Cranberry Compote
Absolutely addictive, Cranberry Compote is the perfect side dish for your Turkey dinner. You’ll need Just 5 ingredients and mere minutes to put together this versatile and delicious dish.
Table of contents
Why this is THE BEST Cranberry Compote
Pretty much every Cranberry Sauce or compote recipe is easy to make and tasty. What sets this recipe apart is the fact that the cranberries are not only cooked with the usual orange, sugar and cinnamon, but also there’s a cup of red wine in the recipe.
Red wine enhances the flavor of the berries and makes this compote more sophisticated and delicious than any you’ve tried before.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cranberries – You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe.
- Granulated Sugar – You need a good amount of sugar to sweeten the tangy cranberries. The sugar also thickens the sauce.
- Cinnamon/Orange – These are classic flavorings for cranberry sauce.
- Red Wine – I like to use a light to medium bodied red wine such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel. There’s no reason to use a very expensive wine for this recipe, but do use something good enough to drink.
How to make Cranberry Compote
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Place all the ingredients for the compote in a medium saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Then turn down the heat to keep it at a lively simmer.
- Once the cranberries start popping, simmer for 10 minutes. The longer you simmer, the thicker the compote.
How to use Cranberry Compote
- Serve it with your turkey dinner (obviously!)
- Spread it on a “leftovers” sandwich with turkey and stuffing
- Stir it into yogurt
- Put it on scones with clotted cream
- Use it as a filling for Cranberry Linzer Tart
- As a topping for White Chocolate Cheesecake
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Cranberry Compote Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 12 oz granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
- 8 oz red wine (1 cup (light to medium bodied))
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 orange (zest peeled in a long strip (avoid white pith))
Instructions
- Combine 12 oz cranberries, 12 oz granulated sugar, 8 oz red wine, 1 cinnamon stick, and the zest from 1 orange in a saucepan. Heat over medium high until the wine begins to boil and the cranberries start to pop.
- Reduce the heat to medium -low and continue cooking for about 10 minutes (see note). The majority of the cranberries should have popped and the mixture will be a little thicker.
- Remove the pot from the heat and cool to room temperature.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and orange zest. If you'd like you can slice the orange zest into thin strips and return to the sauce. I just take it out.
- Place in a covered container and chill for several hours. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.
- The cooked cranberries will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.
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I have been making this recipe for over 38 years! I got it from the chef in a bistro I used to work with. My family won’t eat turkey without this cranberry sauce.
Wonderful. I’ve been making this since about 1983. Yikes, I’m so old, lol.
I made this yesterday. Thanks so much. Today I’m using it as a simple syrup in my vodka soda. Delicious! Thank you!
Oooooo, that sounds good.
Having you tried this on a layered white cake instead of frosting? How well do you think that would work?
Not sure exactly what you’re asking, Bobbie. But I would use the cranberries as a sauce with cake or you cut put some as a filing between layers. If used in a layer cake I would recommend making a “dam” of frosting around the edges so the filling doesn’t leak out.
This looks amazing…I can almost taste it! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Thanks for a
L that you share.
Mary Ellen
Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Mary Ellen! Thanks for reading my blog.