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Orange Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

Orange bourbon cranberry sauce with quick simmering until the berries burst, then chilled for a thick, glossy spoonable texture. Bright orange juice and zest cut the sweetness while bourbon adds warm depth.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Orange Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 0.25 cup bourbon divided
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 salt pinch

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Boil the base
  1. Combine brown sugar, orange juice, 2 tablespoons bourbon, cinnamon stick, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
  2. Keep the mixture boiling for 1 minute, then add the cranberries.
Simmer until thick
  1. Simmer the sauce for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens (aim for a steady simmer, not a hard boil).
  2. Watch for the sauce to coat the back of a spoon as it thickens near the end of the simmer time range.
Finish, cool, and chill
  1. Remove from heat, then stir in the remaining bourbon and orange zest until evenly combined.
  2. Discard the cinnamon stick.
  3. Cool completely, then chill before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until thickened—cranberry sauce keeps tightening as it cools, so don’t over-reduce. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Freeze up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lower-sugar option, use an unrefined sweetener blend designed 1:1 for brown sugar.