Red Wine Cranberry Sauce — Move over, boring cranberry sauce! Cranberries are so much better with blueberries and wine! Make your own fresh cranberry and blueberry sauce in 30 minutes. It’s so EASY, and everyone LOVES it!!
The BEST Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Drinking wine and eating jam are two things I’m great at. Doing them under the guise of ‘cranberry sauce’ is the best idea I’ve had for elevating cranberry sauce from a side dish to a starring dish.
I love fresh cranberry sauce, but I never make it with just cranberries. Too boring.
I add pineapple and mango, or work in oranges and ginger. This year, I doctored up the cranberries with cabernet sauvignon and blueberries, and this blend is my favorite ever. I had to refrain from eating the whole batch in a day. So good.
This cranberry blueberry sauce is like drinking wine and eating jam all in one, with texture, sweetness, tartness, and juicy berries in full force.
If you’ve never made cranberry sauce using fresh cranberries and your only experience with it is from a can, and you think you ‘don’t like cranberries’, I don’t blame you.
That’s like saying you don’t like cheese if your only experience has been eating Cheeze Whiz. There’s just no comparison.
Fresh cranberry sauce is supremely easy to make, and I always wonder why people buy it in cans or containers.
From start to finish, it takes 30 minutes, and all you need to do is toss everything into a kettle, stir intermittently, and a half hour later, you’ve got rich sauce with supreme depth of flavor.
If you’re into wine, you’re going to go head over heels for this sauce. While it simmers, the scent of the wine reducing with the cinnamon and berries is heavenly. You don’t need scented candles with this simmering.
As I was shoveling it by the spoonful, I kept thinking how many great antioxidants I was getting from the blueberries and all those great heart-healthy flavonoids found in red wine, and what a great service I was doing my body. Right.
Since I rarely eat turkey, or stuffing, and I’ve never been into mashed potatoes or gravy, and usually most vegetables are way too mushy and overcooked for my taste, Thanksgiving has never been a meal I look forward to, with the exception of the cranberry sauce.
You can have your turkey, stuffing, and everything else. I’m having this. And pie.
What’s in the Red Wine Cranberry Sauce?
To make this unique Thanksgiving cranberry sauce with blueberries, you’ll need:
- Fresh cranberries
- Frozen blueberries
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- Ground cloves
How to Make Red Wine Cranberry Sauce
When I say this unique Thanksgiving side is easy, I mean it.
Simply toss all the ingredients into a large pot and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer until it’s thickened up (about 20 to 30 minutes).
Transfer the fresh cranberry sauce to heat-safe jars and allow to cool to room temperature before storing them in the fridge. This cranberry blueberry sauce will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
What Type of Wine Should I Use?
I used two-buck Chuck (Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw $2.49 cabernet), but any type of merlot, shiraz, or your favorite red will work.
Can I Omit the Wine Altogether?
Not into wine? You can use water, but that defeats the purpose and the flavor will not be nearly as rich and robust. I don’t know how much alcohol cooks off and how much doesn’t.
I would surmise most is cooked off, but it’s your call if this is appropriate for you or your family members.
I put it into the same category as beer bread. There’s not enough and it’s stretched over too many servings, and it’s heated anyway, so no one will be catching a buzz from cranberries. Darn.
Can Cranberry Sauce Be Canned?
This fresh cranberry sauce recipe is a repost from 2014, and I have been asked that many times. I’ve never personally canned this cabernet cranberry and blueberry sauce, but there are people who have, and they’re written about what they did in the comments.
If that’s something that interests you, I encourage you to read over the older comments and put your canning expertise to work.
Chances are, if you’re asking about canning this cranberry sauce, then you know how to can. I am not an expert in canning and haven’t dabbled with it with this recipe.
I have, however, stored this in the fridge for about 10 days and it was fine. The wine naturally preserves things in my non-scientific opinion, but always use your best judgment.
How Long Does Cranberry Sauce Last?
My Thanksgiving cranberry sauce typically lasts up to 10 days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Can Cranberry Sauce Be Frozen?
Yes, once the red wine cranberry sauce has cooled completely in the fridge, it can be frozen for up to three months.
When ready to eat, simply thaw the sauce overnight in the fridge. Make a big batch to freeze for winter dinners, you won’t regret it!
What to Serve with Cranberry Sauce
Serve this unique Thanksgiving cranberry sauce with your favorite holiday main dishes and sides. Here are some of my go-to Thanksgiving recipes:
- Honey Baked Ham
- Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Three Cheese Scalloped Potatoes
- Easy Foolproof Roasted Turkey
- Homemade Gravy
- The Best Classic Mashed Potatoes
Don’t forget to polish everything off with a slice of Homemade Apple Pie!
Tips for the Best Cranberry Sauce
As you know, I used fresh cranberries and frozen blueberries to make this homemade cranberry sauce (no need to thaw the blueberries first). But if you have a mixed berry blend with blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries, that would be lovely, too.
When making this easy cranberry sauce, I added a generous sprinkle of both cinnamon and cloves, which really adds extra flavor and the warming notes of the spices play off the wine.
The cinnamon is quite noticeable, and if you’re not a cinnamon fan you may want to reduce the one tablespoon I used down to one teaspoon. Same goes with the cloves. Cut it in half if you don’t want it to be as boldly flavored.
Finally, make sure to use a large pot when making this cranberry sauce. The pot should be large enough for the sauce to triple in size. The juices from the berries release and as the mixture boils rapidly, it will foam and a too-small pot will easily overflow.
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Cabernet Cranberry and Blueberry Sauce
Move over boring cranberry sauce! Cranberries are so much better with blueberries and wine! Make your own fresh cranberry and blueberry sauce in 30 minutes. It's so EASY, and everyone LOVES it!!
Ingredients
- one 8-ounce bag fresh cranberries
- 6-ounces frozen blueberries (about 1 1/2 cups), unthawed
- 1 cup cabernet sauvignon (or shiraz, merlot, or a favorite red wine)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves, or to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium to large kettle, and bring to a rolling boil, stirring intermittently. Make sure kettle has room for sauce to at least triple in volume. The juices from the berries release and as the mixture boils rapidly, it will foam and a too-small pot will easily overflow.
- Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until reduced and thickened slightly, and most of the cranberries have burst. Sauce will thicken more as it cools.
- Transfer to heat-safe jars or containers with lids. Allow sauce to cool at room temperature before refrigerating.
Notes
Sauce will keep airtight in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 58Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 0g
More Cranberry Recipes:
Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Apples — Spice up your holiday celebrations with this scrumptious FAST and EASY homemade cranberry sauce that’s made with cranberries, apples, apple cider, cinnamon sticks, and allspice for the PERFECT must-make side dish! A lovely balance of sweet-yet-tart with warmly spiced flavors so you’ll never want to think about using store bought sauce again!
Cranberry Orange Bread with Sweet Orange Glaze — The fresh cranberries in this cranberry orange bread contrast nicely with the sweet orange glaze, making it the perfect blend of sweet and tart!
Cranberry Bliss Bars {Starbucks Copycat recipe} – Dangerously good and a dead ringer for the Starbucks version!
Crustless Cranberry Pie — Somewhere in between pie, cake, and blondies is what you get with this FESTIVE recipe! Take advantage of those fresh cranberries!!
Cranberry and White Chocolate Chip Cookies – Cranberry Bliss Bar flavors, in cookie form. Tender, soft, pillowy centers and a 2012 Top 10 Favorite
Cabernet Cranberry and Currant Sauce – Make your own EASY homemade cranberry sauce in 30 minutes!! It’ll be the star side dish of your holiday meal! Cranberries are so much BETTER with wine!!
Cranberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars — The bars are soft, slightly chewy, and the hearty oats with big crumbles are a perfect contrast to the juicy cranberry filling.
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Blondies — The soft, buttery, caramely, brown sugary, blondie base is the perfect complement to the chewy, tart cranberries.
Originally posted November 2014 and reposted November 2019 with updated text.
I made this for Thanksgiving (using a small amount of cinnamon)and it was really good…but I felt like something was missing. I added orange zest to the leftovers and it was AWESOME!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that this was a winner and that you tweaked it with some orange zest!
