t need thawing before cooking. Buy extra in November and use them all year.
A note on cranberry sauce
Cranberry sauce is a gel, the same way jelly is. Penn State Extension explains that cranberries contain pectin and acid, and boiling releases the pectin so it can react with the sugar. Dried cranberries don’t contain the pectin needed to make a gelled sauce, so use fresh or frozen berries.
What to read next
October and November produce guides cover what else is at its best now. See our pear and sweet potato guides for what else is in season.
Recipes and related guides
October produce guide · November produce guide · When are pears in season? · When are sweet potatoes in season? · When are apples in season? · Produce checklist.
Set my region
Pick the region closest to you. Your pick changes which produce and recipes we show you. We never ask for your address, and this isn’t a directory of stores or restaurants.
No region saved yet. Pick the closest region.
Weekly list
What’s in season in your region, once a week.