The Perfect Thanksgiving Side Dish: Orange-Maple Cranberry Sauce #thanksgivingfood #cranberrysauce #makeityourself #holidaycooking

Can you believe that it's nearly Thanksgiving? I'm starting to finalize this year's menu...which has to include cranberry sauce! Until a few years ago, I swore that I hated cranberry sauce. However, once I tasted chunky

homemade cranberry sauce at a friend's house? I immediately became a believer! To me, fresh is so much better than canned. Today, I'm sharing my favorite riff on this quintessential Thanksgiving side dish...featuring a technique I learned from Cooking Light magazine. My Orange-Maple Cranberry Sauce features a double shot of orange, pure maple syrup, and warm Fall spices. The end result is a chunky cranberry sauce that's nicely balanced between sweet and tart. Even better? It's ready in 30 minutes or less...and fine to make a day or two before Thanksgiving and stored in the refrigerator.

The secret technique to achieving amazing texture and a well-rounded flavor to homemade cranberry sauce is to reserve 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries before you cook your cranberry sauce. Then add the reserved whole berries to the cooked cranberry sauce as soon as it comes off the stove. The reserved cranberries soften a bit from the residual heat, but retain their shape. The fresh cranberries provide a tangy burst to every bite of sauce. Mind blown! I hope you give this delicious Thanksgiving side a try...everyone who tastes it LOVES it!

Orange-Maple Cranberry Sauce

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients (makes approx. 4 cups):

• 1 lb. fresh cranberries -- reserve 1/2 cup 
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 3-4 large strips orange zest
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp. chopped thin strips of orange peel

Directions:

Step 1: Measure out 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries and set aside. Add the remaining cranberries, orange juice and large strips of orange zest, vanilla, granulated and brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a heavy saucepan. Give the ingredients a stir to combine. Heat over Medium-High heat and cook for 8-10 minutes...stirring often. The cranberries will begin to cook down during this time.

Step 2: Reduce heat to Medium-Low and add maple syrup. Stir to combine. Cook an additional 5-6 minutes, until the cranberries have mostly burst and the sauce is jammy in texture. Remove saucepan from heat and discard the large strips of orange zest. Stir in reserved cranberries and the thin strips of fresh orange zest. Stir to combine and let the cooked cranberry sauce cool for 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: Spoon the warm cranberry sauce into a decorative serving dish. Serve immediately OR cover and store in the fridge until you're ready to serve. I've made it up to two days ahead and refrigerated with no issues.

This chunky cranberry sauce is bursting with big flavors and textures! It also features comforting warmth from the addition of brown sugar, maple syrup, and Fall spices. That said? The true key to this cranberry sauce is the addition of fresh cranberries at the end. They bring a nice pop of brightness to every bite. 

This cranberry sauce is super versatile too! Need a last-minute holiday appetizer? Simply spoon the chilled cranberry sauce on top of a block of softened cream cheese...and spread on graham crackers or gingersnaps. Leftovers are also delicious spread on toasted bagels or English muffins instead of jam.