Help! I made this terrific-sounding recipe exactly as described this afternoon and it tastes like grape jelly.
I think recovery is possible…do you think i should add more fresh cran and cook a little more…? Id like to decrease the sweetness and up the tartness…
TIA,
Patty
I don’t know how it will work to go back in and tweak the recipe after it’s already cooled. What I would do is make a batch of just cranberry sauce with cranberries and a little bit of sugar and a little bit of wine, nothing to make it overly sweet and then mix that with what you already have.
This Cabernet cranberry & blueberry sauce is THE BEST! I make this every year for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It has wonderful depth of flavor, is easy to make, and is fabulous spooned over vanilla ice cream, if you don’t eat it all by the spoonful first! Oh my goodness, yumm!
I’m glad you love it and that you make it every year and I agree I can just eat it by the spoonful as well!
i’m going to make the cranberry cabernet, sounds delish and a bunch of antioxidants mmm Thank You
That is a great way to think of this recipe, full of antioxidants! Enjoy!
I made a batch of this and then put it in jars and then in a canning bath. Boiled for 15 minutes and the jars sealed up great. Now I have some for anytime of the year.
That is great to know, and thank you for sharing what you did. I know this will help another reader, who comes across your comment. Have a great holiday season!
Just amazing. I could not get enough. So rich and flavorful. I left out the cloves
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was amazing!
This recipe had become a big family favorite! I made the mistake of covering the pot while it came to a rolling boil and when I removed the lid i had a flambé moment 🤣Lesson learned
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this has become a big family favorite! I can imagine a covered pot would turn into a flambe moment, but hey, you survived!
This is the best cranberry sauce. Ever. I like to make this each year alongside a standard homemade cranberry sauce w/orange zest. They both never fail, but this one is always the star. I’ve made it with both regular and NA Cabernet (I prefer my wine boozy, but I have some AA dinner guests some years) and I couldn’t tell the difference in the final products. Definitely make extra to freeze for later. (It’s absolutely divine over vanilla ice cream any time of year!) Also, are you looking to bring a little something extra/unique to a holiday dinner party along with that bottle of wine? Make a fresh batch of this, put it in a mason jar (I like to use the blue ones for added cuteness), tie a pretty bow around it, and voilà!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad you love this and it’s the best ever for you! Great to hear it always is the star!
Made it and boiled it too long, 20 minutes. But it was in a very large pot and I think that made a difference. It was tasty, but did not have the consistency I was hoping for. It was a bit gritty and very thick. Going to try again. Gotta say that the word ‘unthawed’ threw me. Or is it through me. LOL
Yes if it was very thick that means it was reduced too much, i.e. boiled to long. Depending on pot size, fruit, etc. you will need to play it by ear the exact amount of time to boil it. Glad you are going to try again!
I have made this manytimes. always fresh and wonderful. Goes well with pork or turkey. Think it would be great with just plain crackers. Thanks.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it’s always wonderful!
Served it over cream cheese with crackers. Yum
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you enjoyed it!
Why cant you use dried cranberries ? Thank you.
Because this is a recipe for fresh cranberry sauce. You make fresh cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries.
I take cranberry sauce every year to a holiday party because only a couple of other people and I like it. I experiment sometimes and sometime I take a can. Made this this year. I used Cupcake Red Velvet red blend. This sauce is super DELICIOUS!!!! I’m not sure I made enough. I think everyone is going to love it. Best ever!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you make this cranberry sauce every year! Glad this version is the best ever!
i enjoy Red Velvet i’m glad you used it for the cranberry sauce, sooo i will use yumm
Thank you for the great recipe! It turned out great!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out great!
I’ve made this the past few years and it is AWESOME! I eat it warm out of the pan when it’s done:) This year I am using pinot noir instead of cab….can’t wait to taste it!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad you’ve been making it for a few years! And nothing better than eating it straight out of the pan :)
Why do you suggest frozen blueberries? Can I use fresh blueberries?
Frozen are half the price and are always available and work just fine but if you want to use fresh, you can.
I can’t believe you just posted this!! I just made my list of holiday gifts and had to make this one again – I received so many compliments when I made it two years ago. This year, I’ll use mixed berries. Thanks again for another awesome recipe!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you received lots of compliments on it when you made it!
I reposted this because tis the season and because it’s always a reader favorite!
Have you ever tried canning this? My family loves it
I addressed this question in the blog post.
DELICIOUS. The best “cranberry sauce” I ever tasted as well as one of the best ever recipes I have made. With the compliments of blueberries and flavors in the wine, I used Yellow Tail™shiraz, put this sauce over the top for flavor. My husband’s response was “YUM” and he’s not a fan of cranberry sauce. My only additions were a scant pinch of salt and a slice of lemon, but a personal preference as what have always added to my regular cranberry sauce, while delicious following your recipe. I will share with others and hope your readers try it. Thank you for a really great recipe. Kudos to you for creativity.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that this is the best cranberry sauce you’ve ever tasted and one of the best recipes you’ve ever made! That is awesome to hear!
I love this recipe and make it every year for Thanksgiving. This year I am pregnant and concerned about using the wine. I know you wrote that you could substitute water, but do you think it would also work to substitute orange juice? Trying to think of an option that won’t limit the flavor. Thanks!
I think OJ would be a better choice than water, yes. Or maybe look for a nonalcholic wine. Test it first to see the sweetness level, and then you may want to adjust the sugar down if it’s already a sweeter wine, and go from there.
Glad to hear you make it every year and thanks for the 5 star review!
Instead of the cinnamon and cloves, could I use herbs like rosemary and thyme?
If you feel like you’d enjoy those then go with what you like.
Can you use dried cranberries ?
no
Will be making it soon. Just made the crustless pies for Easter…BIG HIT. Thinking of putting the sauce on the pies next time. Have you?
Also, can I freeze it? Thank you.
Freezing is fine, but I would do so before putting sauce on them.
How long will leftover cranberry blueberry sauce keep? I could only find a 6 inch round brie so I have a lot left.I agree that it is also fabulous on peanut butter.
Thanks for the five star review! I would say at least 10 days or so, and I know people who have frozen it successfully.
I’ve made this recipe twice now and really enjoy it! However, I use vanilla bean and fresh nutmeg instead of the spices you recommend. I also want to use it to top a cheesecake.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that you have made it twice. I can see vanilla bean being wonderful in it!
This sounds amazing! Do you think this recipe could be canned?
I discussed this in the post. You may want to reread that part.
I am loving this cranberry sauce I’m making it right now for the second time this week. I’ve been eating this with everything. Thanks for the great recipe
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you are making it for the second time this week!
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit. Used ⅔ of spices and next time may add some Grand Marinier.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that it was a big hit!
Oh mama…this was good! Super easy, and it wowed everyone! I used Merlot. Everyone thought this would be so good over vanilla ice cream, too! I’ll have to check that out!
Glat it was super easy and wowed everyone!
Made this for Thanksgiving as written and it was a hit. Flavor was very rich and delicious! Definitely akeeper!!
Glad it was rich and delicious and a hit!
I just made this yesterday for Thanksgiving, and what a HIT! Everyone L-O-V-E-D it. My son loved it so much he put it on his vanilla ice cream with his apple pie. I made more today. I doubled the recipe, and only put in 1 teaspoon of ground cloves. It came out so good. I already put it on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Thank you for this recipe. I will be cooking this all year round. I give this 10 stars!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this was a huge hit! I want to put it on a PB&J now too :)
Hi there, I’m trying this for the first time and have heard great things…. Just a quick clarification, the recipe calls for “frozen blueberries…unthawed? I’m confused about whether I should thaw them or leave them frozen? It probably doesn’t matter but is confusing as written. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Thanks!
You can add them in any fashion that you want. It’s just that if you didn’t plan ahead and thaw them out, it doesn’t matter, and you can add them to the pot straight from the freezer.
As I type this recipe, w/ the addition of blackberries I needed to use up, is cooking on the stove. OMG, the smell is incredible. I want to dive right in and eat this. AND I’m not a fan of cranberry sauce. Thank you for this recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad that you are loving the recipe!
