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Festive Bourbon Cranberry Sauce – Easy Holiday Side Recipe

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A quick and easy cranberry sauce with bourbon and orange zest that comes together in under 25 minutes. Perfect for holiday gatherings, this crowd-pleasing sauce balances tart cranberries with warm bourbon and bright citrus.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
  • ½ cup water (120 ml)
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (60 ml)
  • ¼ cup bourbon (60 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Wash the orange thoroughly under warm water. Zest it using a microplane to get about 1 tablespoon of zest. Set aside. Cut the orange in half and juice it until you have ¼ cup. Pick out any seeds.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, water, and orange juice. Stir briefly.
  3. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, about 3-4 minutes. Watch for boil-over.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the bourbon, orange zest, cinnamon stick (if using), and a pinch of salt. Stir gently.
  5. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
  6. If using vanilla extract, stir it in during the last minute of cooking.
  7. Remove from heat. Remove the cinnamon stick if used. Let cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan.
  8. Taste and adjust sweetness or bourbon flavor as desired. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Notes

Make ahead: flavors improve after a day or two in the fridge. For alcohol-free version, replace bourbon with apple cider and add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract plus ¼ teaspoon almond extract. If sauce is too thick, stir in a tablespoon of warm water or orange juice before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, bourbon cranberry sauce, holiday side, Thanksgiving, Christmas, orange zest, easy recipe

Find it online: https://tablemira.com/festive-bourbon-cranberry-sauce-easy-holiday-side-recipe/