Name: Cinnamon Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup water; 1/4 cup bourbon; 3/4 cup toasted sugar; 12 oz cranberries (frozen ok); 1/4 tsp kosher salt; zest of 1/2 orange; 1 stick cinnamon

Ya’ll, hey! See how I switched it up on you?! Ha! Seriously, we are in the home stretch of Thanksgiving (only 5 days away!) and I just realized I don’t have a cranberry sauce recipe up!! I couldn’t let ya’ll go without one, so here it is. This isn’t the canned stuff. It’s more of a sauce than a firm jelly and it goes so well with anything you pair it with. Seriously. I was just caught on camera eating it with cornbread stuffing and, it’s exactly what you need. I also love how easy and simple this is and can be made ahead. In fact, I have mine already made and in the freezer waiting to be thawed the night before. See, I’m not lying. Let’s get into the inspiration for this one…

THE INSPIRATION

Ok, so my Mom LOVES cranberry sauce, but the canned stuff. And I HATE it. In fact, growing up, I couldn’t understand how I could love cranberry juice so much (yeah, weird for a kid, I know) and hate cranberry sauce equally as much. As I got older, I realized it was because the canned stuff has no freshness to it and is basically super sweet jelly. Is there real cranberry in it? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it! It wasn’t until one year when I was alone for Thanksgiving in North Carolina and my amazing friend Dominique and her sister Lauren basically kidnapped me in love and took me to Wilmington with them to their family’s home. There, Dom made cranberry sauce that changed my life! It was so bright and fresh, with pieces of burst cranberries and a sauce to drip over turkey. I was converted. Since, I’ve made my own variations and this one I’m sharing today has because my go-to.

The sweetest girl in the world, my 10-year old niece Nyelle. Even though there’s bourbon, it’s kid safe as the alcohol cooks out and you’re just left with flavor!

THE DEETS

If you haven’t noticed, two of my favorite flavors of the fall and winter are brown sugar and bourbon. If I’m being honest, those are two of my favorite flavors any time! Well, I’ve put brown sugar in a cake for ya’ll, frosting, meatballs and a pie! And Bourbon has been in cherries, banana pudding and bbq sauce! As you can see, I really like them. Well, when I began experimenting to create my own version of cranberry sauce, it hit me to use them in this one. In the first iteration, I used a little bourbon and the brown sugar. But I found the brown sugar did not give me a good texture and was a bit too sweet, so I switched to toasted sugar instead and upped the bourbon. Let me tell ya’ll! BOMB! The toasted sugar adds a just enough sweetness to balance the tart cranberries, while the bourbon adds a deep warmth that really rounds out the flavor profile. Add in the cinnamon stick for earthy holiday flavors and orange as a pop of freshness and you’ve got a winner! You NEED this on your Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner table. Seriously! Before we get into the recipe, let me give ya’ll some tips as always.

TIPS FOR MAKING

The best thing about this cranberry sauce is that it’s one pot and only takes about 15 mins start to finish, depending on the desired final texture. Being able to make it ahead frees up stove space and time on Thanksgiving day so you can focus on the big items, like turkey and mac & cheese!

Be sure to dissolve the sugar in the water and bourbon before adding the cranberries. I find that this helps the cranberry sauce cook properly.
Watch the cinnamon stick. A good cinnamon stick will impart a lot of flavor into the cranberry sauce. The longer you keep it in, the more “cinnamony” it will taste. Be sure to taste to get your desired level of cinnamon.
Remember the sauce will thicken as it cools. This timing will give you a cranberry sauce that holds together well enough to spoon, but is spreadable and saucy enough to lubricate that turkey. Not that it’s dry or anything…

Alright ya’ll. If this is the only recipe you see before the holiday, I just wanna say Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I am beyond thankful for everyone who comes to LizeeAngel to read, that engages with me online, that shares my content and sends me an encouraging word. Thank you all for allowing me to do what I love!

Don’t forget to tag me in your photos online @lizeeangel or using #lizeeangel. And as always, comment below and please, like, share and follow me on youtube, instagram, twitter, facebook and pinterest!

Thanksgiving, Cranberry Sauce, Thanksgiving Sides

Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Dessert

American

Author: Nik Manning

Cinnamon Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce that will make you forget about the canned stuff. Silky, smooth sauce with pops of burst cranberries flavored with cinnamon, orange and bourbon for a warm, spiced holiday side dish. It’s all scalable and comes together in just about 15 minutes!! The thanksgiving turkey needs this, trust me!

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min

Instructions

In a medium-low sauce pan, combine water, bourbon and sugar over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar
Bring mixture to a simmer and add cranberries and salt. Stir to combine.
Add cinnamon stick and partly submerge. Increase heat to medium-high.
Bring to a boil and cook until berries begin to burst. About 8 minutes. Smash a few berries with a spoon for smaller cranberries pieces.
Add orange zest and continue to cook until sauce reaches 200-205 degrees. This will create the jammy texture of your sauce. You can cook past this point, but remember sauce will thicken as it cools.
Turn off heat and transfer to a heat safe container. Allow to cover and serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
Can be served cold or warm. Enjoy!