Hi Avery. OMG, excellent recipe. THis is the 2nd time i made it this month (first was a trial). It came out a little thin and watery the first time, i think because I did a recipe and a half because cranberries come in 12 oz. packages. I 1 1/2’d the wine but not the sugar. THis time, I did both (1 1/2 cups) and it was a perfect consistency. A little on the sweet side so i might cut the sugar and wine back by 1/4 cup next time.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad you made it twice this month!
Can fresh blueberries be used as a substitute for frozen?
Yes
Can I use fresh blueberries instead of frozen?
yes
I forgot to put on my rating!! BTW…like you not a fan of Cranberries! However…this really is delicious! I also added some pure Vanilla extract!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad you are more of a fan of cranberries now!
I am making this right now and it smells Devine!!! Also…the taste of my CabSav is pretty good too!
Do you serve this warm or cold?
Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!
Excellent and Happy Thanksgiving!
Do you serve warm or cold?
Either way is good.
Someone in my family is allergic to blueberries. Is there anything that would be a good substitute? Any thoughts on this?
Blackberries maybe? Or possibly you may have to just omit them and replace with cranberries.
Wow!It must be delicious!Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
I just made this sauce a bit ago. My house smells amazing. I used syrah dessert wine, and threw in some tayberries. MMMM!! I can’t wait for Thursday! Thank you
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that you’re excited for Thursday :)
I just made this – yowza good stuff! My cranberries and fruit were in 12 oz. bags, so I multiplied the recipe by 1.5. Since my daughter doesn’t like cinnamon, I used a tsp each of cardamom and vanilla, and can’t imagine it with any other spice combination. SO GOOD!!
Glad you love it!
I am not a wine drinker but I keep cooking wine around. Would this be a bad substitute?
Not sure what the cooking wine is exactly since they can really vary but I would just buy a bottle of (inexpensive) cabernet.
Thank you.
This is so delicious! I can’t eat canned cranberry sauce, but I love your recipe! The flavors are amazing!! And my kitchen smells so good! This is my third year to make it, and my family loves it. It is a given that this will be served at least at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that this is your third year to make it!
I’ve made this for the last few years and it’s always a Thanksgiving hit, though my fam always complains that there’s too much cinnamon! I usually make a double batch, half sugar half stevia, and this year I cut down on the spice so we’ll see how they like it. It goes with dinner but I also serve it as an appetizer, with pie crust cookies (premade pie dough with cranberries and pecans) or as cranberry brie bites (puff pastry or crescent roll dough in a muffin tray, baked with a tsp of this sauce and a piece of brie).
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that you’ve been making it the past few years!
I am a novice. We don’t own a medium to large kettle. Does a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid work? Help! :)
It really depends how deep it is and the overall size.
So a tall pot won’t work?
A tall pot is fine.
I doubled the recipe. My husband tasted it and immediately said, “you’re going to make more right? Cuz this will not last for 3 days in the fridge.” It’s that good. Happy thanksgiving!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that you will be making more even after you doubled the recipe! Happy thanksgiving!
can this be made in a crock pot
I have only made and prepared the recipe as written so cannot say.
Why? It doesn’t need that long on the stove and bringing it to a boil is an important step. Just use the stove as directed.
Will this go well with our Thanksgiving smoked ham?
I think it would be great!
Everyone at the office potluck loved it. I cut the cloves and cinnamon to one third what the recipe said.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was a hit at your potluck!
I have made this recipe every Thanksgiving for the past 3 years and everyone loves it, even those that typically don’t like cranberry sauce. It sometimes comes out a little bitter at first, but after a few days it’s perfect. I usually make it the Sunday or Monday before Thanksgiving.
I’m glad that this has been a hat over the years for you and your family and friends! The great thing about cranberry sauce is that it keeps for a long time in the fridge. I’m glad that you’re able to make it in advance.
If you do find it to be a little bitter for your taste on a consistent basis, you can always add a bit more sugar. Sometimes though certain cranberries or just more bitter than others. As you said, it mellows after a few days in the fridge.
Can this recipe be made with Splenda instead of granulated sugar?
I have not tried it that way so I cannot say but I’m thinking the answer is no because when you boil sugar it helps fruits set up into a thicker consistency and I’m thinking that without using real sugar this might not have the proper consistency but I can’t say for sure.
Thank you for the great recipe. First time making cranberry sauce.
Glad that you tried this recipe on your first ever attempt with cranberry sauce!
I have made this recipe several times and I just aflove it.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that you love it!
Ohhh, this looks yummy! Definitely on my list of ones to try! Thank you for sharing!
I hope you enjoy!
I have to wonder if this recipe is able to be canned. Anyone have an idea?
Yes if you read through the comments others have done it and mention their methods. I personally never have.
Christmas in July!!! We love it. I’ve made it twice within the month of July. We are water bath canning it, so we added a TBS of lemon juice to the recipe. Everyone that’s tasted it says it’s fabulous. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved it! After 4th of July, pumpkin/thanksiving/xmas recipes are fair game :)
Sounds interesting but cranberry jelly from a CAN is my absolute favorite! Eat with a spoon, yum!
If you think canned cranberries are good this will blow your mind!
Can I Water bath can this?
Just make as written – it is PERFECT! A huge reader favorite as written. In terms of canning it, read through the comments, some have done it. I have not.
Going to try this today! Sounds delish.
Does unthawed mean frozen????? If not frozen, then the word is “thawed”.
Yes adding them in a frozen state is what you should do or is fine. No need to thaw them out.
Have anyone tried this on a cheesecake?
I haven’t but I imagine it would be an awesome pairing!
Yes, it does sound like an awesome pairing? I have a few bags of blueberries and several bags of cranberries in the freezer that I picked this year. I will be trying this very soon?
How many jars does this make
I wrote in the recipe card the approximate amount of ounces it makes. It all depends on the size of the jar you use to determine the amount of jars it would yield.
I made this for Thanksgiving yesterday. This is our FAVORITE cranberry sauce!! I usually make an apple/cranberry or a pear/cranberry and we’ve always loved those, however, when my husband and I tasted this one we both said that this was by far our favorite one now. Delicious, delicious, delicious!!! Never will I make another cranberry sauce again. This is it. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
I’m glad to hear that this is your new favorite cranberry sauce and you’re not going to cheat on it :)
I love serving this to guests who “don’t like ctanberries”! It’s always a game changer .. lol
YES! So true! This will change anyone’s mind!
so im about to make this and i noticed ive run out of granulated sugar, do you think i could use brown sugar? ugh i really dont want to go to the store with how crazy it is right now! i pray u see this and reply today!
I think you could get away with some brown sugar but I think all brown sugar would create a different texture/taste than you’d likely prefer.
Hello i’m planning on making this for Thanksgiving and was wondering if i could eat this along with my turkey and dressing?
Yes it’s the perfect Thanksgiving cranberry sauce! Enjoy!
Ok thank you so much! And since I like wine I will definitely enjoy this!
I wanted a new recipe and came across yours. I did add vanilla and at the end, some pomegranate seeds for a little crunch. It is heavenly. Thanks! I think next time I’ll throw in some pecans.
Your pom seeds sound like a great addition! Glad things turned out lovely!
I made this with high hopes. I’m not sure what went wrong, the sauce has a very bitter, extremely tart after taste. I’m hoping it will mellow in the jars. Have you heard of this? Maybe it didn’t simmer long enough? I did everything else just as the recipe called for.
Thanks.
I have never heard of this. Sounds like either you accidentally short-measured the sugar, or you had really sour berries, or you didn’t simmer it long enough, or maybe the wine you used reacted strangely to heat. Honestly have never heard of this at all. I have only seriously ever gotten rave reviews on this one.
I just saw this on Instagram Stories, which reminded me of this AMAZING cranberry sauce. Totally lives up to the hype.
They work! I RARELY do that, where I post a photo to an older recipe with a link, but I am so glad you commented on this post. And I agree this cranberry sauce is amazing and totally does live up to the hype :)
Do you think this sauce can be canned now for enjoying later? Trying to cut down on freezer items and canning seems a better option. :) I know others have posted about it but I can’t see the earlier comments? Thanks.
You have to click “older comments” at the top of the commenting section. Lots of others have canned it, I haven’t and cannot give any tips on that.
