THE BEST Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Montana Happy (2024)

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The Best Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce is one of those recipes that is easy to make and full of flavor. This recipe delivers for those of us who love a little spice in our lives.

If you’re looking for more cranberry recipes, Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce is the traditional version. Hot Cranberry Tea is also a wonderful recipe for the holiday season.

THE BEST Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Montana Happy (1)

Cranberry sauce is a must-have Thanksgiving food. It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy fresh cranberries on your holiday table because they are plentiful in the grocery store.

Whether you like just a little heat or a lot, this twist on traditional cranberry sauce will make your taste buds sing with its nice spicy kick. These gorgeous red berries add beauty to any gathering.

What is Cranberry Sauce?

Classic cranberry sauce is made with fresh cranberries, and typically served as a condiment. It is a popular recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Fresh jalapeños add the right amount of spiciness to give regular cranberry sauce a whole new taste.

Our Simple Homemade Cranberry Jalapeño Sauce Recipe is perfect for Spooning over Roasted Turkey, Chicken, Pork Tenderloin, Duck, or Roast

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THE BEST Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Montana Happy (3)

Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce is the perfect addition to your holiday meal for both your Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas gathering for spicy food lovers.

Serve the whole berry cranberry sauce on your holiday table in a beautiful dish and top with minced fresh jalapeños or chopped green onions.

This easy recipe can be made any time of year to add flavor to your dishes. Once you add some spicy jalapeno cranberry sauce to your chicken, roast beef, or turkey sandwiches, you’ll never go back.

One of my favorite cafes made a sandwich called the “Snowbird Nester,” made with smoked honey turkey, cream cheese, cranberry sauce, tomato, red onion, a sprinkling of sunflower seeds, and lettuce.

It’s a heavenly sandwich. Using this jalapeño cranberry sauce instead of regular cranberry sauce would take the sandwich to a different level.

You can also serve leftover cranberry sauce over regular cream cheese or goat cheese and serve it with tortilla chips or crackers.

Interesting Facts About the Jalapeño Pepper

THE BEST Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Montana Happy (4)
  • Fresh jalapeños are fully ripe when they turn red. They are hotter when they are allowed to ripen.
  • In the United States, most jalapeño peppers are grown in Texas, New Mexico, and California.
  • One jalapeño pepper plant can grow 25 to 35 peppers.
THE BEST Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Montana Happy (5)

Everything You Need to Make This Spicy Cranberry Sauce

This dish comes together beautifully with sugar, spicy elements, and just a few simple ingredients. You can adapt this recipe to suit your tastes. If you want a little more kick, add more cayenne pepper or jalapeño peppers.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this cranberry sauce recipe:

  • Fresh Cranberries
  • Sugar
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Jalapeno Peppers
  • Salt
  • Grated Ginger

How to Make this Simple Cranberry Jalapeño Sauce

  1. Add sugar, water, fresh jalapeños, cayenne pepper, and salt in a heavy bottom saucepan. Stir together to dissolve sugar and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
  2. Combine cranberries and fresh ginger into the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring until the cranberries are soft and there’s no more liquid in the medium saucepan.
  3. Let the cranberry mixture cool. Adjust the recipe to your taste by adding more jalapenos or cayenne if desired. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Creating a Cozy Life Group

Since you found this recipe for Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce, I’m guessing you love all things cozy living. I created a Facebook group called Creating a Cozy Life with over 113,000 like-minded souls.

It’s a group where we share memories, things that leave you in awe, and how to make your life just a little bit more snug. You can join here to be part of the virtual cozy cottage.

I found this spicy combination sauce in the New York Times Cooking section. It was one of those side dishes that are perfect the way it was written. I didn’t have to change a thing.

