Honeyed Cranberry Sauce {recipe}

I won’t burden you with a long intro for this recipe - just a quick note to say it’s simple, delicious (according to Todd and me), and a great use for our local, raw, unfiltered honey! If you leave in Riesel, this honey was harvested from within the city limits — so it’s ULTRA local for you! Making cranberry sauce is one of my favorite parts of preparing our Thanksgiving meal, but the next time I make it, I’m going to put the kids in charge. I know they’ll have a blast watching the cranberries pop and the sauce bubble, and the recipe is easy enough for little homecooks-in-training.

Let me know in the comments if you put your own spin on the cranberry sauce!

Did that qualify as a short note? There’s a reason my Instgram handle is PrairieRambler!

Not-Just-a-Garnish Honeyed Cranberry Sauce

1 bag fresh cranberries

½ c. honey (1/3 c. if you want it less sweet)

1 c. orange juice

1/2 tbs orange zest

Cinnamon stick

1 – 2 pinches of cardamom (up to ¼ tsp)

Optional: whole cloves (x4), allspice berries (x6)

 

Rinse cranberries. Add all ingredients to a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Everything will bubble and the cranberries will pop! Once the cranberries have finished popping, reduce heat to a simmer. Stir frequently to prevent sticking until the sauce has reduced and thickened (about 10 minutes). Let cool and remove cinnamon stick, cloves, and allspice berries. Serve that day, or place in the fridge for a few days to really let the flavors deepen.

 

** VARIATION** I also made this recipe with water instead of orange juice. I preferred it with water when I tried it plain and right after it cooked – but Todd and I agreed the one made with orange juice was better when we did our taste test with cheese and crackers the next day! If you don’t want to use OJ, you will still get great results with just water.

 

Serving suggestions:

  • Top a bread round or cracker with mascarpone cheese (Todd’s pick) or goat cheese (my pick!) and a dollop of honeyed cranberry sauce for a simple appetizer.

  • Make a fancy grilled sandwich with your pick of cheese (mascarpone, goat cheese, or even a good sharp cheddar), bacon, and plenty of honeyed cranberry sauce.

  • Slather on a leftover roasted turkey sandwich!

Pre-simmered honeyed cranberry sauce - I love the colors of the orange zest and cranberries. No filter needed!

Katherine EhlersComment