Christmas cranberry sauce with orange, cinnamon, cardamom & honey

sauces & dips

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Brighten up your festive table with my wit on the traditional cranberry sauce: simmered in fresh orange juice and sweetened with raw honey. With bright orange zest, warm cinnamon, and aromatic cardamom, this sauce strikes the perfect balance between tart and sweet. The rich, fragrant spices and citrus notes enhance the natural flavors of the cranberries, creating a unique and unforgettable twist on a holiday classic.

This sauce is paleo, vegan and Medical medium. If you skip the cardamom its also AIP proof.

Other Christmas recipes

Looking for more recipes? Check my Medical Medium Christmas special.

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Parsnip puree with roasted hazelnuts and fried sage leaves on top. With an orange and maple sauce drizzled on top and around. — *Parsnip puree with hazelnuts, orange maple sauce and sage*

Portobello steak covered with green peppercorn sauce made from cashews. On a plate with steamed green asparagus. Square, taken from above. — *Portobello mushroom steak with green pepper sauce and asparagus*

Raw honey

Be sure to use raw honey that is completely natural and has no added sugar. Honey is made by bees: they collect nectar from flowers and in the hive they add enzymes to the nectar. This process turns the nectar into honey. The enzymes are destroyed if honey is heated over 100 Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). That’s why you don’t add the honey while cooking but after its cooled a bit.

For extra sweet

If you like your sauce more sweet than tangy use coconut flower sugar. Or maple syrup. Coconut flower sugar will darken your sauce, maple syrup will thin it a bit.

Ingredients

Cranberries – fresh, when measured in cups you will need 3 but stack the cranberries a bit higher to get about 300 grams.
Orange – you need about a quarter cup of juice and a tablespoon of zest. One orange should be enough, if you come just a bit short you do’nt have to grab another one.
Cinnamon – you can use a teaspoon of ground powder or a half stick.
Cardamom – you can use a half teaspoon. Take powder or grind the seeds yourself.
Raw honey – only add when the sauce is cooled a bit, when you can put your finger in without getting burned right away.
Coconut flower sugar – optional if you like your sauce more sweet than tangy. It will colour your sauce darker. You can also use maple syrup, than cook the sauce without the lid on even for the first minutes.

FAQ’s

Is this sauce vegan and Medical Medium?

It is perfect for MM but not vegan because of the raw honey.

Is this sauce AIP and paleo?

Yes, its perfect for paleo, but for AIP you have to skiop the cardamom (seeds). Cinnamon is fine (bark).

Cranberry sauce with orange, cinnamom, cardamon & honey

ME (Marjolein Eikenboom)

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Traditional Christmas cranberry sauce with a little twist. Simmered in fresh orange juice and sweetened with raw honey. With bright orange zest, warm cinnamon, and aromatic cardamom.

Rate Pin Print

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings to 4 servings

Calories 111

Course sauces & dips

Dish sauces with fruits, side dish

Cuisine American, English, European

Holiday Christmas

Equipment

(sauce)pan
orange juicer

Ingredients

3 cups cranberries stacked a bit high in the cup (300 grams)
1 orange bio, you will use the zest
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon cardamom
3 to 4 tablespoons raw honey

Optional

1 or 2 tablespoons coconut flower sugar

Instructions

Was the orange thoroughly. Then zest, you will get and need just about a tablespoon.
Juice the orange. You will get about a quarter cup.
Add the cranberries, juice, zest, cinnamon and cardamom to you pot. Don't add the honey. If you like your sauce sweet you can add cocon ut flower sugar.
Bring to a soft boil and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. A personal choice of having some bigger chunks in or have a smooth sauce.
The first 5 minutes you can put the lid on to speed up the process. then remove to let it thicken. Stir occasionally.
Let it cool a bit. Then add the honey. When cooked in advance, first preheat first and add the honey just before serving.