Roasted Cranberries- Easy Cranberry Recipe (2024)

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Our roasted cranberries recipe is a simple, sophisticated side dish. It is perfect for your holiday table but easy enough for every day. Flavored with bourbon and orange, this recipe is paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.

Roasted Cranberries- Easy Cranberry Recipe (1)

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Our recipe directions allow you to serve this as a cranberry sauce, a savory side dish, or as a cranberry dessert (but without all the sugar)!

i firmly believe that it is possible to get healthier fruits and vegetables into your holiday menus without sacrificing traditions or taste. We got such a great response to our Sweet Potato Crunch I thought we should share our roasted cranberries recipe with you.

Jump to:
  • 📖Why This Recipe Works
  • 🧾Ingredient Notes
  • ⏲️ How to Make Roasted Cranberries
  • 💭Cranberry Sauce Variation
  • 💭Cranberry Dessert Variation
  • 🌡️Storage
  • 🦃More Thanksgiving Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • ⭐Reviews

📖Why This Recipe Works

  • Roasting cranberries brings out their tartness, rather than covering it up with extra sugar or jello.
  • This recipe has less than 5 minutes of hands-on time.
  • This recipe can be made in advance and reheated before serving.

🧾Ingredient Notes

Fresh Cranberries

Orange- Any variety will do.

Bourbon- If you are avoiding alcohol you can substitute water, apple juice, or additional orange juice for the bourbon.

Honey- Or substitute sugar for vegan. This recipe is VERY light on sugar. You can increase it but the purpose of roasting the cranberries is to bring out their tart flavor.

Spices- Cinnamon,nutmeg, and just a pinch of kosher salt.

Out of oranges and OJ? Check out our list of substitutes for orange juice.

⏲️ How to Make Roasted Cranberries

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Combine the whole cranberries, orange juice & zest, bourbon, honey, and spices into an ovenproof dish. Stir to combine. Bake for 45 minutes until cranberries are soft and the liquid is reduced by two-thirds.

Roasted Cranberries- Easy Cranberry Recipe (2)

Yep, that is it! How easy are these roasted cranberries? Good food does not have to be complicated to make. To serve we just add some additional orange zest and dig in.

(Side note: We recommend this Microplane tool for zesting citrus- durable and useful!).

As you know, I love a recipe that can be easily modified into something new. So what if you want to make these roasted cranberries into a sauce?

💭Cranberry Sauce Variation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the whole cranberries, orange juice & zest, bourbon, ¼ cup of water, honey, and spices in an ovenproof dish. Stir to combine. Bake for 45 minutes until cranberries are soft and the liquid is reduced by one-third.

Use an immersion blender to break up about half the cranberries. The cranberry sauce should be chunky but saucy.

💭Cranberry Dessert Variation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the whole cranberries, orange juice & zest, bourbon, ½ cup of honey (warmed), and spices in a bowl. Stir to combine.

Divide the mixture into four ramekins. Bake for 35-45 minutes until cranberries are soft and the liquid is reduced by two-thirds. Top with whipped cream or dairy-free paleo whipped topping. Garnish with orange zest and chopped nuts.

If you want a sweeter cranberry sauce or salad, check out my cranberry salad with raspberry jello recipe.

Roasted Cranberries- Easy Cranberry Recipe (3)

Also, let us know in the comments how you will be making your roasted cranberries. Side dish, sauce, or dessert?

🌡️Storage

Leftover cranberries should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for up to 5 days. Reheat in a small pan on the stovetop or reheat in the oven at 300 F degrees.

🦃More Thanksgiving Recipes

If you are looking for an everyday way to use up leftover cranberries check out our sheet pan dinner of pork chops with acorn squash and cranberries. It is an easy one-pot Fall dinner!

Be sure to check out more of our holiday recipes. Here are a couple of our favorites.

  • Sweet and Spicy Hasselback Butternut Squash
  • Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate
  • Celeriac Puree (Celery Root Puree)
  • Modern Green Bean Casserole

Did You Enjoy Making This Recipe? Please rate this recipe with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or leave a comment. It helps other wonderful people connect with my food.

📖 Recipe Card

Roasted Cranberries

Roasted cranberries, a classic healthy holiday dish that is easy enough for every day. Flavored with bourbon and orange this recipe does triple duty as a side dish, a sauce, and a dessert.

Servings: 4 servings

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

5 from 17 votes

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Ingredients

  • 4 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 small orange, juiced & zested set aside ½ the zest, for garnish
  • 2 tablespoon bourbon or apple juice
  • 2 tablespoon raw honey or coconut sugar for vegan
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.

  • Combine all ingredients in a 9-inch baking dish. Stir until well combined.