Thanks! I knew you’d have the answer of how to find the older comments. ? I’m sure it will be easier to find when I get home to my computer.
Freeze up to one year or use within three wks if refrigerated. Canning, I would not know. I add orange zest of two oranges plus the juice from both, because I need two bags of cranberry, use a tea steeper for the cloves, two cinnamon sticks, vanilla extract, just pour and pumpkin pie spice extract…found it this year! After it thickens, I add about a half stick of butter and let melt. It is delicious. Do this every year. Before heat is off, I add a nice 4 to 5 capsful of Orange Contreu Liquior. It does cook out, but the flavor is spot on, each year.
Contreau, pumpkin spice extract, you’re speaking my love language :)
I’ve made this several times, always a hit! I could eat it with a spoon of course.
I think I got some juicy berries because even after chilling it still is pretty thin. I was going to use some leftover to make a cookie topping and it needs to be thicker. Think a reheat and simmer would help? If not I’ve got a bread recipe I try or just pour some over cream cheese and be done!
I could eat it with a spoon too :)
I’ve made it tons of times as well and some batches of berries are just juicer. If you want to try to firm it up, I would re-simmer/boil for 10-15 mins or as needed, and then chill. That could work. Otherwise do as you said with the bread/cream cheese options!
Thanks for the quick reply! I just bought some cream cheese to top with it after giving it a taste together this morning. Heavenly! I might give it an extra simmer to thicken up some, shouldn’t hurt it to try. I have enough left I see that bread recipe happening too!
Well I served it over the cream cheese and talk about a HUGE HIT! Winner for sure and I’ll be freezing what’s left to do the same at Christmas.
An added bonus- it’s perfect with a warm cinnamon spice almond granola and greek yogurt for breakfast. It makes for a nice holiday fancy breakfast or brunch idea with minimal effort and is a good alternative to a heavier dish.
I did re-heat and it was a hit. Thank you for this recipe. btw I used both frozen blueberries and cranberries and it worked fine.
Wonderful that the re-heating worked and that so did frozen berries!
I made this sauce yesterday and oh so yummy coming right off the stove! Now that it has cooled and turned jell-like can I re-heat it to serve warm and will it become somewhat liquidy?
It does firm up as it cools but if it’s so firm that it’s gel-like, I would say yes reheat gently to loosen.
Because cranberries come in silly 12 oz or 32 oz bags, I quadrupled this recipe. Only doubled (not 4x) the sugar, cloves, and cinnamon, and it came out perfect. tart and sweet and with just enough complexity to make you keep eating. It may not last til dinnertime.
I know what you mean about the berry sizing on the bags…annoying for sure! I have made this so many times that I can eyeball the cranberries and blueberries and sometimes it has a bit more of one than the other but is always good. Glad you 4x’ed the berries but just doubled the sugar and spices. That sounds perfect! Glad it may not last! :)
OMG this is the Best.Cranberry.Recipe.Evah!! I read your advice, reduced the cinnamon and the cloves to just 1tsp each. I also added some fresh minced ginger for added warmth. I look forward to serving this at Thanksgiving this year. I made it ahead, to make meal prep as efficient as possible. The only problem will be keeping me away from it for the next 3 days!! I think I will make a big batch next year to give as gifts. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And yes to this: OMG this is the Best.Cranberry.Recipe.Evah!! :)
I just did my own version of this–with thyme and bay–at http://artofnaturalliving.com/2016/11/13/triple-antioxidant-cabernet-blueberry-cranberry-sauce/ Thanks for the inspiration!
Looks great!
There will only be my daughter and myself here for Thanksgiving, and she won’t arrive until 9:00 pm so I’m wanting to try some unconventional stuff this year. She’s not much on stuffing, but this one may change her mind. Also I definitely have to make the cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce and wine are two of her favorite things. May have to give the rolls a try, too. Thanks, Averie, and have a great holiday!
The cranberry sauce is amazing and if she loves wine, guaranteed home run!
I would love to make this and send it to my mom and aunt (im in CA, they are in MI)….if i made it and shipped it the next day would it keep? Thanks so much
Hmmm…I don’t know if I’d trust RED LIQUID to the post office or UPS etc. If there was a leak it would be so…horrible. I also don’t know about the perishability factor.
I would love to try this recipe but would like to know what else it would be good with besides a holiday meal. It’s hard to figure out what goes with something if you’ve never tried it. Thanks
It would be great with a nice cheese and meat board or a great side dish for a dinner with poultry, pork, etc.
This is finishing up on the stove now and it is delicious. I used cinnamon sticks while it was cooking because it was on hand, excellent flavor.
I made this for Canadian thanksgiving and thought the spices were a little too strong. I had leftovers and we’ve been eating it like jam. Now it’s amazing. I give it ***** and I rarely do that.
Thank you for the superb recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad you’re enjoying it as jam and give it 5 stars! The spices are definitely bold (because I personally like bolder-flavored things) and it sounds like everything worked out for you and you’re enjoying it!
I made your Cabernet Cranberry and Blueberry Sauce for Thanksgiving. People are still raving about it being the best cranberry sauce they ever had. I used Humble Pie Cabernet and did end up reducing the cinnamon and cloves a little. Thank you for sharing this. It will no doubt be a holiday tradition!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad it got the rave reviews and was called the best cranberry sauce ever by your guests!
I’ve talked about this recipe for a couple years. It’s one of my favorites. I used up my bag of whole cranberries the other day but had some dried cranberries…I had to have this sauce so I figured I’d improvise. I doubled the amount of blueberries (I live in Maine and we pick 30lb+ a year and freeze) and added the dried cranberries toward the end. I also cut back the sugar a tad since the dried cranberries are already sweetened.
Still came out delish. I love the smell. Better than a candle!
Funny, whenever I make this, I always say, makes my house smell better than any candle ever could!
Glad your improvising worked great and I’m jealous of all those blueberries you have on hand!
I made this cranberry sauce last night and OMG I couldn’t stop eating it. Ok so i can’t wait to put this over a some cheese with crackers… Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I love it with cheese and crackers, too!
I have this on the stove now, and it smells so good. I am using about double the amount of cranberries with a 12oz bag of blueberries and some supplemental mixed berries that were hanging out in my freezer. I also added some honey, lemon zest and juice of one lemon. Also, I used a lighter red wine. :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I love adding lemon juice to this, too, and also working in any supplemental freezer stashes of random, half-used bags of frozen berries. You really can’t go wrong with this one!
This recipe is what I’m thankful for this year! You did amazing job. We had an early thanksgiving and my guests went crazy for this “cranberry” sauce. I always hated traditional cranberry sauce, but this will be our replacement. Thank you!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that I made a believer out of former cranberry sauce hater :)
I’ve been making cranberry sauce the standard way for years and wanted to change it up a bit this year. I saw your post for your recipe and gave it a whirl. We had Friendsgiving dinner last night and have the huge traditional Thanksgiving coming up in a few days so I quadrupled the recipe and divided into to large pots. I loved the color, the smell and how easy this recipe is. The only thing would do differently is cut the spices in half, especially anyone making it for the first time so you get a sense of how much cinnamon and clove you want. I only put 2/3 of the cloves and it was still very, very strong. Also, I simmered the batch for over 30 minutes because of the double batch size and could taste the grit of the cloves. Has anyone else made comments or had that experience? Is there a trick to dissolving the cloves better? Now that I’ve made it once, I will definitely make it again with just the one adjustment!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad that it was, overall, a success. Cloves (and all spices), based on brand, freshness, etc. will vary in their intensity and sometimes it takes a bit to figure out the perfect ratios for your personal preferences. I have never had an issue with gritiness yet I’ve never 4x’ed the batch so that could have contributed. Glad you’ll make it again!
I made this recipe today (simmered for 30 minutes) and it definitely did not triple in size. The only way I deviated from the recipe is by cutting the sugar by 1/3. What would you guess the reason for this is?
Less sugar will definitely result in less bubbling and would have contributed the sauce not getting as ‘big’. It’s not a big deal either way, but I always like to give ample warning to those who are newer in the kitchen because if they use too small of a pot, it would likely overflow in this recipe.
Just wanted to leave a note saying that THIS is our holiday tradition now. I made two batches (tgiving and christmas last year) and they were both hits last year!
