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Cranberry Pear Sauce

07 December, 2023

This gorgeous, ruby red Cranberry Pear Sauce is a welcome twist on a archetype cranberry sauce recipe. A little sweet and a little tart, it’s the perfect compliment to Herby Oven Roasted Turkey or Orange Glazed Ham.

Make this festive cranberry pear sauce recipe superiority of time and store it in the fridge for an easy, gluten self-ruling and vegan Thanksgiving side dish.

Make Superiority Cranberry Pear Sauce

Tell me, when the holiday season inevitably rolls around, are you a plan superiority kind of person or a last minute kind of person?

If you’ve once finished your Christmas shopping, strung the lights virtually the front windows, and planned out your Thanksgiving menu, including what wine you’ll pair with your Prime Rib Roast, I’m going to go superiority and wordplay this one for you. You’re a planner.

Could I maybe just sleep on your pillow for a couple nights? Because I need all that proactive energy to osmosize itself right into my brain.

I happen to be of the last minute variety. Sure, I’m a unconfined planner in my head. There, I create festive tablescapes that rival the imbricate of Real Simple magazine, fill my freezer with ready-to-thaw-and-serve Cream Cheese Pumpkin Rolls, and light cinnamon candles, all while soft, peaceful Christmas music floats through the house.

But real life looks increasingly like this:

1) A last minute trip to Kroger to pick up the cornmeal I forgot for the Gluten Self-ruling Cornbread Stuffing.

2) Throwing a couple branches I found in the front yard on the table and calling it “rustic,” and…

3) Greeting guests in my holiday best–sweat pants, an apron, and a hot pad on each hand.

Over the years, I’ve learned to work with my last-minute tendencies rather than versus them. Along with giving myself a bit increasingly grace and managing my expectations, I lean nonflexible into simple, make superiority recipes like this Cranberry Pear Sauce.

This is one of our favorite Thanksgiving sides, but it has moreover found it’s way onto our Christmas table over the years. It’s unexceptionable verisimilitude and tangy sweet savor offer a welcome unrelatedness to rich, carb-heavy holiday sides like cheesy potatoes, corn souffle, and butterhorn rolls.

We think you’ll find it a delightful wing to your holiday feasts as well!

Wooden spoon scooping up homemade cranberry pear sauce from a saucepan.

Why You’ll Love Cranberry Pear Sauce

It’s sweet AND tart. Too often, cranberry sauce skews either way too sweet or way too tart. In this recipe, we use just unbearable sugar to temper cranberries’ natural bitterness while still letting its bright, tart savor shine.
It is darn simple to make. This cranberry pear sauce will take you well-nigh 15 minutes to make, start to finish. You can’t run to the store and pick up canned cranberry sauce that quickly!
It can (and should be) made in advance. This sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to FIVE days surpassing you serve it. You can plane freeze it! Planners, rejoice!
It’s beautiful. Unlike the gloppy canned stuff, this homemade cranberry sauce makes a trappy jewel toned centerpiece for your holiday table.

Key Ingredients

Fresh cranberries- This recipe uses a standard 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries. No measuring needed! You can find fresh cranberries in the produce section of your local grocery store. Here in the Midwest, I usually spot them in stores in October.
Ripe pears- We prefer to use D’anjou or Bartlett pears for this recipe. The pears should be ripe but still quite firm. If the pears are over-ripe, they’ll get mushy in the sauce.
Orange juice and zest- Fresh orange juice and orange zest provide a welcome hint of citrus. We love the Microplane grater/zester.
Granulated sugar– As mentioned earlier, this recipe has just unbearable sugar to requite us a sweet tangy cranberry sauce.
Vanilla extract- The subtle warmth of vanilla provides the finishing touch.

How to Make Cranberry Pear Sauce

Boil liquids. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Bring to a swash over medium upper heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.
Add fruit and cook. Add cranberries and pears, return to a boil, then lower heat so it maintains a gentle boil. Continue to melt until cranberries pop and pears are softened, stirring occasionally, well-nigh 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Chill. Indulge to tomfool then imbricate and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Leftover Instructions

This cranberry sauce should be made at least 4 hours in advance.
Store the cooked cranberry sauce in an snapped container in the fridge. For peak freshness, I recommend serving the cranberry sauce within five days, but leftover cranberry sauce should last in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

FAQs

Can you freeze homemade cranberry pear sauce?

Yes, this cranberry pear sauce can be frozen. Indulge the mixture to nippy completely surpassing freezing, then place in an snapped freezer bag, squeezing virtually it to remove glut air.

Label the bag with the stage and freeze unappetizing for easy storage. Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir well to reincorporate. Frozen cranberry sauce should be used within 3 months for the weightier quality.

Can I make a double batch of this sauce?

Yes, this recipe can veritably be doubled to feed a worthier crowd! Just be sure to use a larger saucepan so it all fits!

Can I use frozen cranberries to make cranberry sauce?

Yes, frozen cranberries work just fine, but you might need a little increasingly time for them to melt lanugo and burst.

How can I jazz up cranberry sauce?

Things like vanilla, citrus, and cinnamon can all be used to make variegated savor variations of cranberry pear sauce. Try subtracting a little lime juice, a sprig of rosemary, or a cinnamon stick in with the cranberries and pears. You can moreover lower the sugar and add some maple syrup for a variegated flavor.

What To Do With Leftover Cranberry Sauce

Got extras? Lucky you! This cranberry pear sauce makes an spanking-new sandwich spread, particularly paired with soft cheeses like surf cheese and brie. Try it on these Waffled Cranberry Surf Cheese Sandwiches.

You can moreover stir uneaten cranberry sauce into yogurt (try making a holiday-themed Breakfast Banana Split!), serve it over ricotta pancakes, or spoon it over vanilla ice cream.

Wooden spoon scooping up ruby red cranberry pear sauce from a bowl.

More Cranberry Recipes for the Holiday Season

Looking to add increasingly festive cranberry dishes to your holiday feasts?

Serve these Bubbly Cranberry Mimosas on Thanksgiving or Christmas morning to kick off the celebration!

This Cranberry Brie Crostini is a trappy and scrumptious holiday appetizer.

Try our Cranberry Jello Salad, a deliciously tangy sweet jello made with cranberry orange relish.

And finish the night with Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread.