Glittery, ruby red cranberry sauce is an essential part of any Thanksgiving meal. Not only does its color shine among the browns and beiges of side dishes like stuffing and mashed potatoes, but its sweet-tart flavor offsets the richness of roasted turkey, macaroni and cheese, and buttery yams.
If you’re not going the canned route, we have some suggestions for how to turn fresh or frozen cranberries into a fun or fancy sauce. There are a couple of homemade jellied options, for those who like a wobbly texture. For something more tart than sweet, consider a cranberry relish. Add chipotle chiles for a kick of heat, as in Aaron Hutcherson’s new cranberry barbecue sauce. Or stir in fruit, wine or spirits for a sweet but intriguing spin on the classic sauce. For more ideas, check out our new and improved Recipes archive.
Cranberry Sauce With Cardamom and Brown Sugar
Return to menu
Brown sugar and cardamom add warmth to this sauce, while orange juice adds brightness. Bonus: It requires just 5 ingredients and about 15 minutes of your time. Get the recipe.
Cranberry Sauce Mold
Return to menu
This cranberry mold is an extra wiggly rendition of gelled-style cranberry sauce, with added texture and flavor from apples, walnuts and pineapple. Make it in a Bundt pan for a wreath-like presentation. Get the recipe.
Red Wine Cranberry Sauce
Return to menu
Red wine adds depth and a touch of sweetness to fresh cranberries in this lightly stewed sauce. You can also toss in a cinnamon stick and/or tangerine peel if you’d like to make it more aromatic. In place of wine, try pomegranate juice. Get the recipe.
Tart Cranberry Relish
Return to menu
This relish emphasizes the sharp, fruity acidity of cranberries. They get blitzed in a food processor with some sugar and gooseberries — or kumquats or a whole, chopped orange — until chunky. Stir in toasted pine nuts and a little orange brandy at the end, if you’d like. Get the recipe.
Chipotle Cranberry Barbecue Sauce
Return to menu
This cranberry sauce gets a savory shot of heat thanks the addition of chipotle chiles in adobo. For a milder flavor, use fewer chiles. Get the recipe.
Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
Return to menu
Cranberries go surprisingly well with bourbon in this sauce, which is extra thick and jammy. It’s great with turkey but just as good with toast the next morning. Get the recipe.
Jellied Cranberry Sauce
Return to menu
Here’s a recipe that will remind you of the stuff in a can — except it’s much less sweet. Get the recipe.
Cranberry Tangerine Sauce
Return to menu
Cranberries, tangerine juice and diced tangerine peel give this sauce lots of brightness and texture. Try it with any citrus fruit for your own spin. Get the recipe.
Figgy Cranberry Sauce
Return to menu
Dried figs add pops of crunch and an extra-fruity flavor to this cranberry sauce that’s also accented with white wine. Get the recipe.
Cuban-Style Cranberry Sauce
Return to menu
This succulent cranberry sauce gets its edge from orange juice, allspice, lime zest and cocoa powder. Get the recipe.
