Homemade Orange Amaretto Cranberry Sauce

A bowl of homemade cranberry sauce with orange and amaretto topped with orange zest on a wood board with fresh cranberries, a cinnamon stick, and a white linen around it.

5 from 3 votes

Homemade cranberry sauce with fresh orange juice, warm spices, and amaretto liqueur. This boozy twist on the classic Thanksgiving side has amazing depth of flavor and takes just 15 minutes to make. Better than anything from a can!

Prep Time3

Cook Time12

Total Time15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Calories: 133kcal

Author: Meredith

Equipment

Ingredients

4 Cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries (do not thaw if using frozen)
1 Cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 Cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
6 ounces Amaretto liqueur

Instructions

Add all cranberry sauce ingredients (except the Amaretto) to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover to cook (this helps the cranberries burst!). Stir occasionally, helping smash the cranberries with the back of the spoon, until the cranberries are mostly broken down (about 10 minutes).
Stir in the Amaretto and cook for a few more minutes with the lid off to help release steam and let the sauce thicken a bit. Set the sauce aside to cool to room temperature (and continue to thicken).
For best flavor and texture, refrigerate until ready to serve. To do so, transfer the cooled sauce to an airtight container and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes

Storage: store fully cooled cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Variation Ideas:

- Brandy cranberry sauce. Swap the amaretto for brandy to create a classic, warming flavor that pairs nicely with all the Thanksgiving flavors.

- Bourbon cranberry sauce. Use bourbon instead of amaretto for a deeper, flavor with caramel notes that's especially. I would recommend starting with a little less (start with 4 ounces instead of 6 ounces) as it's a stronger flavor than amaretto. Taste and adjust to your preference.

- Add orange zest. If desired, stir in some fresh orange zest along with the fresh-squeezed orange juice for an even bright citrus flavor.

- Spice it up. Add a pinch of ground ginger or cloves for additional warm spice and a more complex depth of flavor.

- Non-alcoholic version. Skip the liqueur and add an extra splash of orange juice plus ¼ teaspoon of almond extract for similar flavor without the alcohol.

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