This year, I’m jarring them for gifts!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it always comes out great for you! Glad the recipe is your holiday tradition and that you’re jarring it for gifts!
Did canning it work? Nothing spoiled? How long did you water bath them for once you canned them?
Does the Cabernet cranberry blueberry sauce get eaten cold or reheated?
I serve it slightly chilled from the fridge or at room temp, but I never re-warm my cranberry sauce. It’s personal preference how you like to eat yours.
Do you think this could be “canned” ?
Many people have asked/commented about this in the past and if you re-read through the comments, I’m pretty sure some people have done it. I personally haven’t but I’m sure you could if you’re familiar with canning in general. LMK how it goes!
Can you freeze it?
I haven’t tried so can’t say for sure but probably, yes. If you’re planning on doing this for Thanksgiving though, I would do a test-batch and see first!
I made this today. I found the cinnamon and cloves a bit much so I added some more cranberries, but maybe I should have waited until it “aged” a bit and then tried it before adding things.
It is robustly flavored and I do love it that way. Something to consider is that all spice brands do vary in their intensity and how much ‘pop’ of flavor they deliver and maybe yours gave an extra big pop of flavor. But yes it does mellow and the flavors do marry over time. But you can always reduce the spices next time to your taste. Thanks for trying the recipe.
I know my cinnamon is really strong. I got some “special” stuff that I love.
Ahh, well that’s your answer then. You do have some extra strong stuff! Good to know when you’re baking/cooking, go easy-handed with it!
Is it OK to use frozen cranberries (fresh are almost impossible to procure in Australia)?
Probably although I haven’t tried it. Just watch the texture/liquid/consistency because I don’t know how their juiciness level compares to fresh and how thing will change with frozen vs. fresh but just use your judgment with regard for how long to boil.
Thanks – will see how it goes.
I have had your recipe pinned for a year now and it has taken me this long to find some non-dried cranberries to play with. Any excuse to open a bottle of wine, really!
Seriously the BEST cranberries ever. I’ve had this recipe up for a few years and every year people write to say this is the end-all-be-all of cranberry recipes and this will be their forever go-to. It’s mine. LMK how it goes for you! And enjoy the wine :)
Have just mad a batch and there was no problem with the frozen cranberries. Blueberries were frozen too. The cooking times were the same as in your recipe. Cinnamon flavour is overpowering, so perhaps have a stronger brand here. I have also “canned it” so will leave for a month or so and taste to see if there is much difference in flavour once it matures.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it worked out well for you. All tastebuds and brands of cinnamon vary, so tone it down to taste, as you need to for the next batch. I think it could mellow and marry over time as it sits, just guessing, but that’s my hunch.
This was a wonderful addition to my table. I made enough to give a couple of jars as gifts.
That’s great to hear – you have lucky friends and family getting jars of it!!
This was incredible! The smell was awesome throughout the house. I’ve been using this as a spread on English muffins and it is soooo good! I did have a problem with there being a lot of excess liquid and not really solidifying like cranberry sauce should. Next time I’ll probably cut the liquid down a bit. Even so it didn’t stop me from eating it. Great recipe!
Glad you’re enjoying it! Some batches of blueberries or cranberries are just extra juicy I’ve made this so many times and every once in awhile you get a ‘juicy’ batch. The way I counteract that is just simmer/boil/reduce longer and it will thicken up!
I made this last year (the smell was heavenly! ) but couldn’t get the kids to try it, cause they didn’t like the skins. This year I added a Granny Smith apple (to add some natural pectin) and then when it was done cooking, I put in the blender then through a fine sieve. OMG, so good. More like jam then anything. So delicious. Kids were all over it! Thanks for the recipe!
Cranberries do have skins and that’s just kind of the way they are but wow, running it through a sieve to basically make jam/jelly….mmmm, sounds delish!
My mom always makes me buy her canned cranberry sauce because of the skins. Thank you for the tip! When I try this recipe this weekend, I will process 1/3 of the batch for her! 😊
Wonderful and I am sure she’ll love it!
Hi! I pinned this to a group board and a lady is asking me if she can can it so it will last longer? Thanks! Kellie
Tell her to read through the comments on my post. A gentleman actually did just that and detailed what he did in the comments! (and thanks for pinning!)
This recipe is a WIN! I stumbled across it earlier this week, and decided to try it out for Thanksgiving lunch… and it was a huge hit! I had a guy tell me that it was the best cranberry sauce he’d ever had. Thanks for the recipe – it’s going to be a family holiday staple.
Oh My, Oh My!! How did I not find this recipe last year?!! (when I made a cabernet-cranberry sauce for the first time) This year I decided to raise the bar on a winey cranberry sauce recipe. Then I found yours (and me, with lotsa frozen blueberries from my garden) This is the BEST STUFF EVER!!!
I added a whole, shredded Cutie- small mandarin orange- to the pot. And after cooking I stirred in a scant tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Perfection. Thanks for your great posts.
SO glad you loved this and how amazing that you had lotsa frozen home-grown garden blueberries (OMG!)! And I can see where a little balsamic would be awesome, too! So glad you enjoyed it and think it’s the best ever! Me too :)
I made this a couple days ago and just tried some today. SO GOOD!
Glad you like it! Hope everyone loves it tomorrow!
Oh my! Just made this for Thanksgiving tomorrow…..amazing! I didn’t add cloves, because I don’t like cloves, and I used Merlot. Fantastic. I hope my family loves it as much as I do!
I just made a batch last night and so glad you love it as much as I do! I hope your guests and family loves it as well! :)
What about a port wine?
I haven’t tried it with port and depending on the port, the dish could read a little on the sweeter side, but it would depend on the wine. I’d maybe mix the port with another red.
A+++ I pulled 3 cranberry recipes off Pinterest to try for Thanksgiving. One with pineapple and mango, one with cider, oj + apricots and this Cabernet blueberry sauce. This was the clear favorite. Wonderful flavor without being too tart or sweet. One pot and no chopping. I will definitely make this again at Christmas and make enough to give away as small gifts……..I used 1/2Tb cinnamon,1/2tsp ginger, and 1/8tsp cloves. Thank you!
I’m thrilled that my recipe was the clear favorite! That’s great to hear and so glad you love it as much as I do and will make again for Xmas and for little gifts! How wonderful! Happy Holidays!
Is there a reason for the Frozen blueberries? Can I use fresh or will it mess up the result?
Thanks!!
You can use fresh, of course. They’re literally 4x the price this time of year compared to frozen and if you can afford and justify the difference, go for it!
I am giving jams, jellies and pickles this year for Christmas. I came across this recipe and decided to “jam it”. I doubled the recipe, added 3 tblsp. of pectin, and processed it in a water bath(10 minutes). It turned out GREAT. It yielded 7 half pint jars. (Six of my friends and family members will be very happy…hey, I had to keep one for myself!) Sorry to tell you, I am calling it Ken’s CabCranBlue jam! LOL…Thanks!
Love your CabCranBlue Jam. Mmmm, I am about to make a double-triple ish sized batch of this on Monday to last all week and was actually thinking of canning it. I’ve boiled some versions so long that it’s practically jam anyway, without even needing the pectin, but I’ve never water bathed it. Good to know 10 minutes and 3 tbsp of pectin did the trick. I cannot tell you how many people have asked me that – now I know. Thanks, Ken! And you have some very lucky friends & family!
Hello! First of all, this recipe is so creative. I can’t wait to try it! In fact, really…I can’t wait! I have all of the ingredients in a pot on my stove, but I just wanted to double check that I’m doing it right. I read the recipe 10 times- but I’m second guessing that I’m missing liquid because the wine is not enough to cover the berries. Am I missing something or should I just relax and start heating? Thanks!
Cranberries, like any berry or fruit you heat, will release a considerable amount of juice so you have nothing to worry about. Enjoy!
Was just thinking about a cranberry something-or-other I could serve with our newly released Ice Wine. This looks to be JUST the ticket! Thank you!
What do you recommend using as an alternative if I don’t have a kettle to make this?
You do need a pot or kettle of some sort to make this.
