Quick Answer: The classic: Wensleydale with cranberries (Costco has it seasonally for about $5 for 14 oz). Creamy: Aldi Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Cheese or Trader Joe's Cranberry Chèvre ($3.99).
Our top picks
Cranberry cheese is the easy holiday win: red and white on the board, and sweet-tart enough for kids and cheese skeptics.
All 6 picks
Prices are store listings and reviews; most of these are seasonal from November to early January.
Best overall
Wensleydale with Cranberries
- Milk
- Pasteurized cow
- From
- Yorkshire and the UK
- Brands
- Coombe Castle, Somerdale, Wensleydale Creamery
Why it's here: The original cranberry cheese: crumbly, mildly tangy Wensleydale with sweet dried cranberries. Murray's sells it, and Somerdale's 5.3 oz wedge is in many supermarkets.
Watch out: Sweet; Costco stocks it mostly from November to January.
Why we picked it (sources)
Warehouse Runner lists Costco's 14 oz at $4.97 (Warehouse Runner); Murray's lists $19 per pound (Murray’s); Somerdale's 5.3 oz wedge (Stop & Shop); Costco's seasonal window (Tasting Spoons).
Best goat cheese
Aldi Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Cheese
- Ranked
- #5 of 14 Aldi cheeses
- Style
- Fresh goat log
- Where
- Aldi
Why it's here: Tasting Table liked the real cinnamon and the chewy cranberry pieces against creamy goat cheese.
Watch out: Seasonal at Aldi; buy two when you see it.
Why we picked it (sources)
Tasting Table's Aldi cheese ranking (Tasting Table).
Best at Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's Cranberry Chèvre
- Style
- Fresh goat cheese
- Price
- About $3.99
- Use
- Crackers, salads
Why it's here: Smooth, tangy goat cheese with cranberry for about $4, a reviewer favorite for the holidays.
Watch out: Soft; set it out just before guests arrive.
Why we picked it (sources)
Become Betty's review (Become Betty).
Easiest to find
Montchevre Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Cheese Log
- Size
- 4 or 8 oz
- Style
- Fresh goat log
- Where
- H-E-B, Kroger stores, Walmart
Why it's here: The cranberry goat log you can find almost anywhere when Aldi and Trader Joe's are out.
Watch out: Sweeter than plain chèvre.
Why we picked it (sources)
H-E-B lists $7.99 for 8 oz (H-E-B).
Best cheddar
Aldi Cranberry White Cheddar
- Ranked
- #6 of 14 Aldi cheeses
- Style
- White cheddar with cranberries
- Where
- Aldi
Why it's here: Tart cranberries against neutral, creamy white cheddar; it cubes neatly for a big board.
Watch out: Less special than the goat cheese, per Tasting Table.
Why we picked it (sources)
Tasting Table's Aldi cheese ranking (Tasting Table).
Best dessert cheese
White Stilton with Cranberry
- Style
- White Stilton with fruit
- Where
- Aldi, specialty counters
- Use
- Cheese course, dessert board
Why it's here: Mild white Stilton with cranberries, sweet enough for a dessert board.
Watch out: No blue veins; it's a dessert cheese.
Why we picked it (sources)
See our Stilton guide for sources.
How to serve cranberry cheese
- Balance the sweet: pair one cranberry cheese with a sharp cheddar, a blue and salty salami or prosciutto.
- Add plain crackers, toasted pecans, sliced pears and rosemary sprigs for color.
- Drink: sparkling wine, Riesling or sparkling cider.
- Buy early: most are seasonal and sell out the week before Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- How much: about 1 oz per person as one of several cheeses.
Building the whole board? See the Thanksgiving charcuterie board and the Christmas charcuterie board.
Cranberry cheese questions
What is cranberry cheese called?
The classic is Wensleydale with cranberries, a crumbly English cheese. Cranberry goat cheese and cranberry white cheddar are popular too.
Where can I buy Wensleydale with cranberries?
Costco carries it seasonally (about November to January), and Somerdale's wedge is sold at many supermarkets and Murray's.
What goes with cranberry cheese?
Sharp cheddar, blue cheese, prosciutto, plain crackers, pecans and pears.
Is Wensleydale with cranberries sweet?
Yes, mildly. The cheese is tangy and crumbly, and the dried cranberries add sweetness.
How much cranberry cheese per person?
About 1 oz per person when it's one of several cheeses.
How we picked these, and sources
We used Tasting Table's Aldi cheese ranking, a Trader Joe's review, retailer listings and a Costco price tracker. No single test compares cranberry cheeses head to head. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Warehouse Runner: Coombe Castle Cranberry Wensleydale at Costco
- Murray's Cheese: Wensleydale with Cranberries
- Stop & Shop: Somerdale Wensleydale with Cranberries
- Tasting Table: 14 Aldi cheeses, ranked (Aug 2025)
- Become Betty: Trader Joe's Cranberry Chèvre review
- H-E-B: Montchevre Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Cheese Log
- Tasting Spoons: Wensleydale with cranberries (Costco seasonal)
More holiday picks: the best Stilton and the best candied pecans. Every guide is on our charcuterie buying guides page.