Printable Recipe Card for Cranberry Jalapeño Sauce with Nutrition Facts

THE BEST Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Montana Happy (6)

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

If you want to add a little spice to your meal, this cranberry jalapeno sauce will do the trick. It's so easy to make and tastes amazing.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 large jalapeños, finely diced and seeded
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger

Instructions

  1. Add sugar, water, jalapenos, cayenne pepper, and salt in a heavy bottom saucepan. Stir together to dissolve sugar and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
  2. Combine cranberries and ginger into the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring until the cranberries are soft and there's no more liquid in the sauce pan.
  3. Let cool. Adjust the recipe to your taste by adding more jalapenos or cayenne if desired. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 95Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 107mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 1gSugar 22gProtein 0g

Recipe Notes for Making Cranberry Sauce with Jalapeños

  • For a festive flair, you can top the cranberry sauce with freshly diced jalapeños. Fresh jalapeño slices on top also look great for a garnish.
  • Lime zest or orange zest also makes a beautiful topping.
  • Put this jalapeño cranberry sauce recipe on top of a block of cream cheese or baked brie cheese for a fantastic appetizer.
  • You can also add this tart cranberry sauce to top of vanilla ice cream.

How Long Does Spicy Cranberry Sauce Last in the Refrigerator?

Homemade Spicy Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce will last 10 to 14 days in the fridge in a sealed container.

Can You Freeze Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce?

Yes, you can freeze cranberry jalapeño sauce. Before you freeze the fresh cranberry sauce, bring it down to room temperature and store it in an airtight container.

Here’s How You Grow Cranberries

THE BEST Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Montana Happy (7)

What to do with Leftover Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce

  • Add cranberry sauce to applesauce for a tangy addition.
  • Mix with your favorite vinaigrette to transform salads.
  • Use it as a meat glaze.
  • Heat and serve over ice cream.
  • Layer on a bagel on top of cream cheese.
  • Mix it with mayonnaise for sandwiches.

If You Love This Spicy Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Don’t forget to join the Creating a Cozy Life Group. You’re not going to believe how amazing it is!

Now you have the perfect recipe to make your own cranberry sauce with jalapeño that will earn raves with little effort. This simple recipe will become one of your favorite sides for your Thanksgiving turkey or Friendsgiving dinners and earn a permanent place in your recipe box.

I created a pin for you below to add to your Thanksgiving table Pinterest board.

You can follow me here on PINTEREST. If you tried this delicious jalapeño cranberry sauce recipe, be sure to tag me here on INSTAGRAM.

Recipes that Compliment Cranberry Jalapeño Sauce

  • Cranberry Rice with Caramelized Onions – wild rice, caramelized onions, and dried whole cranberries are the perfect match!
  • The Best Turkey Brine Recipe – the perfect way to cook turkey for the big day!
  • Perfect Butter Herb Roasted Turkey – an amazing Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey.
  • Salt-Encrusted Prime Rib Recipe – enjoy at a family gathering during the winter holidays.
  • The Best Cranberry Relish with Nuts Recipe – another traditional sauce recipe.
  • Homemade Whipped Cranberry Butter – a wonderful recipe to add to bread or mashed sweet potatoes.
  • The Best Cranberry Recipes – all my cranberry recipes in one spot!

More Homemade Sauce Recipes to Try

  • Dill Sauce for Salmon – one of my favorite healthy recipes.
  • Creamy Horseradish Sauce for Prime Rib – the best sauce for prime rib!
  • How to Make Tzatziki Sauce – easy to make.
THE BEST Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Montana Happy (8)
THE BEST Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Montana Happy (2024)

FAQs

What takes the bitterness out of cranberry sauce? ›

"Instead, start by stirring in one tablespoon maple syrup and one teaspoon of a sweet drink like apple juice, orange juice, or fruity white or red wine. Add more to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (in small amounts, it intensifies sweetness)."

How to improve jellied cranberry sauce? ›

Adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or orange zest, a tablespoon of chopped candied peel, or even a splash of juice to your canned sauce will brighten flavors and bring in some homemade flavor.

