Spiced-Brandied Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Cranberry sauce never tasted so good. Bursting with warm spices, lively orange and rich dark brown sugar, this boozy brandied cranberry sauce makes for one show-stopping holiday side dish and adds an elegant touch to your holiday table.
How to Make the Best Spiced-Brandied Cranberry Sauce
This spiced-brandied cranberry sauce elevates the traditional holiday side dish to something truly special. With warm cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves combined with bright orange juice and rich dark brown sugar, every spoonful bursts with complex, sophisticated flavors. The addition of brandy gives it an elegant depth that transforms simple cranberries into a show-stopping addition to your holiday table.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity—just a few ingredients and about 25 minutes of cooking time result in a glossy, jammy sauce that tastes like you’ve been simmering it all day. The cranberries pop and release their natural pectin, creating the perfect gel-like consistency without any added thickeners. A finishing splash of brandy, bright lemon juice, and fresh orange zest round out the flavors beautifully.
Whether you’re serving it warm alongside roasted turkey or letting it chill for a more traditional presentation, this spiced-brandied cranberry sauce will become your new holiday go-to. Your guests will be asking for the recipe, and you’ll love knowing it’s so easy to make from scratch.
Spiced-Brandied Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce never tasted so good. Bursting with warm spices, lively orange and rich dark brown sugar, this boozy brandied cranberry sauce makes for one show-stopping holiday side dish and adds an elegant touch to your holiday table.
Ingredients
Main Sauce
Finishing Touches
Instructions
Cook the Base
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add orange juice, sugars and spices and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat so that the mixture simmers for a couple minutes.
Cook the Cranberries
- Bring heat back up to medium-high and add cranberries. Boil the cranberries until they pop and the mixture thickens to a gel-like, jammy consistency.
- If the mixture starts to boil too much, turn the heat down to medium. Stir occasionally.
Finish
- Remove from heat and stir in brandy, lemon juice and orange zest. You can serve it warm or cold.
Notes
- The sauce can be served warm immediately or chilled for later serving.
- This sauce pairs beautifully with turkey, ham, or duck.
- The brandy adds a sophisticated depth to this classic holiday side dish.
- You'll never need another cranberry sauce recipe again!