Spiced Cranberry Sauce will take your main dishes up a notch in flavor. Serve this spice-infused sauce over pork, chicken, or turkey. It’s a great side dish recipe to have at Thanksgiving and other holiday meals, as well.
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While classic Cranberry Sauce is a must have for the holiday table, this homemade Spiced Cranberry Sauce is a delicious way to add warm spices and citrus flavor to the dish.
Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are the perfect complement to the cranberry and orange flavors.
Why This Recipe Works
This is a really quick and easy recipe to make. You only need 7 ingredients, one being water, to prepare this recipe. It takes about 15 minutes to cook, then some time to cool. You can make it ahead of time.
It is a beautiful, colorful side dish, not only during the holidays, but for many other main dishes, as well. There are a lot of different ways to use spiced cranberry sauce. It pairs really well with fall comfort foods like roasted meats and vegetables.
This recipe can be easily modified to suite your own tastes. Allspice or ginger are some alternative spices that can be used.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries (you can use frozen cranberries that have been thawed)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
There is no significant prep work for this recipe.
Create!
Add the brown sugar, orange juice and water to a medium size sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir in the cranberries, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and cloves.
Cook until the berries start to burst, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. You can break up some of the berries with the back of a spoon as they start bursting.
Remove the cinnamon stick.
Present!
Serve warm or chilled.
Tips and Techniques
- Fresh or frozen cranberries that have been thawed can be used in this recipe.
- When cooking cranberry sauce, you can break up the cranberries some with a wood or silicone spoon. If you prefer more of a whole berry cranberry sauce, don’t mash them. Some of the cranberries will still burst, while some will stay whole.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 14 days.
Variations
- Change The Sugar: you can use brown sugar or a mix of granulated and brown sugar.
- Add Some Fruit: adding diced apple or pear is a nice way to amp up the flavor of cranberry sauce.
- Mix Ins: you can mix in orange or lemon zest, slivered almonds, walnuts, or pecans to add flavor and texture.
What to Serve With Cranberry Sauce
There are so many ways you can use this Cranberry Sauce. Some ways to enjoy it include:
- Spooning it over pork, chicken, or turkey.
- On turkey sandwiches or sliders.
- Serving it as a stand alone side dish, especially with larger, holiday dinners.
- Using it in a Turkey Quinoa Bowl (or something similar).
- Spooning it over ice cream.
- Mixing it into oatmeal.
And so much more!
More Side Dish Recipes
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Spiced Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 12 ounces cranberries
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Add the brown sugar, orange juice and water to a medium size sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup water
- Stir in the cranberries, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and cloves.12 ounces cranberries, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Cook until the berries start to burst, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. You can break up some of the berries with the back of a spoon as they start bursting.
- Remove the cinnamon stick.
- Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- Fresh or frozen cranberries that have been thawed can be used in this recipe.
- When cooking cranberry sauce, you can break up the cranberries some with a wood or silicone spoon. If you prefer more of a whole berry cranberry sauce, don't mash them. Some of the cranberries will still burst, while some will stay whole.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 14 days.
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