This easy 3-ingredient cranberry orange compote recipe has orange juice and zest for the best holiday flavor, you can use fresh or frozen cranberries. I'll show you how to make it in about 10 minutes, and how to adjust the amount of sugar and sweetness to your liking.
Truth be told, the cranberry compote (or whatever version of cranberries are on the table) is always my favorite side dish at a holiday meal. The bright, tart flavor with a hint of acid and orange balances out all of the other dishes.
The beauty of this recipe is twofold. First off. cranberries have a lot of pectin, so they will naturally thicken when cooked meaning you don't have to use very much sugar to get the perfect texture, secondly you only need 3 ingredients to make it!
For a twist on this idea, try some fresh cranberry relish, it's my mom's recipe, so you know it's good!
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Cranberry orange compote ingredients
- Fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries: Fresh cranberries should be firm, shiny and not wrinkled.
- Orange juice and zest: Whenever I'm using citrus juice, I always want to use the citrus zest! It really adds that holiday flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Plain white sugar will sweeten and thicken our compote.
*Ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
How to make cranberry compote
Step 1: Zest and juice the orange
Use a microplane grater to zest the orange (see tip below about using a different kind of zester if you want long strips to decorate the top.) Then slice the orange in half and juice it. Set both aside.
Step 2: Cook the cranberry compote
Add all of the ingredients to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let the compote cook down, stirring frequently, until it reaches your desired thickness and texture, about 5-8 minutes. If you feel like it's scorching on the bottom, reduce heat to medium low or add a splash of water.
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Step 3: Cool, chill, serve
Serve warm or chilled. If chilling, allow to come to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least two hours. If desired, serve cranberry compote topped with more orange zest.
Expert tips
- Adjust the sugar to your taste: This recipe makes a cranberry orange compote that is sweet, but not overly sweet. You can adjust the amount of sugar, use as little as ยผ cup if you prefer it more tart, or up to โ cup if you truly want a sweet experience. But don't leave it out altogether, remember cranberries are very tart!
- Be ready to stir: The cranberries will start to burst and pop fairly quickly, so don't walk away from the pan. Be ready to stir to keep it from heating up too fast and scorching.
- Zest in long strips for some fun decor: For the best texture, use a microplane grater for the zest you're adding to the compote. But when it's time to serve, you can use a more specific tool, a citrus zester like this one, to create long strips of zest to look pretty on top!
Make ahead and storage
- Make ahead: You can make this cranberry compote recipe up to 1 week ahead, so put this at the top of your list when planning your holiday dinner to-do list!
- To store: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- To freeze: Yes you can freeze cranberry compote! Place it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months! (I like these reusable silicone bags to save space.)
Variations
- Add fresh ginger: Nothing says the holidays like a bit of ginger!
- Try warm spices: A pinch of cinnamon, cardamom, or cloves would warm up the flavors.
- Combine citrus flavors: Add a little lemon juice or lime juice in addition to the orange for a more complex citrus taste.
- Sub brown sugar: For a more caramelized flavor, swap in brown sugar instead of granulated.
- Spike it with liquor: A splash of bourbon or rum around the holidays never hurt anybody.
Ways to serve cranberry compote
- Serve as a side dish: Of course it makes a great Thanksgiving recipe or Christmas side dish.
- Make it a condiment: Add to turkey sandwiches the day after the holiday.
- Try it at breakfast: I add cranberry orange compote to my morning oatmeal or serve with overnight oats like Bircher Muesli.
- Spread it on toast and scones: It tastes especially good on my pumpkin scones!
- Try it with crepes: So yummy with gluten-free buckwheat crepes or nalysnyky Ukrainian crepes.
More compote recipes
I love to make compote year round with all types of fruit! It's easy, quick and a great way to use up fruit before it goes bad.
- Apple compote is here for your fall flavor cravings.
- Blueberry compote is everyone's favorite on top of lemon ricotta pancakes!
- Strawberry compote can be a dessert on it's own topped with whipped cream.
Debra's Details: Cranberry orange compote is quick, easy, and tastes like the holidays!
- Cooks in 10 minutes!
- You only need 3 ingredients.
- Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.
- Make a week ahead for holiday dinners.
- It's gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian!
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Recipe
3-Ingredient Cranberry Compote Recipe
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries (or frozen cranberries)
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- zest of one orange
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Use a microplane grater to zest the orange, then slice the orange in half and juice it. Set both aside.
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let the compote cook down, stirring frequently, until it reaches your desired thickness and texture, about 5-8 minutes. If you feel like it's scorching on the bottom, reduce the heat to medium-low or add a splash of water.
- Cranberry compote can be served warm or chilled. If chilling, allow to come to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least two hours. If desired, serve topped with more orange zest.
Notes
- Adjust the sugar to your taste: This recipe makes a cranberry compote that is sweet, but not overly sweet. You can adjust the amount of sugar, use as little as ¼ cup if you prefer it more tart, or up to ⅔ cup if you truly want a sweet experience. But don't leave it out altogether, remember cranberries are very tart!
- Be ready to stir: The cranberries will start to burst and pop fairly quickly, so don't walk away from the pan. Be ready to stir to keep it from heating up too fast and scorching.
- Zest in long strips for some fun decor: For the best texture, use a microplane grater for the zest you're adding to the compote. But when it's time to serve, you can use a more specific tool, a citrus zester like this one, to create long strips of zest to look pretty on top!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
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