Print This Post
Can I be crowned the cranberry queen, please?
Each year for Thanksgiving I make at least three and sometimes four different cranberry sauces, relishes, salsas and/or compotes to go with our meal. Then we have great fun bickering over which one is best that year.
Sounds like fun, eh?
Here’s my new version for this year, scented with vanilla and orange, which makes it sort of like Dreamsicle or Creamsicle flavor. I used very high quality vanilla syrup, which gave me both the sweetener and the vanilla in one fell swoop. Score!
Don’t even THINK about serving cranberry sauce from the can. If you want to try a couple of different versions and have your family play the same game ours does, I recommend these, as well:
Scented with vanilla and orange, this Dreamsicle Cranberry Sauce is welcome with roast turkey or meats, grilled sausage and spread on a sandwich!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Heilala Vanilla Syrup (or your favorite brand)
- 1 orange
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
Directions
- Add vanilla syrup to a medium saucepot. Zest the orange and set the zest aside. Squeeze the juice from the orange (you should have 1/4-1/3 cup. Add the juice to the syrup, and heat until boiling.
- Add the cranberries, stir, bring back to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes, until some cranberries pop. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest. Allow to cool for an hour or so, and pour sauce into a clean lidded jar or container. Store in the refrigerator. It will thicken up a bit as it chills.
- Makes 2+ cups.
Notes
Recipe source: Inspired by this recipe at Fried Ice and Donut Holes
I met the inspiration for this recipe on the blog Fried Ice and Donut Holes, where creator Melissa, a teacher, posts recipes that are right up my alley.
I was assigned her blog to explore this month as part of Secret Recipe Club, a sort of secret-Santa project for food bloggers. Today is our reveal day!
I thought hard about making her Spinach & Mushroom Enchiladas, or her Three-Cheese Orzo with Spinach, which would be a perfect side dish for nearly anything (or I would eat it for lunch). Her Roasted Red Pepper Penne could easily be a quick weekday supper.
But this being November, cranberry sauce is in order! Thanks, Melissa, for a wonderful vanilla-scented inspiration! I recommend everyone take a gander at her blog for your own inspiration in November/December.
Welcome to my kitchen!
At ShockD, you’ll find scrumptious, tried & true, "scary good" recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook! Don't blame me if you need a 12-step program to wean yourself away!
E-mail me: Dorothy.Reinhold@gmail.com
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
I am so impressed with your cranberry sauce making skills! I think you deserve a crown or something! 🙂
Christine,
I think I’ll string cranberries on thread and make my own crown!
I love that you chose this recipe!! What a great side for any Thanksgiving table, right? I’m so glad you enjoyed it too. Your rendition with the vanilla syrup makes it so easy, and I bet the vanilla flavor really helps put this over the edge! Thanks for the kind words and nice post this month! 🙂
Melissa,
The pleasure was all mine!
I get the feeling that this is the kind of cranberry sauce that no one would pass by!
homemade cranberry sauce is the way to go! i love this twist, the vanilla would be perfect with the tartness of the cranberries.
What a gorgeous cranberry sauce. My sister-in-law was always our family cranberry queen. I think every family needs one 🙂
You’re right, no canned cranberry sauce! Not when beautiful dishes like this are so easy to make and taste infinitely better. Happy Thanksgiving!
Here’s to you Cranberry Queen! I love the simplicity of this dish and it looks amazing. Going to have to make this for Thanksgiving!
Dorothy you can definitely be crowned the Cranberry Queen! What a gorgeous sauce you made!!! Gorgeous and delicious looking 🙂
I’ve still never made homemade cranberry sauce, but I really need to!!!! This one sounds amazing!!
Jess,
Say it with me, “No more cans!”
my fiance loves cranberry sauce. I make batches after batches for him. I have to try this for him
vanilla syrup like torani? like used in coffee, Italian sodas?
Nicole,
Yes, this is a specific brand I call for, but I imagine it would work with other brands, as well. This one is SUPER vanilla-y, so if your end result isn’t vanilla-y enough for you, add 1/4 teaspoon additional vanilla extract. That’s my guess.
Yum! Love the combination of orange and vanilla. I have actually never made cranberry sauce. May have to start with this recipe.
Tara,
No more cans! Seriously, once you make it (5 minutes), you’ll never go back!
My 6 year old is the only one in our family who eats cranberry sauce and she prefers the stuff not outta the can. I may very well have to fix her this – it looks very yummy 🙂 Happy Reveal Day!
I love the vanilla addition here, so great! An excellent choice!
Kim,
Thank you!
Happy Thanksgiving! And happy reveal day.
Thank you Lauren, and you too!
I’ve never made cranberry sauce…. I need to remedy that this year – this looks amazing! 🙂
Rebekah,
You MUST! It is so much better than canned.
Oh this looks good. I cannot stand canned cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving. We make my grandmother’s recipe on the big day but I love sampling other varieties from now through Christmas.
Emily,
Yes, isn’t it fun to make new versions?
Looks great!
Such a simple recipe but what a great addition of vanilla! I miss fresh cranberries, we don’t have them in Australia, and I have a small supply of frozen ones that I use like gold ;D Lovely pick this month.
JJ,
I hadn’t thought that they might not be available everywhere. It’s interesting what one country grows and another doesn’t.
I sending you a tiara of cranberries! Every year I like to create a new cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, no matter how big or small the crowd. This one looks wonderful!! Happy Thanksgiving, Dorothy, to you and your family!
Susan/Wimpy,
And I will wear that tiara! Back atcha!
Indeed, you are the cranberry queen. This cranberry sauce is to die for and can’t wait to taste this.
Linda,
The vanilla, it’s all about the vanilla.