This cranberry sauce recipe of mine has stood the test of time. Born out of a Christmas where we made hampers as gifts and had some vodka and Cointreau lying about. As I was making the cranberry sauce, I thought the alcohol would be a nice addition. Little did I know at that moment in time, it’d be the yummiest addition and I’d be buying little miniatures especially for it for years to come. I’ve been making it for the past 15 years and have made countless jars for friends and family. Don’t be alarmed by the alcohol content, the alcohol tends to cook off, leaving the rich flavours behind.
As with the DIY Baked Orange Garland, this recipe fills the whole house with the scent of Christmas and cranks the anticipatory joy levels up a notch or five.
My ‘ With A Little Something-Something’ Christmas Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 grams Fresh or frozen cranberries
- 100 grams Light muscovado sugar
- 1 Orange – zest of
- 2 tbsp Cointreau (or another orange liqueur)
- 2 tbsp Vodka
- 100 ml Water (adjust as needed)
Instructions
- Pop the cranberries, caster sugar, orange zest, orange liquor, vodka and 100ml of water in a medium saucepan. Stir everything together, making sure the cranberries are well coated in the sugar and liquid.
- Simmer over a medium-high heat. The cranberries will begin to soften and burst as they cook. Stir regularly, and cook for about 10-12 minutes, until the sauce thickens. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water to adjust the consistency. I tend to use less water as I prefer a jammy consistency.
- Once the sauce has cooled fully, transfer it to an airtight jar like a Kilner Jar.
- Pair it with your Christmas dinner when ready. I will add that it also tastes delicious with dessert, too. Think pavlova, ice cream or even apple crumble.
- This sauce will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week but if you're an organised sort and want to make ahead of time, it will freeze nicely for 3 months. You'll need to defrost it thoroughly before use.