| Prep | 5 minutes |
| Cook | about 20 minutes |
| Total | about 4 1/2 hours, including cooling and chilling |
| Serves | 8 (about 2 cups) |
| Equipment | medium heavy saucepan, wooden spoon, serving bowl or airtight container |
If the cranberry sauce on your holiday table always tastes the same – sharp, sweet and not much else – the fix is already in your spice drawer. A cinnamon stick, a star anise pod and a few whole cloves simmered with the berries give the sauce a warm, rounded flavor that sits much better next to roast turkey, ham and stuffing.
The method is as simple as any plain cranberry sauce. Everything goes into one pan, simmers for about fifteen minutes until the berries burst, then cools and sets in the fridge. Using whole spices rather than ground ones keeps the sauce glossy and deep red instead of murky brown, and you simply lift them out before serving.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, about 3 cups – frozen berries can go in without thawing.
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar, granulated or light brown – brown sugar adds a faint caramel note; use up to 1 cup for a sweeter sauce.
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or apple cider – cider adds a mellow fruitiness that suits the spices.
- 1 cinnamon stick – the main warm note.
- 1 star anise pod – a gentle, sweet licorice flavor.
- 3 whole cloves – a small amount goes a long way.
- A pinch of salt – keeps the sweetness in balance.
How to Make It
1. Combine everything in the pan
Rinse the cranberries and discard any soft ones. Put them in the saucepan with the sugar, water or cider, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and salt, and stir. The sugar will sit on top of the berries at first; it dissolves as the pan heats.
2. Bring to a boil – medium-high heat, about 5 minutes
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring now and then. The liquid turns from clear to bright pink as the first berries split.
3. Simmer – 12 to 15 minutes
Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened. Keep the spices in the pan the whole time. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of the spoon and a line drawn through it on the bottom of the pan stays open for a moment.
4. Cool, then chill – at least 4 hours
Take the pan off the heat and let the sauce cool at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. It will look loose while warm and set into a thick, spoonable sauce once cold.
5. Remove the spices and serve
Before serving, lift out the cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves. Stir the sauce and spoon it into a bowl. Count the cloves as you remove them so none end up on someone’s plate.
Choosing the Spices
Whole spices release their flavor slowly and are easy to remove, which keeps the sauce clear and bright. Ground spices work too, but they stay in the sauce, darken its color and can turn the flavor dusty if you add too much. Start with the classic trio above, or use this guide to adjust the blend for one 12-ounce bag of cranberries:
| Spice | Amount | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon | 1 stick, or 1/2 tsp ground | Warm, sweet base |
| Cloves | 3 whole, or 1/8 tsp ground | Strong and pungent; easy to overdo |
| Star anise | 1 pod | Soft licorice note |
| Allspice | 1/2 tsp ground | Clove-like warmth with a peppery edge |
| Ginger | 1/8 tsp ground | Gentle heat at the finish |
| Nutmeg | a small pinch, freshly grated | Rounded, slightly sweet aroma |
Ground spices can be stirred in at the start with the sugar. Whichever you choose, taste the sauce once the berries have burst; the spice flavor grows a little stronger as the sauce chills.
For a brighter, citrus version without the warm spices, try our cranberry orange sauce, simmered in orange juice instead of water.
Serving and Storing
Serve the sauce chilled or at cool room temperature alongside roast turkey, ham or pork. Leftovers are just as useful the next day: spread a spoonful inside a turkey cranberry brie grilled cheese, or use it in place of canned sauce in the glaze for our turkey stuffing meatballs.
The sauce keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to a week, which makes it an easy dish to cross off the list a few days before a holiday meal. The Penn State Extension notes that boiling is what releases the berries’ natural pectin so the sauce gels, and that it is best cooled at room temperature first, since chilling it too quickly can affect the set. Cranberry sauce can be frozen, but it may turn a little watery once thawed; stir it well before serving.
For dessert on the same table, a classic pumpkin pie brings the same cinnamon warmth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use red wine instead of water?
Yes. Half a cup of dry red wine gives a deeper, mulled-wine flavor. Some of the alcohol cooks off as the sauce simmers, but not all of it, so keep that in mind for children and anyone avoiding alcohol.
Why is my spiced cranberry sauce bitter?
Usually too many cloves, or ground cloves added with a heavy hand. Stick to three whole cloves and remove them before serving.
Can I make it with ground spices only?
Yes. Use 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves in place of the whole spices. The sauce will be slightly darker and there is nothing to remove before serving.
Find more holiday sides and mains among our dinner recipes.
Spiced Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse the cranberries, discard any soft ones, and put them in a medium saucepan with the sugar, water or cider, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and salt.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring now and then.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Let the sauce cool at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Remove the cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves before serving.
Notes
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