Yes to Yolks

a food journal

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy Policies

Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

November 8, 2022 by Molly 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Are you team cranberry sauce or no?

I most definitely am. And confession time: I actually LOVE the canned stuff.

It tastes like nostalgia to me!

This Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce is my absolute FAVORITE cranberry sauce, though. It is so, so delicious, and even converted my cranberry-avoiding husband! He really enjoys this one.

It miiiight have something to do with bourbon being involved, but I’ll take it.

While I adore the nostalgia of the canned cranberry gelatin, this homemade version is incredibly simple to make. It takes about 20 minutes, uses one pan, and only requires six ingredients, most of which you likely will have on hand for Thanksgiving dinner anyway.

The flavors here are amazing. Tart cranberries, sweet maple syrup, smoky bourbon, fresh orange, and cinnamon – the marriage of these ingredients creates something quite magical.

I swear, I was not expecting to like homemade cranberry sauce as much as I do. I’ve been making this one for a few Thanksgiving dinners now, and while I still serve a dish of canned stuff too, this is definitely my favorite.

There’s no going back!

Ingredients You Need for This Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce:

  • Fresh cranberries
  • Granulated sugar
  • Maple syrup
  • Fresh orange zest and juice
  • Bourbon
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon stick

How to Make This Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce:

  • Making this really couldn’t be easier! Simply combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium heat.
  • Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the berries have popped and softened and the liquid has thickened.
  • Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Cranberry Sauce FAQs:

Do I need to use bourbon in this recipe?

  • While the bourbon adds delicious and distinct flavor to this sauce, you can leave it out if you prefer. Sub in an additional ¼ cup water or additional fresh orange juice instead.
  • If you want to sub in a different alcohol, any whiskey will do. I wouldn’t recommend other spirits for this recipe for flavor reasons.

Can I make this in advance?

Yes! In fact, I highly recommend it. The flavors will get better and better as this sits. In fact, you can make this up to a full week ahead of time and keep it in a well-sealed container in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Other Cranberry Recipes You Might Enjoy:

  • Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Cranberry Sauce
  • Savory Brie & Cranberry Chutney Hand Pies
  • White Cranberry Holiday Sangria
  • White Cranberry Cosmos
  • Spiced Maple Red Cranberry Bourbon Spritzer

This cranberry sauce is seriously the best! My whole family absolutely loves it. And it couldn’t be easier to make!

We need more of that on Thanksgiving Day!

@yestoyolks ✨Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce✨ Ingredients listed below (full recipe on yestoyolks.com)! 12 oz fresh cranberries ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup maple syrup Zest of 1 orange Juice of 1 orange ¼ cup bourbon Pinch of salt 1 cinnamon stick This is simply the best homemade cranberry sauce! While I love the nostalgia of the canned stuff, this homemade version wins out on all levels. It is SO ridiculously easy to make and tastes incredible. FULL RECIPE on yestoyolks.com! #foodt#foodtiktokp#recipesi#cookingvideoi#cookingtiktokp#recipeideasp#recipesforyouf#cozyfallfood #bourbontiktok #cranberrysauce #thanksgivingrecipes ♬ Don’t Know Why – Norah Jones

Follow me on TikTok for more videos!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Molly
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce is simply the best! Maple syrup, bourbon, fresh orange and cinnamon make this one of the most fragrant and delicious versions of homemade cranberry sauce you can imagine. It is the perfect accompaniment to that turkey!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 1/4 cup bourbon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium heat.
  2. Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the berries have popped and softened and the liquid has thickened.
  3. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Notes

  • While the bourbon adds delicious and distinct flavor to this sauce, you can leave it out if you prefer. Sub in an additional ¼ cup water or additional fresh orange juice instead.
  • This recipe can be made up to a week ahead of time – in fact, I recommend making it ahead! The flavors will keep getting better. If making ahead, cool completely and then store in a well-sealed container in the fridge.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: sauces

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @yestoyolks on Instagram and hashtag it #yestoyolks

Related

Filed Under: Fruit, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Tagged With: bourbon, cranberries, cranberry sauce, fruit, holidays, maple syrup, side dishes, sides, Thanksgiving

« Citrus Riesling Turkey
October Favorites »

Comments

  1. Sabrina says

    November 29, 2022 at 8:09 pm

    wow, this is such a refined fresh cranberry sauce, a lot more layers than mine, I realized at Thanksgiving that cranberry sauce needs to be liberated from only November 24, or maybe also December 25, it’s good enough to be enjoyed year round, so I was happy to see this more refined cranberry sauce recipe, so thank you

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi there. I’m Molly. Welcome to my little space devoted to all things FOOD! More about me...

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Sesame Ginger Pork with Wasabi Soba Noodles
  • Crispy Halloumi Grain Bowls with Creamy Dill Dressing
  • Guinness Brookies
  • Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna Rolls
  • Our Favorite Turkey Meatloaf
  • Dark Chocolate Cherry Protein Bites

Archives

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Connect

Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg! Read More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
Copyright © 2025 Yes to Yolks