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Boozy Cranberry Sauce

Boozy cranberry sauce with port and orange juice simmers to a glossy, ruby texture as the berries burst. Finished with Grand Marnier and orange zest, it chills into a thick, spoonable side for holiday meals.
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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: 170
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boozy cranberry sauce
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.5 cup ruby port or red wine
  • 0.25 cup orange juice
  • 2 tbsp Grand Marnier or orange liqueur
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1 salt pinch

Method
 

Cook the cranberry base
  1. Combine sugar, ruby port or red wine, orange juice, cinnamon stick, and salt in a saucepan, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat with a steady simmering bubble.
  2. Add fresh cranberries, then simmer for 10-12 minutes until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally to keep it glossy.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in Grand Marnier or orange liqueur and orange zest until the mixture looks uniformly ruby and fragrant.
  2. Discard the cinnamon stick.
  3. Cool the sauce to room temperature, then chill before serving so it thickens into a spoonable texture.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until the berries burst and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, since it will thicken further as it cools. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days; freeze yes (up to 2 months) and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar substitute that measures 1:1 for results similar to the original thickness.