Ingredients
Equipment
Nutrition
Method
Before you begin:
- Rinse the cranberries, removing any damaged or soft berries. Zest the orange with a Microplane grater, measure out the Cointreau and set them aside until needed.
To make the sauce:
- Add the cranberries, water, and sugar to a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a light boil until the cranberries begin to pop. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently so nothing sticks or burns to the bottom. When the cranberries have popped and burst open (you may need to mash the cranberries a bit with the back of a spoon to help some of them pop), turn the heat to medium-low, stir in the Cointreau, orange zest, and a pinch of salt, and continue to cook (about 2 to 3 minutes more) until the liquid reduces and the sauce thickens. The mixture should turn soft and jammy, coating the back of a spoon.1 bag of fresh Wisconsin Cranberries, 1 cup Water, ¾ cup granulated Sugar [1], Zest from one Orange, 1 tablespoon Cointreau Liquor [2], Pinch of Kosher Salt
- Turn off the burner and remove from the heat to cool and thicken even more to a jelled consistency.
- Serve the cranberry sauce warm or chilled. Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The sauce can be frozen for up to two months. When frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge and stir it before using.
Kitchen Notes
Footnotes:
[1] You can replace some (or all) of the white sugar with brown sugar for a deeper, more caramel flavor.
[2] To make this fresh cranberry sauce non-alcoholic, reduce the water content to ½ cup and replace the Cointreau with the juice of one orange (about ¼ cup juice).
Make the Sauce in Advance
If you’re wondering… Yes, you can make this cranberry sauce ahead of time. Store the cooled sauce in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week pre- or post-Thanksgiving (and, honestly, I’ve kept it for a lot longer). As for what to do with any leftover cranberry sauce, we love using it as a spread for day-after turkey sandwiches (which seems a natural fit), but it goes great with almost everything. Some of my favorite ideas are to:
Make the Sauce in AdvanceIf you’re wondering… Yes, you can make this cranberry sauce ahead of time. Store the cooled sauce in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week pre- or post-Thanksgiving (and, honestly, I’ve kept it for a lot longer). As for what to do with any leftover cranberry sauce, we love using it as a spread for day-after turkey sandwiches (which seems a natural fit), but it goes great with almost everything. Some of my favorite ideas are to:
- Use it over cheese or liver pâté on crackers as a condiment for appetizers.
- Dollop it as a topping for cheesecake.
- Mix it with horseradish (to taste) for a deliciously zesty sandwich spread or dip for grilled chicken or turkey skewers.
Personal Notes
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