Description
Cranberry Butter is a smooth, vibrant fruit spread made with just cranberries, sugar, and water. Its sweet-tart flavor is delicious on toast, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, waffles, and other breakfast favorites.
Ingredients
1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup water
Instructions
- Place the cranberries, granulated sugar, and water in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cranberries begin to pop and become soft.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Carefully blend the hot cranberry mixture with an immersion blender, pulsing gently until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer the mixture to a blender, blend until smooth, and return it to the saucepan.
- Return the blended cranberry mixture to medium heat and cook for several additional minutes.
- Stir frequently as the mixture reduces and thickens.
- Check the consistency by dipping a spoon into the mixture. The cranberry butter is ready when it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
- Transfer the finished cranberry butter to a suitable heat-safe container.
- Allow it to cool completely before covering and transferring it to the refrigerator.
- Store refrigerated and use within 10 days, or freeze any portion that will not be used within that time.
Notes
Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used without changing the basic preparation.
Add finely grated orange zest for a bright citrus flavor or a small pinch of cinnamon for a warm, spiced variation.
A small amount of vanilla can be stirred into the cranberry butter after cooking for a softer, rounded flavor.
For an exceptionally smooth texture, pass the blended cranberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before the final cooking stage.
If the cranberry butter is too thin, continue cooking over medium heat while stirring frequently until more moisture evaporates.
The cranberry butter will continue to thicken as it cools, so avoid overcooking it.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 10 days.
For longer storage, freeze in small freezer-safe containers with room for expansion and thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 105 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
