Spicy Cranberry Sauce Recipe - Thriving With Less

My spicy cranberry sauce recipe is healthy, delicious, and ever so easy to make. I used two cups of fresh cranberries in this spicy cranberry sauce recipe, so it’s perfect if you’re cooking for one. And you can easily double or triple it too if you want to make more. And if you are looking for more single-serving recipes, check these out!

The only ingredients you need are fresh cranberries, a small orange, honey, and cloves, star anise, and a cinnamon twig. For the spices, you will need a small gauze bag and a mortar and pestle.

Place the whole spices into the mortar (the bowl), and gently break them down using the pestle (the grinding tool). Put the spices into the small muslin bag and tie it tightly with a string.

NOTE: If you don’t have a muslin bag, just put the spices onto some cheesecloth and tie a string around the cloth, making it into a ball.

Place the cranberries in a saucepan and cover them with water. Toss in the bag with the spices, and bring the contents to a rolling boil.

Let the mixture simmer for approximately 10 minutes (or until the little cranberry “pops” stop), and remove from the heat. Allow the spices and berries to steep until the contents have cooled down.

While waiting for the cranberries to cool down, slice the orange into several sections. Put the orange pieces into a small blender or food processer. Remove the spice bag from the saucepan, and strain the water from the cranberries. (I save the cranberry water for cocktails or add a sprig of mint and enjoy, unsweetened or add sugar). Add the cranberries and honey, then blend or pulse until the mixture is the consistency you enjoy most.

Pour the contents into a small bowl and garnish with a slice of orange or some orange zest. Top with a sprig of mint or rosemary and serve!

Looking for more plant-forward, single-serving recipes? Check these out!

In case you have any leftovers, here's a chart with 20 ways to use them! This spicy cranberry sauce can keep in the refrigerator for up to a month - just store it in a well-sealed container.