Homemade Cardamom-Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Orange

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Cranberry sauce is the first thing I make for Thanksgiving dinner, and it’s probably my favorite item on the whole Thanksgiving table! (My very favorite thanksgiving food is the broth I get make the next day with the carcass!) Over the years I’ve made plenty of cranberry sauce recipes, and a traditional cranberry sauce is already good — tart and bright, lightening up the rich holiday food. But a few years ago I started adding cardamom to mine, (as I tend to do with all fall foods!) and now there’s no going back.

This homemade cranberry sauce is the one my family asks for: fresh cranberries simmered in orange juice with a little cinnamon and my special twist, ground cardamom. Even Charlie, a devout bitter, canned cranberry sauce fan has come around to my bright version. It takes about 15 minutes, it can be made ahead of the holiday rush, and it makes the whole kitchen smell like the holiday season showed up early.

Why cardamom?

If cardamom is new to you, it’s the warm, slightly citrusy spice behind so much Indian cooking and Scandinavian baking. (It’s what makes Chai tea taste like chai.) It isn’t hot and it isn’t sweet — it just wakes your taste buds up. Cranberries are bold and tart, orange is bright, and cardamom slips between the two and rounds them out. Half a teaspoon is all it takes. People will ask you what’s different about your sauce, and most of them won’t be able to put a finger on it. That’s the best kind of secret ingredient! (Wow, looks like it’s gone up in price quite a bit. Azure is always my go to for herbs and spices because the flavor is absolutely unmatched, and usually has the best prices, but Amazon is cheaper today.)

What you need

There is nothing fancy here, hallelujah. I originally found this recipe on the Magnolia blog, but we all know Joanna Gaines has quite the sweet tooth, so I had to make adjustments, ha ha! Three cups of fresh cranberries (that we can finally find in stores this time of year!). One cup of orange juice and a tablespoon of orange zest make it so much more flavorful than just using water. I only use half a cup of sugar, because we like ours tart. The magnolia recipe calls for a cinnamon sticks, but I never have those on hand. So I use half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and, of course, add a 1/2 teaspoon of my star ingredient, cardamom.

How to make it

Put everything in a heavy saucepan and set it over medium-high heat. Stir as it warms until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Then reduce it to medium heat and let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until it’s as thick as you like it.

Don’t bother mashing anything, the berries break down on their own. We like things chunky, but by all means, carefully take an immersion blender to it once it’s cool if you prefer it smooth. Take the pan off the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature, or refrigerate before serving. It looks loose while it’s hot, but it sets up as it cools into a spoonable, jammy texture.

Serving and storing

Serve it as a side dish at Thanksgiving dinner or any holiday dinner — and don’t stop there. A spoonful on a turkey and sprout sandwich on an ordinary Tuesday is a good reason to keep a jar in the fridge year-round!

In an airtight container it keeps in the fridge for three months, as long as clean utensils dish it out. If a kid licks a spoon and dips it back in, it will spoil faster (not that I know from experience or anything!). It makes two cups, and can be made in bulk and canned if your family loves it as much as mine does. If there’s any left over, stir about a third of a cup into a quart of homemade ice cream. You’re welcome!

Variations

• A splash of vanilla, stirred in at the end.
• An inch of fresh ginger, grated, simmered along with the berries.
• Three drops of orange essential oil instead of the orange zest makes it all the more simple and still carries impeccable flavor.