This Spiced Cranberry Sauce for the Holidays is sweet, tart, and warmed up with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. It’s great for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
After I eat something sweet, I crave something salty.
And my favorite is to have sweet and salty all in one bite!
This is exactly why I think adding cranberry sauce to your holiday spread is such a brilliant idea.
(It’s also exactly why I love salty desserts.)
Listen, I know you have dozens upon dozens of cranberry sauce recipes to choose from.
So why should you choose this one?
It’s simple, really. It’s the spices! Cinnamon, cardamom and cloves — these three spices are typically combined with other spices to make a chai. This blend of spices adds warmth to almost anything it’s added to, bringing it to another level.
This leaf is from the Liquid Amber tree next door to my house. I’m so lucky they fall into my yard, reminding me of how pretty fall can be.
Savory gravy, stuffing and turkey are simply more delicious when a bit of sweet spiced cranberry sauce has found its way onto my fork at the same time.
Not to mention how beautifully the vibrant red color will add to your table.
It will brighten up the entire spread of food.
Hard to discuss the holiday’s without sharing my favorite Thanksgiving Turkey recipe of all time. Yep, that’s the one, wrapped in crispy bacon! Imagine, if you will, a bite of this and the spiced cranberry sauce together. Works for me.
Are you with me? Do you crave sweet after salty? Vice versa? Both at once?
Thanksgiving, Christmas, whatever you’re celebrating, this will add so well to everything else you’re serving.
Enjoy every last bite! Or combination of bites, right?
This Spiced Cranberry Sauce for the Holidays is sweet, tart, and warmed up with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. It's great for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup apple juice
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In a small saucepan, mix the cranberries with the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and sugar.
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Pour the apple juice over the cranberries and bring to a boil.
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Turn the heat to low and simmer until the cranberries have broken and become soft, and the liquid has thickened. This should take about 15 minutes.
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Serve warm or cold -- it's great both ways!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious says
November 20, 2012 at 6:08 amI’m a total sweet salty freak. I love to dab a splodge of cran sauce on the tip of my fork load too at the table 😉
valentina says
November 16, 2015 at 8:18 pmSounds perfect, Gerry! 🙂
Diane says
November 20, 2017 at 2:13 pmOoooo!! This is WONDERFUL!!
I bring homemade cranberries to our TG get together, every year. I just made this recipe and WOW! Omgoodness! The cardamom is beautiful and brilliant! Touché!!
valentina says
November 20, 2017 at 8:45 pmThanks so much, Diane. I’m so happy you tried this recipe and are happy with it. Your timing is impeccable — I just took mine off the stove! 🙂 I wish you a very Happy (and delicious) Thanksgiving!
Eha says
November 20, 2018 at 3:38 pmWell, cranberries are not exactly an ingredient easily sourced Down Under but should I come upon them your simple bit very attractive recipe has already been filed. Definitely not for the grand holidays most of which I usually do not keep. As a child I was brought up on Northern European lingonberry preserve to go with everything, so the idea is attractive . . .
Gerlinde@Sunnycovechef says
November 20, 2018 at 8:35 pmI think I will try your recipe for my Christmas dinner. I like all the spices and it doesn’t have a whole lot of sugar.
valentina says
November 21, 2018 at 5:02 pmThanks so much. I hope you love it! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Healthy Kitchen 101 says
November 20, 2018 at 11:34 pmSweet and salty in one bite is terrific! I just made a big jar of cranberry sauce last week but it’s a mix of sweetness and sourness. Next time I will try your ingredients. It must be tasty!
– Natalie
valentina says
November 21, 2018 at 5:02 pmThanks Natalie! So great you already have a jar of yours ready! Cheers! 🙂
David says
November 21, 2018 at 6:04 amFor us, it isn’t Thanksgiving unless Mark makes his famous cardamom-scented cranberry sauce. I will show him your recipe… Maybe he’ll want to make a few other additions! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yuors. 🧡
valentina says
November 21, 2018 at 4:58 pmCardamom is my favorite of all of the spices in this! Hope your feast is fun and delicious! 🙂
Ron says
November 22, 2018 at 6:04 amThat spice blend sound perfect with cranberries. Only problem is we don’t see cranberries here, but we do have lingonberries, which are very similar. I have some whole berries in the freezer from this year’s harvest that I could use for this. Do you think frozen would work?
valentina says
November 23, 2018 at 12:46 pmHi Ron, Yes! I would thaw them first, though. I would love to try it with lingonberries. So pretty!
David @ Spiced says
November 26, 2018 at 5:16 amI love, love, love sweet + salty combos, too, Valentina! I must admit that I’ve never made my own cranberry sauce, though. Thanksgiving is over, but these flavors are totally appropriate for the rest of the holiday season. I’m making this one sometime soon for sure! You sold me with the bit of ground cloves in there. Yum!
valentina says
November 26, 2018 at 9:40 amThanks, David. Yes, the holiday season is young — lots of cooking time left! 🙂
T says
December 13, 2018 at 11:33 pmThis sounds great served over a baked brie or even a block of cream cheese with graham crackers. What can I substitute for the apple juice? Water and some more sugar maybe?
valentina says
December 14, 2018 at 8:08 amYes, water is fine, and orange juice would work too. Maybe just a touch more sugar if you use the water. And yes, delicious over melting brie! Enjoy and thanks for visiting. Happy Holidays!