This sounds AMAZING!!! I am definitely making this ASAP! :-)
I wanted to add for anyone else wondering, you can use not-from-concentrate, unsweetened 100% RED GRAPE juice in place of the wine. You might want to add 1-2 teaspoons of vinegar to the 1cup portion to reduce the sweetness and make it taste more like real wine. The key is the non-concentrated part — it has a very pure “grape” flavor, which is what makes wine special. Plus, all those great heart-healthy flavonoids that you were so happy about being in red wine actually come from the GRAPES that wine is made from, so drinking grape juice has the exact same health benefits, without the alcohol — YAY!! :-D
THANKS for posting this recipe!! I am off to lurk around your other recipes and see what else I can make this week…..!!!
I made a batch last night as a trial run for Thanksgiving. Instead of opening a new bottle of wine, I used up the remains of three open bottles of wine that were leftover from cooking/drinking (a cab, a pinot noir and a red zin). This is an exceptionally delicious recipe! My husband and I ate it by the spoonfuls – delectable. We also served it with brie and crackers – amazing. I plan to make several batches, can it and give away as Christmas gifts with a wedge of Cambazola cheese and a box of crackers.
Thank you Averie, I have been searching for “the” cranberry sauce recipe and this fits the bill.
I love your mix-and-match approach with the wine, totally perfect and love using up what’s already open! I am so glad this is THE cranberry sauce for you and that you adore it as much as I do. Yes, eating it by the spoonful sounds about right :) And with cheese like brie and crackers, even better! I think it’s awesome that you plan to make and give this away…what an extremely thoughtful gift. You have lucky friends and family! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and I am glad you’re happy. There are sooo many cranberry sauce recipes but I do think this one is the best :)
I would love to make this and give as gifts! Can you tell me if this recipe can be “canned”? Thank you!
I haven’t canned it but I’m sure you could! I just haven’t done it so can’t speak to boiling/processing times, pectin amount, etc.
Absolutely incredible! I love and so does everyone I’ve shared it with. Thanks!!!
Wonderful to hear, Barbara! Thank you!
I made this delicious sauce and gave it away as Christmas gifts. One co-worker used it very creatively! He makes his own rum, and told me that he used some of the sauce along with mint oil to make a fantastic Mojito. How’s that for thinking outside the box?
That sounds great! I actually had combined it with some basil as sort of a dip/spread/chutney for veggies. I love the idea of mint for a mojito even better :) Smart guy! Thanks for trying it, sharing with him, and sharing the story!
I want to thank YOU! I am not a very skilled cook but this recipe looked too tasty to pass up. Plus, your directions were so clear and detailed I thought I couldn’t mess it up. I was doubly happy that I was able to successfully pull it off.I was able to make something unique and delicious. Um, I like the idea of using it with veggies. Will try it with my next batch!
Happy to hear you pulled it off and that it was a big success!
Hi Averie, thank you for this amazing recipe. Made my first batch today. After sampling decided that one was not enough. Will be making at least one more for holiday gifts. Can’t wait to try it with our turkey dinner at Christmas.
So glad that you tried it, love it, and are making another batch(es). That’s how I was right before Thanksgiving. I kept thinking, okay this will last me til the big day. Wrong. I kept eating it – and then making more :)
Just made this recipe x 6 as Christmas gifts for my colleagues. What a pleasure to make :) Great Job!
That’s amazing that you x6’ed it! You have very lucky colleagues (and I bet your house smells incredible!!) :)
Can I give this recipe a hot water bath to make it shelf safe?
Probably but I haven’t personally done it. But I don’t see why not. You’re so close to making jam here anyway already.
Right. Thank you!
I have all the ingredients and can barely wait to make this as it sound heavenly! I do have a quick question about canning it though, is canning possible and would you just process it like jam, without the pectin of course.
I’d like to try to at least double it and maybe use smaller jars for portion control for me lol and gifts as Christmas is fast approaching.
Thanks,
Michelle
I would say make a single batch at first if you plan to can it and yes, I would say process like jam, no pectin. But b/c I haven’t tried it, I can’t say for sure. Then after you’re confident you have things down pat, make in bulk. Enjoy! LMK how the canning goes!
I did make this for Thanksgiving. I used 1 teaspoon cinnamon and just a couple of shakes of cloves. With these modifications I found it to be really delicious.
Great glad to hear it worked out for you!
This was DELICIOUS! I used it to top a baked brie for a Thanksgiving appetizer and it was a huge hit, I will be enjoying the leftover sauce for dessert for a while.
That’s awesome you used it with brie. Mmm, I bet so good! I usually use hot pepper jelly with brie and yes, eat this sauce by the spoonful for dessert :) Or you know, stirred into your morning yogurt or whatever. Thanks for trying it!
I made this last night for today’s Thanksgiving feast, and it was wonderful. Such depth and complexity of flavor! Not to mention a cinch to make. Thank you, and happy Thanksgiving! :)
So glad you tried it and it was a hit (and a cinch! I agree!). Thanks for LMK you made it and Happy TG!
So I made it and the house smelled like happiness and it tastes amazing but…1. It is so thick I could slice it. 2. It feels grainy. Did I over cook it and is the grittiness from the spices? Any thoughts on what might work best to thin it down a little? I was wondering about using some apple juice. I plan on spooning this over cream cheese and serving it with crackers as an appetizer.
Yes you just over-simmered it. You reduced it down to the point where there’s very little liquid left it sounds like, thus it’s very thick and when anything gets that thick, the graininess will be more pronounced. Just add a splash of cranberry juice and stir until you get to your desired consistency and next time, reduce your simmering time :)
I am making this right now and oh my god my apartment smells AMAZING!!!!
Haven’t even had a taste yet but I know this will become a holiday regular for me. I love to cook and never shy away from complex dishes, but during the holidays an easy ‘dump it in the pot and let it boil’ recipe is so nice to have!
The hardest part will be to keep this one to myself, I’m sure everyone who gets a taste (or even just a sniff) of this stuff will want to know how I made it. Thanks for sharing, expect hits on this page of your site to increase in the next few weeks ;)
Thanks for trying it and so glad you’re loving it! I love dump and stir recipes whenever possible – always :) And yes I made some (more!) last night, and my apt smells amazing even still! It lingered, in a good way. LMK what your friends/fam think!
Just made the Cranberry Blueberry Sauce for our holiday meal for tomorrow. It is sooo delicious! I will be sharing this on my blog with a link back to you! Awesome recipe!!!
What do you mean by “unthawed” in reference to the frozen blueberries in your cranberry sauce. Keep them frozen, or thaw them?
You can just add them straight into the pot unthawed (cold, icy, from the freezer – no need to thaw them first)
Cooking up a double batch right now! Though I am not quite sure I did it right. You said “6-oz bag” of Cranberries. I have never seen anything but the 8-oz OceanSpray bags. So I did 1 1/2 bags hoping it was not a typo. I actually have it cooking like this and the normal way on the package with just additional strawberries for the kids. So the kitchen smells awesome!!!
I think you misread the recipe b/c it states:
one 8-ounce bag fresh cranberries
6-ounces frozen blueberries (about 1 1/2 cups), unthawed
I think you probably skimmed it and confused the blueberries for the cranberries. If you were making a double batch, you’d want to use 2 full size bags of cranberries (i.e. Ocean Spray or whatever your grocer has in stock right now fresh for the season – they’re always 8 oz) and then about 12 oz of bb’s, which is about 2 cups, give or take. I’m sure it will all work out but you could have added the second full bag of berries.
Glad your house smells great!
I just made this, and the smell is heavenly! It tastes delicious! I only wish I had doubled it :) Thanks for a great recipe!
You’re the 3rd or 4th person today who’s written and said they made it and most have said they wish they doubled it! I just made another (my 3rd batch – in two weeks!) so that we can put some on the TG dinner table b/c I kept eating the other ones :) Glad you love it and yes it smells so good! One lady said you should make it if you’re trying to sell a house (forget cookies and make this..ha!)
I made your cranberry-blueberry sauce tonight. It’s SO very tasty! Another Thanksgiving tradition is born in this household!! Thank you!
Thanks for telling me it’ll be a tradition! That is awesome! :) Happy TG!
Made this today with cranberries, 1/2 c blueberries and 1/2 tart cherries. Used pinot noir. It is AMAZING !! To try it out I spread it on some French Toast.. and YUM!!
