Orange Chipotle Cranberry Sauce

Yum

Are you sick of bringing your family’s plain old cranberry sauce recipe to the Friendsgiving potluck (or canned) and want to kick it up a notch this year? 

Impress your friends and family with this recipe for orange chipotle cranberry sauce that’s tangy with a slight kick (seriously, like a medium to light foot tap, so even those people who “don’t do spicy” can handle it). Also, it has bourbon! It’s a great way to spice up your holiday season (sorry I had to).

What ingredients do I need to make Orange Chipotle Cranberry Sauce?

• 1 lb of cranberries
• Zest of ¼ of an orange 
• 2 chipotle peppers
• 12 oz (1.5 cups) cranberry juice
• 750 ml (or ⅓ a cup) of bourbon—the smokier, the better. You could also sub for mezcal for an extra smoky taste
• Heaping ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (you can also use  ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ of nutmeg and a dash of dried ginger and allspice)

How to make Orange Chipotle Cranberry Sauce

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small sauce pan 
2. Tear chipotle peppers into medium-sized pieces (remove as many of the seeds as possible). In a skillet, toast chipotle pepper pieces on medium-low heat for about 30-45 seconds, continuously stirring to prevent burning 
3. Once the water has come to a boil, turn off the fire and steep peppers in water for 20 minutes
4. In the meantime, rinse produce, and pick out all smashed or shriveled cranberries and zest ¼ of the orange 
5. After 20 minutes, remove chipotle peppers from water and mince until peppers have an almost a paste-like consistency 
6. Discard water and pour cranberries into saucepan. Measure out brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice and pour on top of cranberries. Mix to combine
7. Pour ½ cup of cranberry juice into saucepan, stir to combine and cook on medium heat, lid on for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning on bottom. Add rest of cranberry juice as needed until all has been added 
8. After 15 mins, add in bourbon, and orange zest, continue to cook for 15 more minutes, uncovered to allow sauce to thicken. Chill or serve at room temperature.