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This sangria cranberry sauce is the one that made people at my table actually eat the cranberry sauce. It simmers in my Fall Sangria instead of water, with diced apple, orange and a cinnamon stick, so it comes out deep, winey and a little spiced.
Canned sauce has its defenders, and I understand them. Still, this takes about 25 minutes on the stove, most of which is unattended, and it tastes like something.
The apple is the quiet part that matters. Because it breaks down just enough, it rounds out the sharp edge of the cranberries without needing another half cup of sugar.
It goes on the table next to my Cajun Butter Turkey, my Cornbread Dressing and my Candied Yams with Marshmallows.
Why Make Cranberry Sauce with Sangria
Sangria brings three things at once: red wine, citrus and sugar. So instead of layering those in separately, you get them in one pour, plus whatever fruit flavor your batch already carries.
Wine also does something water cannot. As it reduces, the tannins give the sauce a grown-up bitterness that keeps all that sugar in check.
One caveat worth stating plainly. Simmering does not remove all the alcohol, so this is not a sauce for everyone at the table.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Fresh or frozen cranberries. One 12-ounce bag. Look for plump, firm, deep red berries, which is what UW-Madison Extension recommends, and do not thaw frozen ones.
- Sangria. Three quarters of a cup of the liquid, not the fruit. I use my Fall Sangria, and red works best here.
- Granulated sugar. Half a cup to start, although you may want less depending on how sweet your sangria is.
- Orange juice and zest. The juice goes in early and the zest goes in at the very end.
- A sweet apple. Peeled, cored and finely diced. Honeycrisp or Gala both work.
- Cinnamon stick. One whole stick, pulled out before serving. Ground cinnamon will cloud the sauce.
How to Make Sangria Cranberry Sauce
Start the base. Put the sangria, sugar, orange juice, diced apple, cinnamon stick and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a gentle boil, stir until the sugar dissolves, then drop it to a simmer.
Give the apple a head start. Five minutes at a simmer softens the dice before the berries go in, so everything finishes together.
Add the cranberries. Stir them in and leave the pan uncovered. They will start popping within a few minutes.
Simmer 12 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally while most of the berries burst. Mash some against the side of the pan and leave the rest whole, since the contrast is what makes it look homemade.
Pull it early. The sauce should still look loose in the pan, because it sets up considerably as it cools. If it looks like jam on the stove, it will be stiff in the bowl.
Finish off the heat. Discard the cinnamon stick, stir in the orange zest, then taste a cooled spoonful and adjust the sugar a tablespoon at a time.
Chill at least 2 hours. Cover it and refrigerate. The flavor settles and the texture firms up.
Tips for the Best Cranberry Sauce
- Taste after it cools. Warm sauce reads sweeter than cold sauce, so judge it at serving temperature.
- Leave some berries whole. Fully mashed sauce looks like it came out of a can.
- Zest before you juice. Zesting a squeezed orange is miserable.
- Use a nonreactive pan. Stainless or enamel, because cranberries are acidic enough to pick up a metallic edge from aluminum.
Make Ahead and Storage
This is the make-ahead dish of the whole meal. It keeps for 5 days covered in the refrigerator, and honestly it tastes better on day two.
For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Stir it well afterward, since it separates a little.
Get it into the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking.
Ways to Use the Leftovers
- Spooned onto a turkey sandwich the next day.
- Stirred into Greek yogurt or oatmeal.
- Warmed slightly and poured over baked brie.
- Spread on Honey Butter Cornbread while it is still warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make sangria cranberry sauce without alcohol?
Yes. Swap the sangria for an equal amount of cranberry or pomegranate juice with a splash of orange. You lose the wine depth, although the sauce still works.
Which sangria should I use?
A red one. White sangria makes a sauce that reads thin and oddly pale against the berries.
My sauce is too tart. What now?
Add sugar a tablespoon at a time while it is still warm, stirring until it dissolves. Taste after each addition rather than dumping it all in.
Why is it still runny?
It almost certainly is not. Cranberry sauce sets as it cools, so give it the full 2 hours in the refrigerator before deciding.
Does this freeze well?
It does, for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and stir before serving.
More for the Holiday Table
Holiday Recipes
Candied Yams with Marshmallows
Side Dishes
Cornbread Dressing
Holiday Recipes
Roasted Cajun Turkey Recipe
Dessert
Honey Butter Cornbread
Sangria Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries one bag, about 340 g
- 3/4 cup Toni’s Fall Sangria the liquid only, from Toni’s Fall Sangria
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 small sweet apple peeled, cored and finely diced, about 3/4 cup
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 cinnamon stick
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit. Rinse the cranberries and pick out any that are soft or damaged. If you are using frozen berries, leave them frozen. Dice the apple into small, even pieces so it cooks through at the same rate.
- Start the sangria base. Combine the sangria, sugar, orange juice, apple, cinnamon stick and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then lower it to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
- Cook the cranberries. Stir in the cranberries and simmer uncovered 12 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until most of the berries have burst and the apple is tender. Mash some of the berries against the side of the pan and leave the rest whole. It should still look a little loose, because it thickens as it cools.
- Finish and balance. Take the pan off the heat, discard the cinnamon stick and stir in the orange zest. Taste a cooled spoonful. The sangria is already sweet, so add more sugar only if it needs it, a tablespoon at a time while the sauce is still warm.
- Chill. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serve it cold, or let it sit out briefly for a softer texture.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
