Cranberry Compote Sweet Tangy (Printable)
Tangy-sweet cranberry compote with citrus zest and cinnamon, great for enhancing a variety of dishes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fruit
01 - 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
02 - 1 medium orange, zest and juice
→ Sweeteners
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar, adjust to taste
→ Spices
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
→ Liquids
06 - 1/4 cup water
# How-to Steps:
01 - Rinse cranberries thoroughly and discard any that are soft or damaged.
02 - In a medium saucepan, add cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg if using, and water.
03 - Heat the mixture over medium heat until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
04 - Lower heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until cranberries burst and the compote thickens.
05 - Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary, then remove from heat and allow to cool; the compote will thicken further during cooling.
06 - Serve warm or chilled according to preference.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- It comes together in one pot with ingredients you probably already have tucked in your pantry.
- The balance of tart cranberries and warm spices feels festive without being fussy.
- You can spoon it over anything from morning oatmeal to evening roast chicken and it just works.
02 -
- Don't walk away while it's boiling, cranberries can splatter and the sugar can scorch if left unattended.
- The compote will look thinner than you expect when it's hot, but it firms up beautifully once it cools.
03 -
- Zest the orange before you juice it, it's nearly impossible to zest a juiced orange and you'll lose all that fragrant oil.
- If your compote tastes too tart even after adding sugar, a pinch of salt will balance the acidity surprisingly well.