Christmas Cranberry Butter
A deep-red, slow-cooked cranberry butter with orange, brown sugar, and warm holiday spices. Thick and glossy like classic apple butter — perfect on toast, biscuits, or stirred into oatmeal. Makes a beautiful holiday gift.
16 servings
By
Yield: about 2 cups (roughly 16 servings)
Prep:
Cook:
Total:
Ingredients
- 24 ounces (about 6 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (added at the end)
Instructions
- Add the cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt to a slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the cranberries have burst and the mixture is soft and juicy. (Stovetop option: simmer covered in a heavy pot over medium-low heat for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally.)
- Remove the cinnamon stick. Puree the mixture until completely smooth using an immersion blender, food processor, or blender (work carefully with hot liquid). For an extra-smooth texture, press through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Return the puree to the slow cooker. Cook uncovered on high for another 1½ to 2 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes, until thick, glossy, and reduced to a spreadable butter consistency (it should mound on a spoon and leave a trail when stirred). It will thicken further as it cools.
- Stir in the vanilla. Taste and adjust sweetness or spices if desired. Transfer to clean jars, cool completely, then refrigerate. Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Notes: Serve on toast, biscuits, pancakes, or cheese boards. It also makes excellent holiday gifts. For a deeper flavor, cook an extra hour. The butter is naturally high-acid from the cranberries and orange.