Is cranberry sauce better warm or cold? ›

Should cranberry sauce be served warm or cold? You could, of course, serve it straight out of the pot, but I think it's best after it's chilled in the fridge. Chilling it helps it firm up some more in the fridge, plus, serving it this way means you can make it days ahead of a holiday.

How do you reduce the sweetness in cranberry sauce? ›

To use citric acid to save over-sweetened cranberry sauce, simply use it like you would MSG in a savory dish, and stir in little pinches until your sauce is as tart as you desire. But don't stop there. You can use citric acid in a cloying apple pie filling, a one-note turkey brine, or heavy, stodgy stuffing.

How do you cut the tartness out of cranberry sauce? ›

Add A Splash Of Vinegar

Their sharp tang counteracts bitter flavors without having to add extra sugar. While citrus is a natural pairing for cranberry sauce, bright, savory vinegars like sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar play well with the bitter-tart berries.

How to thicken up homemade cranberry sauce? ›

Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.

What is the difference between cranberry sauce and jellied cranberry sauce? ›

Cranberry sauce can be served either as a gooey liquid or as a solid jelly. The jellied version is solid enough to retain the shape of the container in which it's placed whereas the sauce version is much more fluid.

How do you fix bland cranberry sauce? ›

Maple syrup, brown sugar and even honey can make your cranberry sauce more dynamic. And don't forget the spices! Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, citrus zest and star anise all work well with cranberries and can be added while the sauce cooks to infuse your sauce with flavor.

Should you chill cranberry sauce before serving? ›

Reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 10 minutes, until the berries have all burst. Remove from heat. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Why is canned cranberry sauce so good? ›

I love the texture, shape, ridges, and dependability of the cranberry sauce that comes from a can. Each year, no matter what happens or may go wrong, I know the cranberry sauce will taste exactly as it has for as long as I can remember.

Why won't my cranberry sauce gel? ›

Why won't my cranberry sauce gel? Boiling is critical to release pectin, the key gelling ingredient, from the cranberry. You must cook the sauce for at least 10 minutes at a full boil for the pectin to react with the sugar and create the proper gelled texture.

How to make homemade cranberry sauce less bitter? ›

To help mellow some of the bitterness, add a small pinch of salt and stir into your cranberry sauce well. Salt actually helps with reducing the sensation of bitterness notes on our taste receptors.

Why does my cranberry sauce have a bitter aftertaste? ›

Dear Evelyn: I had the same problem when I first started making my own cranberry sauce. I found out that you should cook them just until they pop. Further cooking will make them bitter, and once that happens, you need to start again.

What role do sugar and water play in making cranberry sauce? ›

Instead, the pectin polymers will bind to each other, giving the cranberry mixture more and more structure. The sweet sugar-water molecules get trapped in between the pectin chains, resulting in a tasty cranberry sauce!

How do you fix a sauce that is too bitter? ›

Try a pinch of baking soda.

Baking soda is very alkaline, which is a good way to correct overly bitter dishes. Sprinkle just a pinch into your food and mix it in well to see if that helps.

How do you neutralize bitterness? ›

The Fix: Balance bitter flavors by introducing something salty, sweet, or sour. For naturally bitter foods such as kale, you can soften the flavor by add a lemony vinaigrette, Parmesan cheese, and pomegranate seeds. You can also elevate kale by tossing it olive oil and salt, then roasting it in the oven until crispy.

How do you make cranberry juice less bitter? ›

10 Ways to Make Cranberry Juice Taste Better
  1. Add Fruits and Veggies.
  2. Dilute with Water. ...
  3. Add Coconut Water. ...
  4. Add Ginger Ale. ...
  5. Add Other Fruit Juice. ...
  6. Sprinkle in Salt. ...
  7. Add Sweeteners. ...
  8. 10 Ways to Make Cranberry Juice Taste Better. Cranberry juice is a very healthy, yet tart-tasting drink. ...
Feb 21, 2024

Why do my cranberries taste bitter? ›

This bitterness is due to the high tannin content of cranberries.

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