Oh love the combo of cran, BBs, and tart cherries and pinot noir! Wow – that sounds incredible! So glad you did tried it and found it to be amazing! I’d be eating it by the spoonful if I were you :)
This sounds so, so SO yummy! I am the only one who really eats cranberry sauce at the family table so I always bring it with me and then take it home again! Leftovers!! Just wanted to ask… my usual cranberry sauce recipe includes some ground ginger (love it). Do you think that I could add some to this one too? Thanks for the recipe !
Both of these include ginger too – love it! This was the first year I didn’t add any just because I was forcing myself to blog about something new :) But feel free! LMK how it goes.
https://www.averiecooks.com/2011/11/cranberry-orange-ginger-mango-chutney.html
https://www.averiecooks.com/2012/11/cranberry-pineapple-mango-preserves.html
Totally trying it (and then your other cran recipes!). Will def let you know how it goes :)
Great – LMK how they all go!
Okay — the cranberry blueberry sauce was amazing. I did add some ground ginger (1 tsp, maybe?) and it was great. The blueberries (which I was a little worried about at first, not being a blueberry lover) added a gorgeous dark color and complexity and paired so well with the wine and the spices. Seriously — this stuff was good. But HERE IS THE IMPORTANT THING! I’d made some chocolate French Silk pies (if you haven’t made them yet, please do!) that seemed just a touch too sweet/ rich and somehow I ended up spooning some of the cranberry sauce over them (probably because I was spooning it over everything I could find) and LORD have mercy. I may never make ANY pie without this sauce again. Thank you, Averie!!!
added a gorgeous dark color and complexity and paired so well with the wine and the spices = YES totally agreed, 100%
As for the sauce for pie, yes, so good. You could put this stuff over ice cream, really dark chocolate brownies, stuff it in between 2 sugar cookies, top it over roasted veggies like brussles or sweet potatoes or squash – and yes, I’ve done all of those things as well as eating by the spoonful. I bet it’s great with French silk!
AHAHAHA STOP IT!! STOP!!! Those are such good ideas!!! It’s magic sauce! MAGIC SAUCE!!
Can this be made ahead? How does it taste after a few days. I am traveling to my Thanksgiving, and have to work tomorrow night.
You may want to re-read the post. I discussed storage time in it – both in the body of the post as well as on the actual recipe.
Wow! I just made this and the smell perfumed the house. This should be on the stove when you are selling your house because the perfume is intoxicating. I do not like cranberries but was trying out recipes to bring with me to Thanksgiving dinner and the taste is just as good as the smell. Thank you :)
I know, the smell is intoxicating (pun intended..LOL). I totally agree with you that this should be on the stove when you are selling your house! And so glad to hear that even as a non-cran lover, you still loved these!
Looks delicious! I think I will make this for Thanksgiving…love the addition of blueberries!
This looks and sounds absolutely amazing! Do you think I could add more liquid and sugar to make it more jam-like so I can store it longer or give away as Christmas gifts?
Cheers all the way from Denmark!
I wouldn’t add more liquid. Instead simply simmer for less time so that mixture doesn’t reduce down as much. However, I think you’ll find in reality it’s fairly runny. It’s also sweet enough to use on French toast or similar. Make a batch and then alter it after you give it one go-round as written.
I am so excited to try this! I will be testing it out this weekend, and if all goes well I’ll be contributing a great gluten free side on Thanksgiving! Thanks for sharing
LMK how it goes!
Your photography is just simply gorgeous girl!! And I want to dive into that jar of cranberries!!! It looks soooo good!!
Thank you for the compliments. Sometimes things pan out with dark colored foods like this and sometimes it’s just a dark mess as you know :)
Your photos are absolutely stunning! I’m trying this recipe out for Thanksgiving…if any of it makes it to the table!
Thank you for the compliments and LMK how it goes!
This sounds delicious! I’m learning how to adapt foods to be low in sugar though and I’m wondering what you might use as a sub for the sugar? I’m still really new to alternatives. I was thinking maybe a good cran/grape juice and lower the amount of sugar by half, using Stevia maybe?
You could possibly sub in stevia or another no-calorie sweetener that’s powder. I wouldn’t add more liquid/juice because you will have a sloppy mess. LMK how your recipe testing goes! I always hate buying$$ ingredients and tinkering around with recipes when I’m very uncertain how things will pan out and using sugar substitutes is not something I would do in this recipe because I love it so much as written…but I’ll gladly let you tinker :)
Making this as gifts for friends with dietary issues, I chose to make it using Coconut Sugar (and used just under the amount the recipe called for) which is much easier to digest. As I cooked this concoction, listening to the cranberries burst open was delightful! Now, for the taste. It’s wonderful! Very rich flavors. Thanks for this wonderful recipe.
Do you recommend this be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled? This is my first time making cranberry sauce, and (unfortunately), my only experience with it is the canned kind with the creepy lines. Thank you!
I think most people would serve it slightly chilled or at room temp. If you were making it to put over waffles or pancakes, I’d say warm. But I think ‘traditional’ cranberry sauce is stored in the fridge and then served, but I sort of like this at room temp b/c the flavors marry and taste better to me – so your preference.
Love the addition of blueberries! Super creative. Hope you are well!
When I saw your name come across my email I thought, could it be…nah, wouldn’t be her. Then I thought, there is no one else in the world I’ve ever known with your name, and voila, it’s you!! :) I am thrilled to hear from you! I hope you guys are doing great. I think about you often and think back to the early days of blogging and how life changes but still stays the same. Hope you and your family have a great holiday season! xoxo
Oh my! This looks amazing!
This one is making a debut this week, hope I don’t eat it all to myself. lol
I did that already. Now I have to make more for next week for others :)
I don’t drink alcohol of any kind. What would your recommendations be on a good sub for that? This looks AMAZING!!
Maybe a non-alcoholic red wine? Maybe an unsweetened or not super sweet cranberry juice – and if it is sweet, you may want to reduce the sugar slightly – I would try for non-alch wine though!
I just wanted to say that the opening line of this post might be the best ever.
Glad you liked that one :)
This is absolutely stunning! Gorgeous color. And delicious flavor combination! Mmmm. Wine and berries need to go together more often!
Wow, this is beautiful and sounds delicious. It’s on my must make list!
Wow, this is beautiful and sounds delicious. It’s on my must make list!
Stunning, Averie, simply stunning!
LOVE the flavor combinations – you hit the nail right on the head with this one. I don’t think this will even make it to the table ~ I’ll be eating it right out of the pot!
Oh my goodness!
averie, this sauce looks to die for! I am definitely going to try it for our Thanksgiving meal – and I bet it smells heavenly while simmering
The cranberry sauce has always been my favorite part of Thanksgiving. I don’t get too excited about the meal either, but I love the cranberry sauce, and I love the wine ….I’ve made red wine blueberry sauce and cranberry sauce, but never thought to mix the two together. I’ll have to try this sometime! Thanks for sharing.
This sauce is so very good! My mom is a wine drinker and since my folks are coming to our house for thanksgiving I thought this would be perfect! I made it today and think it is the most elegant tasting cranberry sauce I have ever had. I thought that making it a couple weeks ahead of time might be better so that the flavors can totally marry, I hope I made a good decision, but I will taste it several times before then because it’s a very delicious flavor that keeps calling me back. I took your advise and decided to make this year be the year I make my own cranberry sauce, so so glad that I did! Thank you so much Averie! Your description of this sauce is what sold me, even over your beautiful photos!
What an awesome comment! First, “the most elegant tasting cranberry sauce I have ever had” – thank you! And I am so glad my description sold you, even over the photos. Wow, that’s pretty high praise. Thank you!
And I’m sure the flavors will marry more as time goes on but honestly I was not able to keep my spoon out of the jar and literally was having a half-cup here, a third-cup there, and the 1 full mason jar and about half to 2/3-full that I got in a second jar, well, they are long gone and I’ve since re-made it and will probably remake again..LOL
So happy you love it and that this was the year you made your own sauce! LMK what your mom thinks!
