Cranberry Sauce With Jalapeno
Are you looking for a cranberry sauce that’s fresh, flavorful, and just a little different from the classic? Well my friend, you’re in the right place! This Cranberry Sauce with Jalapeno brings the tartness cranberries are known for alongside blood orange with a subtle kick of jalapeño for a sauce that your holiday table needed all along.This is the cranberry sauce that will make everyone ask for seconds!
I love to take simple ingredients and turn them into something special without overcomplicating the process. This homemade whole berry cranberry sauce is the kind of recipe I love sharing with you! As a longtime recipe developer, I love good home cooking and working with fresh ingredients. I’ve been making my own cranberry sauce for years and now I’m going to show you how. This is one of those things that you’ll wonder why you never made it yourself when it’s this easy!
What purpose does cranberry sauce serve? On a holiday table, it acts as the acid that cuts through all those rich green bean casseroles, creamy mashed potatoes, and yummy stuffing. It provides the perfect flavor balance those richer dishes need.
Simple Ingredients For Whole Berry Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce
I always like to touch on the ingredients that make my version of a recipe special. I think you’ll love the flavor twist these bring! For the full list of ingredients, be sure to head down to the recipe card.
Jalapenos
I think you’re going to love the spice combined with the tartness of the cranberry. It brings a little heat to the party!
blood orange
I like the subtlety of blood orange here, not as assertive as other citrus. You’ll use the juice and the zest.
cumin
This is going to add a little smoky edge to your cranberry sauce that will keep everyone guessing!
fresh cranberries
We are not just jazzing up canned sauce here, we’re using fresh cranberries. Fresh made cranberry sauce is hard to beat.
How To Make Amy’s Homemade Cranberry Sauce With Jalapeno
This is so easy! Be sure to see the recipe card for the full instructions. This is so simple, you won’t ever buy it from a can again!
Add brown sugar and cranberries to a saucepan. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and simmer.
Amy’s Pro Tips For Cranberry Sauce
Make Cranberry Sauce Other Times Of The Year- You can freeze fresh cranberries quite easily and use them to make cranberry sauce after the season has passed where they are sold fresh. For tips on freezing cranberries, see the recipe card notes!
Uses for Cranberry Sauce Outside of Holiday Meals- I love using cranberry sauce in unexpected ways, like on pork chops, salmon, or cheesecake. Don’t save it just for your turkey dinner!
Don’t Skip The Orange Zest- The zest brings additional citrus flavor that you’ll love!
Use Light Brown Sugar- The difference between light and dark brown sugar is the amount of molasses. Light brown works really great in this recipe because it won’t overpower the other flavors.
Amy’s Suggestions For Changing Up Your Cranberry Sauce
make it spicier
For extra heat, be sure to leave the ribs and seeds in the jalapeno, and even use two jalapenos instead of one.
Make it milder
If you want a little kick but less heat, use ½ of a jalapeno and make sure the seeds are removed.
try different types of chilies
Serrano Chilies are great in this recipe. You can try habanero as well, or poblano.
I hope this Cranberry Sauce with Jalapeño brings a fresh, vibrant twist to your holiday table. Don’t be afraid to make it your own! Home cooking is all about creativity and confidence in the kitchen.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment or rating below to share. And if you enjoy fresh, seasonal recipes that bring real flavor to everyday meals, be sure to join my email list. You’ll get cozy, from-scratch inspiration straight from me to your inbox.
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Cranberry Sauce With Jalapeno
This Cranberry Sauce with Jalapeño is a fresh take on the classic. Vibrant, perfectly spiced, and bursting with flavor. This can be made in advance and ready to serve when you are. A must-try for your next Thanksgiving or holiday meal!
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
One Pound of Fresh Cranberries
1/2 cup of Light Brown Sugar (can use 3/4 cup if you want it a bit sweeter)
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Large Jalapeno
Zest and Juice of 1 Blood Orange
1/4 teaspoon of Salt
1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cumin
Instructions
- Place the cranberries, cinnamon stick, and 1/2 cup of light brown sugar in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.
- While the berries heat, chop the jalapeno and zest and juice the blood orange.
- Add the juice and zest, the chopped jalapeno, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the 1/2 teaspoon of cumin to the pan.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until thickened and some of the cranberries have popped. Refrigerate before serving and enjoy!
Notes
If you want to make this outside of the holiday season (Easter is a nice time to serve this!), you can use frozen cranberries. to freeze them, spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the freezer until frozen. Put them in a gallon size freezer bag and they will keep for about 4 months.
To store leftover cranberry sauce, keep in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sauces and Condiments
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 228
- Sugar: 54.1 g
- Sodium: 79.6 mg
- Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 60.5 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
