Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! I recently posted my Thanksgiving Recipes on my redheadcandecorate.com Facebook page and a friendly reader mentioned that her favorite Thanksgiving “side” is cranberry sauce. I replied back and told her that I love my cranberry sauce warm. She said she had never tried it that way 😯 . I was SHOCKED! I told my husband about it and he agreed I better get my booty in gear and make the homemade warm cranberry sauce recipe quick so I can share it with my readers before it’s too late. So here I am…
Before we get to the very simple homemade warm cranberry sauce recipe, I want you to know that I did grow up watching my family eat the cranberry sauce that comes in a can. You know…the “jello” looking purple log with lines running around it? Yah, that one. To tell you the truth, I don’t even think I knew what it was when I was growing up. It was just the gross purple stuff that always ended up on our Thanksgiving dinner table. I stayed away from it, but watched many family members gobble it up.
As I grew older and hosted my very own Thanksgiving dinner, I began to notice the bags of fresh cranberries in the supermarket and ended up looking at the back of the bag and noticed the fresh cranberry sauce recipe there. It sounded simple enough, so I gave it whirl knowing that my husband loved cranberry sauce. I wasn’t quite into it yet, but that would happen later. When I first began to serve the cranberry sauce, I decided to serve it warm thinking that it would be better that way. I mean, the rest of the food is hot on the plate, so why not the cranberry sauce? My husband seemed to like it that way, and then our youngest fell in love with it, too.
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FYI-my sister is the hero that mentioned adding a little orange or lemon zest to the cranberry sauce. She said it would give it a zing and she was right.
So, finally after all of these years, and cranberry sauce tweaks… I finally enjoy a little on the side of my dressing. I hope you try it warm!
Oh, and I should also mention that I’ve had the pretty white ceramic serving dish for years, but I found the exact one on line here —>
White Ceramic Serving Bowl w/ Candle Warmer
Ingredients
- 12 oz. package fresh cranberries (see image above)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest
Instructions
Rinse cranberries.
Dissolve sugar in water in medium pan over medium heat.
Add cranberries and and bring to a boil (watch them carefully).
Turn down to a simmer and stir for about 10 minutes.
The cranberries will slowly pop which is supposed to happen. I like to take it off the heat when there are still a few that didn't pop open.
Add zest at end and stir well.
This can be served hot, warm, room temperature, or cold. I prefer it to be warm. I make it early on Thanksgiving and let it sit on the stove until dinner is ready. Then I heat it up real quick & serve in a bowl with a top that will keep it warm. Enjoy!
https://redheadcandecorate.com/2017/11/warm-cranberry-sauce/
Frozen Cranberry Pine Christmas Wreath
Tags: cranberry sauce, recipe, Thanksgiving
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I am the Cranberry Sauce Lover for sure, and yours is really special, love, Dad in NY.
Good luck with the gravy, Dad! I will be missing it this year!
I tried making this a couple years ago and everyone was mad. Apparently the canned stuff holds memories. I just read an article this morning that the canned lump does not actually have gelatin in it, the pectin from the cranberries is what causes it to gel.
Hysterical! You better keep the canned!!! Happy Thanksgiving!
My husband loves cranberry sauce. However, for him it has to be cold. He uses it with any kind of meat. I usually buy some extra cranberries at Christmas and freeze the bags for use during times when I cannot get them.
I saw a new recipe this week that added raspberries to the cranberries. I love raspberries so I want to try that as well..
All thru childhood at many Thanksgiving dinners with our own and with Mom’s family in Cleveland, OH I wondered what that purple log was and why anybody would want to eat it.
Your cranberry sauce looks so yummy and imagine being warm brings out flavor even better. Have only tasted home made cranberry sauce once but loved it. Won’t be making it this year but will for just Mr.Furry and I in a time it’s just us.
Your recipe looks delicious, printed it out for time I make it for two of us. Am baking pies for dinner at daughters on Thursday as I do one thing or another this afternoon.
Wishing you and yours wonderful Thanksgiving
Purple log ???.
Looks yummy and sooo beautifully presented. Hope you had a perfect Thanksgiving!
My recipe is a chilled version:
1 bag fresh cranberries, 1 fresh orange ( The whole orange except seeds) 1 cup ( or less) sugar
3 ingredients go into food processor. Pulse until minced but-not soupy.
Cover, chill overnight..enjoy!
I love love your recipie for warm cranberry sauce. It is now a must for any meal with turkey, ham, and sometimes even a chicken.
Thank you so much
Pat
Yeah! So happy you enjoyed it, Pat!
[…] Homemade Warm Cranberry Sauce Thanksgiving Recipe […]
Hi Julie:
That’s exactly the way I make my cranberry sauce. One time I added some Grand Marnier, it was yummy. Love the warming dish too.
Cheers, Bette
Oooo that sounds yummy & fun!!