I was raised on canned cranberry sauce, so I created the best bourbon cranberry sauce recipe to be just as thick as the jellied kind, but with even more flavor. And this homemade version right here is Black family approved!
And if you enjoy this recipe, check out my cranberry spice mule cocktail!
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Featured Reader Review
★★★★★
"We only ever eat canned cranberry sauce, so my family was suspicious when I brought this out last year but everybody LOVED it. My son just asked me if I'm making it again on Thanksgiving, and of course I am!"
-Shawna
Is this better than cranberry sauce from the can?
Whole berry cranberry sauce can be a source of contention in the average African American household around Thanksgiving.
And online there's a digital culture war between lovers of the canned jellied stuff (which I'm fond of) and the homemade cranberry sauce folks.
Among many things, I want peace for my people, so this recipe is homemade cranberry sauce for those who like the canned kind. It's thick, sweet, and fruity with a shot of brown liquor!
❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Thick Texture - With no added gelatin, cornstarch, or thickening agents, we get a nice spreadable consistency instead of straight jello. In the words of my hometown Texas girl, Beyoncé, "That's that thiccc!"
Spiced and Spiked - fresh cranberry sauce with bourbon is lit with layers of flavor. With cinnamon, clove, and ginger, plus zesty orange, sweet maple and brown sugar, and a shot of brown liquor.
Quick and Easy - Making cranberry sauce from scratch is surprisingly simple and ready in under 30 minutes.
👉🏾 Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year to gather friends and family and throw down in the kitchen. Check out more Turkey Day faves: Cajun turkey wings, candied yams, Soul Food collard greens, praline sweet potato bread pudding, sweet potato pie cheesecake, massaged kale salad.
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Cranberries, specifically fresh whole berries five this sauce tart and fruity flavor with jammy texture. I do not recommend using dried cranberries in this recipe unless you rehydrate them first.
Bourbon Whiskey that you'd enjoy sipping neat, whether that is Jack Daniels, Jameson, or my fave, Uncle Nearest. Since we're cooking the alcohol off, only the flavor will remain, and we want it to be good!
Orange for the juice and zest! I like the flavor and size of Cara Cara navel oranges here, but clementines, tangerines, and even mandarins can work.
Spices like cinnamon, clove, and ginger add sweetly warming notes. You can use whole spices or the ground versions.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Sweetener - I prefer to use brown sugar and maple syrup for the molasses and woodsy sweetness they add, but you can use the sweetening ingredient(s) of your choice, including honey and zero sugar options like Stevia.
Citrus - Orange pairs so well with the taste of cranberry, but feel free to experiment with other citrus fruits: lemon, grapefruit, and lime. Alternatively, you can use a bit of vinegar (preferably apple cider vinegar) for the same tart, acidic quality.
Different Spirits - Besides bourbon in cranberry sauce, liquor options like rum, brandy, and cognac are great, as well as red wines like zinfandel. You can also leave the alcohol out altogether if you prefer.
Vanilla - Add a bit of vanilla extract, vanilla paste, or even a whole vanilla bean (cut it open first) to infuse the cranberry sauce with vanilla flavor. This is a great complement or alternative to liquor!
How to Make Boozy Cranberry Sauce at Home
- Step One: Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Step Two: Stir to dissolve the sugar and combine the ingredients.
Pro Tip #1
Make sure that the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and ginger are covered with cranberries and liquid. This will ensure their flavor gets infused into the sauce.
Pro Tip #2
Stir the ingredients really well to dissolve the brown sugar as undissolved sugar can cause the sauce to turn out gritty or grainy.
- Step Three: Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer and stir until thickened and smooth.
Pro Tip #3
As you stir the cranberry sauce, press and mash some of the berries to achieve your desired smoothness.
- Step Four: Remove cinnamon, cloves, and ginger from the pan.
- Step Five: Serve warm with more orange zest, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make this cranberry sauce up to one week in advance since it keeps for a while in the fridge.
Store homemade cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keeps for up to two weeks (14 days).
You can freeze cranberry sauce in a freezer-safe container like a sealed food storage bowl or freezer bag. I recommend freezing in portions with food molds for quicker and easier defrosting later. Keeps for up to three months.
How to Serve
Cranberry sauce is synonymous with Thanksgiving because it pairs perfectly with turkey, adding moisture and a sweet and tart counter of flavor to all the savory dishes on the table.
I love mine with slices of juicy Thanksgiving turkey breast on a plate with baked mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and green beans--even better as leftovers.
Set a little cranberry sauce to the side to make Thanksgiving Moscow Mule cocktails!
And don't reserve cranberry sauce with bourbon and maple syrup just for Thanksgiving dinner. It's fabulous with all kinds of meats and meals, including pork chops or spread on a post-holiday sandwich.
More Favorite Holiday Recipes
Want more recipes like this one? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this spiced maple cranberry sauce soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Best Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 kitchen spoon preferably a slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 24 ounces fresh cranberries
- 4 navel oranges
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 ounces bourbon whiskey
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ½ inch fresh ginger sliced into thin coins
- 3 cloves
Instructions
- Build the Flavor: Add cranberries, zest from one orange, juice from all four oranges, brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, cinnamon sticks, and ginger to saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and ensuring cinnamon, ginger, and cloves are covered.24 ounces fresh cranberries, 4 navel oranges, 1 ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup maple syrup, 2 ounces bourbon whiskey, 2 cinnamon sticks, ½ inch fresh ginger, 3 cloves
- Let it Thicken: Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until sauce is thickened.Stir and use the back of the spoon to mash the berries every so often to achieve your desired texture.
- Strain and Serve: Remove ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks.If you want a smoother, more jelly like cranberry sauce, use an immersion blender or run about half of the sauce through a blender or food processor.
- Serve warm with more orange zest.
Shawna says
We only ever eat canned cranberry sauce, so my family was suspicious when I brought this out last year but everybody LOVED it. My son just asked me if I’m making it again on Thursday, and of course I am!
Jazzmine Woodard says
That's wonderful to hear, Shawna! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.