My simple homemade spiced cranberry sauce recipe calls for warming fall spices and a few other seasonal flavors for an additional holiday twist.
It comes together in just ten minutes or so, start to finish, so it's literally almost just as easy as opening a can of sauce.
And for me, there's nothing like fresh, homemade recipes.
Cranberries actually hold a special place in my heart seeing as I am New England born and bred.
Ocean Spray, which sells most commercial cranberry products in the United States, is headquartered in Plymouth, Massachusetts, barely an hour from where I grew up.
Cranberries are part of my Family History
But even more important to me from a sentimental standpoint, my grandmother's family owned a cranberry bog on Cape Cod after immigrating to the United States from Finland when she was just a little girl.
She worked the bog when she was in high school and up until she met my grandfather - who she obviously eventually married!
They moved to central Massachusetts where they started their chicken farm - and their family - but their roots in this country were deeply rooted in the cranberry harvest!
Today in this country, just five states grow almost all of the nation's cranberries. More than half of all cranberries are grown in Wisconsin, a third still come from Massachusetts and the remaining cranberries are grown in New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington.
Although cranberry sauce is a traditional side dish for the holidays, why limit it to just those occasions?
Add some cranberry sauce to chicken or tuna salad, serve it over brie or cream cheese with crackers, use it as a barbecue sauce or stir some into yogurt or oatmeal.
I also love to whisk cranberry sauce into softened butter or cream cheese and smear it on my bagels.
Cranberries are a "Superfood"
Cranberries are considered a "superfood" and are thought to help to prevent cancer, support immune system health and decrease blood pressure.
They are also an antioxidant and packed with nutrients, so adding more cranberries to your diet is a good thing. And this homemade spiced cranberry sauce is the perfect way to do that.
A basic simple syrup is the foundation for my cranberry sauce. Equal parts sugar and liquid ensure the perfect level of sweetness, but feel free to taste as the sauce is cooking and adjust the sweetener as necessary.
Instead of sugar, you could try adding honey or maple syrup instead. And the alcohol is completely optional!
Scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe card.
Homemade Spiced Cranberry Sauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup water
12 ounces fresh cranberries
Zest from an orange
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Splash of Cointreau
Lime peel
Cinnamon stick
Star anise
Pinch salt
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the sugars, juice and water to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugars.
Add the cranberries, orange zest, vanilla and Cointreau and stir to combine. Add several slices of lime peel and a cinnamon stick or two, a few star anise and a pinch of salt.
Continue to cook at a simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the berries have burst and the liquid has thickened (it will thicken more as it cools and sets).
Remove and discard the lime peel, cinnamon sticks and star anise, then let the sauce cool on the counter. Cover and chill for several hours.
The cranberry sauce will last for about a week in the refrigerator. It's the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