    4 cups fresh cranberries, 1 small orange, juiced & zested, 2 tablespoon bourbon, 2 tablespoon raw honey, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, pinch of kosher salt

  • Bake for 45 minutes or until cranberries are soft and the liquid has reduced by two-thirds. Serve as desired.

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Notes

  • To serve as a side dish- top with orange zest and serve.
  • To serve as a sauce- add 3 to 4 tablespoon of water before baking. Reduce liquid by ⅓ and pulse with an immersion blender to barely break up the cranberries. It should still be chunky.
  • To serve as a dessert- Increase the honey to ½ cup before baking. Top with whipped cream and orange zest when serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal | Carbs: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Fiber: 5g

Author: Jen Wooster

Course:: Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, British, Christmas, Healthy, Holiday, Thanksgiving

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Roasted Cranberries- Easy Cranberry Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How many cranberries are needed to make one can? ›

The average number of cranberries used per can of sauce is 200. If you lay out all the cans of sauce consumed in a year from end to end, it would stretch 3,385 miles.

Should you pre cook cranberries before baking? ›

In some recipes, cranberries need to be cooked before adding to the rest of the ingredients to avoid them tasting tart and raw. However, you'll be relieved to know that this isn't the case when using them in baked goods!

How long to soak cranberries before baking? ›

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.

How many bags of cranberries do I need? ›

One 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries yields about 2 1/4 cups of cranberry sauce, which should be enough for about 8 to 10 people, Hartigan says, adding that you can half that amount of cranberries when making a cranberry-apple or -orange sauce since the alternative fruit will bulk up each serving.

How much is 3 cups of cranberries? ›

One 12-ounce bag of cranberries equals 3 cups.

How many cups of cranberries are in a bag of cranberries? ›

Cooking with Cranberries. The commonly sold 12-ounce bag contains about 3 cups of cranberries. If the recipe you are using specifies the use of chopped cranberries, measure after chopping. Otherwise, measure cranberries before chopping them.

Why should cranberries not be eaten raw? ›

Is it safe to eat cranberries raw? Cranberries are generally considered safe whether they are cooked or raw. However, because of their notoriously bitter, sharp taste, most people prefer not to eat them raw or unsweetened. This bitterness is due to the high tannin content of cranberries.

How to prepare cranberries for baking? ›

If your cranberries are on the larger size, we'd cut them in half or quarters before baking. Toss them with a little flour so they won't sink in the batter, too!

What happens if you cook cranberries too long? ›

If your cranberry sauce is too thick, it's most likely overcooked. When you cook cranberries (or any berries), they burst, releasing pectin—a natural thickener. The key to a perfect consistency is to allow some but not all of the cranberries to split open—something you'll achieve with less time on the stove.

How do you know when cranberries are done cooking? ›

Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the sauce cooks, the skins of the cranberries will split, making a popping noise that almost resembles popcorn.

What kind of cranberries do you use for baking? ›

Choose. Although cranberries are almost always prepackaged, look for firm, plump berries with a deep red color. Avoid shriveled or soft berries.

How long to dry cranberries in oven? ›

Cut the cranberries in half and toss in a bowl with the sweeteners and oil. Spread on the prepared baking pan and separate each individual berry as best you can. Place in the oven and let dry 3 hours or longer. Let cool on the pan.

How much does one bag of cranberries make? ›

One 12-ounce bag of cranberries makes about 2 1/4 cups of basic cranberry sauce—in my house, that's enough for about five people. Going the canned route? You'll need at least one can for six people.

Do you need to wash bagged cranberries? ›

To prepare cranberries for cooking, sort out soft berries and stems. Sometimes a few white cranberries are in the bag. They are fine to use, they just haven't been exposed to as much sunlight as the red ones. Rinse berries well with water and drain in a colander.

Can you use Craisins instead of fresh cranberries? ›

Can I substitute dried cranberries in recipes that call for fresh cranberries? Yes, dried cranberries work well in baked goods; however there is a ¼ cup difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries.

How many cranberries is 12 oz? ›

There are three cups of cranberries in a 12 oz.

How many cranberries does it take to make a bottle of juice? ›

There are about 4,400 cranberries in one gallon of a typical cranberry juice product.

How many people does 1 can of cranberry sauce feed? ›

One 12-ounce bag of cranberries makes about 2 1/4 cups of basic cranberry sauce—in my house, that's enough for about five people. Going the canned route? You'll need at least one can for six people.

How many cranberries in a bottle of Ocean Spray? ›

Enjoy the crisp, clean taste of real cranberries straight from the bog. Each bottle is 100% cranberry juice, made from the juice of over 850 cranberries. It's a delicious way to get the health benefits of cranberry in a pure, authentic form.

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