My family's all-time favorite homemade cranberry sauce recipe. Sweetened with maple syrup and brown sugar, it pairs perfectly with roast turkey.
When I asked my two boys what they were looking forward to the most about the traditional Thanksgiving feast, they both exclaimed, "Cranberry sauce!" And then came pumpkin pie, turkey, mashed potatoes... Okay, perhaps their palates aren't that discerning, but the heaps of cranberry sauce that are shoveled into their little mouths unceremoniously are enough of an endorsement for me. I found this recipe about 10 years ago in Bon Appétit Magazine and it quickly became a family favorite. Mixed with pure maple syrup (I beg of you, don't use the fake stuff) and brown sugar, the cranberries cook down to a sweet and tangy jewel-toned sauce. I froze most of the sauce in anticipation of American Thanksgiving and Christmas, but we couldn't resist first pairing it with pork tenderloin. It would work well with Sausage, Mascarpone Cheese & Spinach Pork Tenderloin (leave out the red wine reduction sauce).
In a large saucepan, combine 24 ounces fresh cranberries (do not thaw), 1 ½ cups pure maple syrup,
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar, ½ cup water, and ¾ teaspoon maple extract.
Stir well. The cranberries look like little jewels at this stage. I could stare at them all day.
Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the cranberry mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the cranberries pop, stirring frequently. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.
Printable Recipe
Maple & Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup packed golden brown sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¾ teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, maple syrup, brown sugar, water, and maple extract. Stir well. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the cranberry mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the cranberries pop, stirring frequently. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.
Nutrition
Table Talk
Good to be thinking about Cranberry Sauce now...as the count down begins. -One of those make ahead items that holds so well in the fridge.
penny aka jeroxie
I love the colours. Very xmasie. Very nice touch.
pegasuslegend
how do you get so creative I love this change sounds fantastic!
The Duo Dishes
There will definitely be homemade cranberry sauce this year! With a little orange flavor of course!
Miranda
CC
You so rock!!!
I saved this. It will grace my table this yr. for Thanksgiving.
Diana Bauman
I've never made cranberry sauce. I actually bought a bag of cranberries hoping to make something with them and I'm going to try this! Thanks Dara!
Cookin' Canuck
Thanks for all of your kind comments. We had a big dollop of this sauce on our open-faced, gravy-drowned pork sandwiches today. Heavenly!
My Little Space
Mable sauce & brown sugar in cranberries, what a good kick! I would love to try some. Yum....
Tasty Trix
I have loved cranberry sauce since I was a girl ... but Poppa Trix doesn't like it! Can you imagine? Your recipe inspires me to make it anyway and just have lots more for myself!
Ruth
Wow, it sounds and looks incredible! I so love the combination of flavours!
Maria
I posted cranberry sauce today too! We are on the same page. Love yours!
Fresh Local and Best
This looks like a lovely and rich cranberry sauce recipe! Thanks for sharing!
lululu
i can never hv enough cranberry sauce neither.
and your addition of maple syrup sounds lovely!
Vegetable Matter
This sounds delicious. Can't go wrong with brown sugar AND maple syrup!
Cajun Chef Ryan
Oh...the maple added to the cranberry sauce sounds like a great variation.
Jessie
really vibrant color and festive, just in time for thanksgiving
ValleyWriter
Homemade cranberry sauce is one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving, too - and this sounds yummy!
Kalyn
No doubt, this would have to taste wonderful!
Divina Pe
The color is so beautiful. Sounds Canadian to me, probably because of the maple syrup. 😀 I love cranberries and hope to taste this very soon. Good Luck Divina in finding them in the Philippines at a reasonable price. 😀
SUE FRAUSE
OK, this is the recipe I'll use for Thanksgiving cranberries. They sound yummy! I write a blog about Canada (www.closetcanuck.com), so this was fun to run into and I shall return!