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 cranberry sauce recipe?
- 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.
- These Spiced Cranberries are quick and easy to make. It only takes 20 minutes!
Can you make it ahead?
Yes you can! You can make this up to 5 days ahead of time. Simply make it, cool it to room temperature, cover and refrigerate. (Bring it back to room temperature before serving.)
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.
What to Serve with Spiced Cranberry Sauce
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.
When to Serve Spiced Cranberry Sauce?
Clearly, I think Thanksgiving and/or Christmas would be a fabulous time to serve this. However — whatever you’re celebrating — or not, this will add beautifully to almost any meal. 
Hard to discuss the holidays 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?
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!
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Gerry @ Foodness Gracious says
I’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
Sounds perfect, Gerry! 🙂
Diane says
Ooooo!! 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
Thanks 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
Well, 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
I 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
Thanks so much. I hope you love it! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Healthy Kitchen 101 says
Sweet 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
Thanks Natalie! So great you already have a jar of yours ready! Cheers! 🙂
David says
For 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
Cardamom is my favorite of all of the spices in this! Hope your feast is fun and delicious! 🙂
Ron says
That 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
Hi Ron, Yes! I would thaw them first, though. I would love to try it with lingonberries. So pretty!
David @ Spiced says
I 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
Thanks, David. Yes, the holiday season is young — lots of cooking time left! 🙂
T says
This sounds great served over a baked brie or even a block of cream cheese with graham crackers.Can I substitute the apple juice with anything?
valentina says
Orange juice is a delicious substitute, or you can use water and another tablespoon or so of sugar to the recipe. Yes, delicious over melting brie! Enjoy and thanks for visiting. Happy Holidays!