I overstocked up on bags of fresh cranberries during the holiday season. They were so cheap, I just had to pick them up and put them in my freezer. Did you know you can just toss bags of fresh cranberries in the freezer until you’re ready to use them? Yes! Do it! Anytime you need cranberry sauce, you can take out a bag of frozen cranberries and cook them even without thawing. My friend has a juicer and freezes her cranberries until she’s ready to juice.

Making homemade cranberry sauce from frozen (or fresh) cranberries is easier than you think.

Seriously, it’s easy. Fresh cranberry sauce tastes so good, too. The recipe is on the bag. Or at least it was on my bag. In case you need directions for how to make homemade cranberry sauce: All you have to do is combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add the bag (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 2 1/4 cups.

What to do with leftover cranberry sauce.

This may sound strange, but you can use leftover cranberry sauce to make the most delicious cranberry pancakes. They are so good, you’ll end up making cranberry sauce just so you can eat these pancakes. Or, you can use canned cranberry sauce. The pancakes can be served with your favorite syrup.

If you are a fan of Cranberry and Orange flavor combinations, top the pancakes with homemade orange pancake syrup. The tart cranberries and sweet orange flavors are the perfect match. Cranberry-Orange pancakes, yummy!

Use your favorite pancake mix or try this homemade pancakes recipe from scratch.

How to Make Pancakes

(optional: Follow additional step to add cranberry sauce to turn these into cranberry pancakes)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  1 teaspoon salt
  2 tablespoons white sugar
  1 1/4 cups milk
  1 egg
  3 tablespoons butter, melted
  *optional: cranberry sauce

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. **For cranberry pancakes, spoon 2 tablespoons of cranberry sauce over the top of the pancake batter.
3. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

If you’ve gotten this far, you’ve made cranberry sauce and pancakes from scratch, why not make your own orange pancake syrup? Believe me, if it wasn’t easy, I wouldn’t do it!

I had a crate full of oranges (grocery store deals get me every time!) and did not want to waste them. It’s really easy to make your own orange syrup at home from water, sugar and a little orange zest and juice. Check out my full recipe and directions for how to make orange pancake syrup.

Have you ever tried cranberry sauce pancakes? Do you like cranberry and orange? Let me know what you think in the comments.