This Bourbon Orange Cranberry Sauce is a must make for Thanksgiving! Perfectly sweet with hints of citrus and smoky vanilla bourbon!
When it comes to cranberry sauce do you make your own or buy canned version? I’ve always eaten the homemade stuff, but my husband grew up on the canned kind. When I asked him last week if he still liked cranberry sauce he said, “I love it”! That was then followed by, “we’re talking about canned cranberries, right?”
That’s not what I was talking about, so of course he looked a little disappointed. I shouldn’t be surprised, this is the guy that prefers white bread over wheat and loves boxed macaroni and cheese. I have to say though, he has come a LONG way since I met him back in high school.
He has accepted that he has a food blogger for a wife who is constantly trying new and sometimes bizarre flavor combinations. He has graciously stuck both good and bad tasting food experiments in his mouth regardless of whether it was something that sounded appealing to him or not. So despite the fact that I wouldn’t be serving him canned cranberries, I knew that he’d be a good sport and try this Bourbon Orange Cranberry Sauce.
This cranberry sauce is bursting with flavor! The orange flavor is quite prevalent in the sauce, but it stands up perfectly with the tart cranberries. The sauce is sweetened just enough with a combination of sugar and maple syrup. The bourbon adds a slight vanilla, caramel flavor to the cranberries, which is exactly what this tart citrusy cranberry sauce needs.
Do I Have to Use Bourbon?
If you are completely opposed to using bourbon or you don’t have any on hand you can omit it, but I highly recommend splurging and getting some. If you choose not to use it, try adding a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
This Bourbon Orange Cranberry Sauce comes together in a snap! Simply add the sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, orange zest, orange juice, and two cinnamon sticks to a saucepan and heat it over medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Let it boil for a few minutes then add in the cranberries.
Cover the saucepan with a lid and turn the heat down to medium-low so that the cranberries are simmering. Let them cook for 12-15 minutes, until they start to pop. After the sauce is cooked, use the back of a fork or a potato masher to break up the cranberries. That’s all there is to it!
The cranberries can be made a day ahead of time and kept in the fridge until you are ready to serve them. For everyone out there who grew up on canned cranberry sauce, be brave this year and try this delicious delicious bourbon and orange flavored version!
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Balsamic Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Bourbon Orange Cranberry Sauce
Traditional homemade cranberry sauce turned up a notch with fresh orange and bourbon!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium high heat, bring the bourbon, maple syrup, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon sticks and salt to a boil. Boil the mixture for 2-3 minutes then add in the cranberries.
- Cover the saucepan partially with a lid and turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer the cranberry sauce for 12-15 minutes or until the cranberries start to burst.
- Once the cranberries have cooked, use the back of a fork or a potato masher to break them up slightly. Cover and chill the cranberry sauce in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 133Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 0g
