Cranberry Compote Recipe

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: cranberry compote, cranberry compote recipe, cranberry orange compote

Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 72kcal

This easy cranberry compote recipe has orange juice and zest for the best holiday flavor. I'll show you how to make it in about 10 minutes with only 3 ingredients, and how to adjust the amount of sugar and sweetness to your liking.

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Equipment

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
zest of one orange
½ cup granulated sugar

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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!

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