Cherry Cranberry Sauce

Each year I strive to delight my holiday guests by adding creative twists to classic dishes. The results are intended to be comforting and recognizable yet spark a hint of surprise. Cherry cranberry sauce is the exact kind of recipe I love for these occasions: It’s simple, colorful and flavorful, and familiar enough to be a crowd-pleaser.

Use cranberry cherry sauce in the same way you’d use regular cranberry sauce. It can serve as a condiment for a savory pork roast or French Canadian tourtière, mingle with mayonnaise on a turkey focaccia club or adorn a baked Brie with jam. And whatever you do, make sure it’s part of your Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas brunch buffet. P.S. Little jars of sauce tied with a cute ribbon would make a great gift.

Ingredients for Cherry Cranberry Sauce

• Sugar: All you need here is granulated sugar. Both of the fruits you’re using are tart, so you need the sugar to sweeten things up.
• Cranberries: Cranberries freeze beautifully. If you see them on sale, don’t hesitate to buy a couple bags and throw them in the freezer for the holidays. If you live in Wisconsin, New England or the Pacific Northwest, you might be lucky enough to source yours from a nearby cranberry farmer.
• Tart cherries: Canned, pitted cherries are the fastest way to your goal, but you could also search for frozen cherries or pit your own fresh ones.

Directions

Step 1: Simmer the sauce

In a large saucepan, cook the sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the cranberries and cherries and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until the cranberries begin to pop, about six minutes. Reduce the heat and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Pour the cranberry cherry sauce into a serving dish.

Step 2: Chill

Cover and chill for at least two hours before serving.

Cherry Cranberry Sauce Variations

• Make it zesty: Citrus fruits pair nicely with berries, so a bit of orange, lemon, or lime zest and juice would be a great addition to this sauce.
• Add herbs: Rosemary and sage, separately or together, would bring a woody, savory note to the sauce. You could also try thyme. For even more savoriness, diced shallots or onions or minced garlic would be lovely. A bit of salt wouldn’t hurt either.
• Mix in a nip of alcohol: Brandy, rum, bourbon or whiskey would be a festive addition to your jammy sauce. If you want flavor with less alcohol, add the booze earlier in the process. If you want more of a kick, stir it in at the end.

How to Store Cherry Cranberry Sauce

Store cherry cranberry sauce in any airtight container, from a glass jam or jelly jar with a screw-top lid to a snap-lid container. Homemade cranberry cherry sauce can last up to two weeks in the fridge.

Can you freeze cherry cranberry sauce?

Yes, you can freeze cherry cranberry sauce. Spoon the cooled sauce into zip-top bags or freeze it in jars. Just make sure to leave enough room so that it can expand as it freezes.

Cherry Cranberry Sauce Tips

What can you serve with cherry cranberry sauce?

Seasoned roast turkey is a perfect vehicle for this cheery cherry sauce, but it’s not the only one! Cranberry cherry sauce is also gorgeous with wild game such as pheasant in mustard sauce or slathered on venison meat loaf. Mix it with mayonnaise to make a creamy sweet-tart spread for country ham sandwiches, or blend it into cream cheese, add fresh herbs and use it as a dip for crackers. For dessert, this could be spread atop a cheesecake, mixed into Italian meringue buttercream frosting or dolloped on homemade vanilla ice cream.