Rosy orange-spiced cranberries
These spiced cranberries are so delicious, they may transcend your holiday meals and make it onto the table multiple times during the fall and winter like they did for me! I’ve honestly never loved cranberries so much as when following this recipe.
Rosy orange-spiced cranberries
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (1 bag) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2+ tablespoons honey (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick
- 2-3 star anise pods
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (or 2-3 cardamom pods)
- 3 tablespoons dried rose hips
- zest of 1 orange
- one inch of fresh ginger, sliced
- 1/4 cup orange juice (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (or 4-5 whole cloves)
Instructions:
- Prepare the spices and zest:
- If using whole cardamom pods, lightly crush them to release the aroma.
- Zest the orange.
- Combine base ingredients:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, ginger, water, honey, and orange juice (if using). Stir to dissolve the honey slightly.
- Add spices and rose hips:
- Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom, rose hips, ground cloves (or whole cloves), and orange peel/zest. Stir well.
- Simmer:
- Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Cook until cranberries burst:
- Continue simmering for about 10-15 minutes, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Adjust flavors:
- Taste and add more honey if needed for sweetness. Adjust spices if desired.
- Remove whole spices (optional):
- For a smoother texture, you can remove the whole spices. Leave them in for a more rustic / herbal feel, but you may want to let anyone eating it know to watch out for them.
- Cool and serve:
- Remove from heat and let the sauce cool slightly. It will thicken as it cools. Serve warm or chilled, depending on preference.