Drinking wine and eating jam are hobbies of mine too! And you’re so right about homemade cranberry sauce, there’s just no comparison with its store bought counterpart. I’d definitely be eating this via spoon! Gorgeous photos!!
Valerie this is SO YOU! The blueberry and fruit-based pies you make, and I know you like jam and wine…omg I think this would be your fave cran sauce ever! It’s definitely mine!
Amen to your comparison of canned cranberry sauce to Cheese Wiz. This looks amazing! I just made some cranberry sauce spiked with brandy, which was like my baby step towards this recipe. This will definitely be next.
Just dying over your photos! Stunning! Cranberry Sauce is so hard to photograph too, so well done you!
Glad you like the comparison! And the pics (and you’re right – dark things like this tend to just look like sludge unless you’re careful) and your cran sauce sounds more intense than mine if you’re hitting the hard stuff :)
Just pinned your molasses cookies!
I don’t comment much at all but have been following you for some time. I have watched your photography grow and grow and grow and the photos in this post are just FABULOUS and I may be even going to try the recipes. You have just forced me to pick up my camera again and get out of AUTO!
Thanks for the nice comment and for following me. I hope you try the recipe and have fun playing with your own camera and photography!
Averie, this is one gorgeous sauce. I love that you paired tart cranberries with sweet blueberries. Pinned.
Thanks for pinning!
Wine in my cranberry sauce? LOVE IT! I just made a traditional version but I love your boozy twist. And thanks for the cranberry pin! You’re the best! :)
I know you posted them and they look so good! So pure and innocent! Mine are evil and adulterated :)
I am digging this idea :) so perfect!!
OH MY GAWD….what a genius idea! I love that we both used booze in cranberry sauce. Great minds ;)
oh wow blueberry and cranberry together sounds lovely! yum!
THIS is gorgeous Averie!
We just finished an early lunch as I was dying to try this. It is positively superb–cranberries never had it so good!!! My husband said it was perfect over chicken and I had it over a mountain of spinach…and I couldn’t seem to keep my spoon out of the saucepan while it was cooling. I think it has such versatility and will go with so much–cheese and crackers, proteins, vanilla bean ice cream. The wine and spices are just right together and it is nice and thick after reducing. You have really created something special with this Averie–I can’t gush enough about it!! Oh–and thanks so much for the e-mail about the sugar too:). Have a great weekend–this recipe just got mine off to a happy start!
So glad you got that email..LOL So many irons in the fire some days (most days) that the details get a little fuzzy :)
Anyway though this sauce – so glad you loved it! I agree that cranberries never had it so good! I was thinking that it could be good as anything from a sauce over pork/salmon/chicken (I eat none so can’t really say firsthand) or as a sauce over waffles, over plain cheesecake, on top of cracker & cheese, or a smear of cream cheese on a cracker then this sauce – sooo many options.
I am glad you love it and feel I came up with something special. Thank you! :)
A whole cup of wine! I love it! Pinning!
Yes indeed! :)
And thanks for pinning!
Very clever twist, chef Averie! My mouth is watering – and I have fresh cranberries and blueberries in the fridge. Maybe I will blow up the planned chutney experiment and make your luscious sauce…
Liz it’s excellent and I hope you do try it!
This sounds delicious, do you think I could put it in a hot water bath to preserve it? I think it would make a great gift!
Yes I’m sure you can hot water bath/can it to preserve it but being that I didn’t test it, I can’t say for sure how long to process for, etc. but I would just treat it like you’d treat blueberry jam or similar. Lmk how it goes!
Seriously!! It’s only 5am and I want this now!!! I can’t stress that enough! I know what my Sunday project is!
Wow wee. The colour of this is so intense. Can’t waitvto try this out. Ps. How can you not like stuffing or mashed potatoes? Turkey I understand.
Yeah baby! This sounds great. I have a recipe with whiskey and orange I love but this is tempting. Of course, I also adore the smooth stuff from the can-I like having both options just to cover my bases:)
Gah!! Boozy cranberry sauce! Absolute perfection. I would love this with baked brie, or simply by the spoonful.
It would be PERFECT with baked brie. Or just a spoon for shoveling. But yes with a smear of cream cheese on crackers or better yet w/ baked brie, heavenly!
This is GORGEOUS Averie!!
Thanks, Dorothy! :)
I always add oranges, cinnamon sticks, and ginger to my homemade cranberry sauce. I am obsessing over the idea of cabernet and blueberries together!
the idea of cabernet and blueberries together! <--- so good! I hope you try it!
Thanks for this recipe. I have both cranberries & blueberries in the freezer. Now to check the wine stash. Happy Thanksgiving!
Excellent! LMK how it goes :)
Gorgeous sauce, I love that you added cabernet because the holidays always call for wine + more wine ;).
You got that right :)
Wow, this is so creative! I already love cranberry sauce, and usually just make a pretty simple one with orange zest, but adding other fruits is such an awesome idea. That way you can keep eating it past Thanksgiving, on toast, a spoon, etc. :)
will this go well on plain cheescake?
Im sure it would, yes!
That garbage they sell in a can is NOT cranberry sauce! You know how much homemade cran sauce I eat this time every year and I literally just added them to my grocery list for this weekend. I just so happen to have a bottle of cab sav 2 buck also. Destiny!
This recipe, on top of my sage and thyme mashed cauliflower…that’s going to be my lunch all next week, I can already tell!
I know you love your cranberries and this is the most brilliant adaptation of cran sauce if I do say so. You have GOT to try it with your Chuck and LMK!
I don’t think I’ve ever, ever had homemade cranberry sauce. We’ve always had the jelly kind from the can and you’re right – that’s probably why I think I “don’t like cranberries.” This has me so intrigued, though! I really want to make some now. :)
Blech to the canned stuff! It’s like calling canned tuna and a beautiful piece of ahi both ‘tuna’. Not quite :) Try homemade. 30 mins, so easy, never eat canned cranberries again!
So simple and pretty! Love it :)
This sauce is gorgeous!! The prettiest and fanciest cranberry sauce I have ever seen, yum!
Well thank you!
Haha I love the Cheese Wiz comparison! SO true!
I made fresh cranberry sauce a few Thanksgiving’s ago (with orange peel) and my family has asked me to be in charge of making it fresh every year since.
The combo of blueberries and vino sound heavenly! I will have to get boozy on my cranberries this year for sure :)
Well since you’re in charge of the cranberries, I hope you booze them up this year!
IF THE RECIPE IS DOUBLED, SHOULD THE WINE BE DOUBLED AS WELL?
YOU’RE SCREAMING. PLEASE DON’T SCREAM BY TYPING IN ALL CAPS. THANKS!
To answer your question, doubling the recipe means that you double all aspects of it, wine included. Enjoy!
Wow! I bet this tastes amazing!
Wow this sauce look divine! The cranberries and blueberries would make such a good pairing with pork too.
However I am thinking Xmas waffles with this sauce and a pecan crumble. Delicious jar pictures!
Xmas waffles = omg this would be SO good on waffles! Great thinking! (and I’m sure pork too but I don’t eat meat but probably a nice pairing)
hahaha, I’m good at ut as well :D
Averie, this sauce is beautiful!! Crystal clear photos too. I love the way you shoot things in jars. I would slather this aromatic and flavorful sauce onto everything I eat. I love that you added blueberries and wine! (you’re my kind of cook!) I’ve had homemade cranberry sauce before, but have never made it myself and to be honest, had no idea it was this simple.
And “the scent of the wine reducing with the cinnamon and berries” has me sold!
Sally omg please make this. I know we both have a ton of recipes and there’s no time to re-make someone else’s stuff…BUT…if you need a thanksgiving offering, whip a batch of this up and bring it. Toss it all in a kettle and 30 mins later you’re good. SO GOOD. I mean, I know you just posted that cran bread and ironically I have a cran-orange muffin recipe for next week and I know not everyone loves cranberries, but for those of us who do, this is the ticket. Thanks for the photo compliments…dark things, with reflective light, in a jar, it can be a nightmare and half the images I took for this were a blurred mess but the ones that worked, were TACK sharp. Thanks for noticing :)
You don’t really have to try hard to make me eat any recipe with wine in it! I love this twist. I know my dad will love this at Thanksgiving too!
I want that drink on your blog today! Hugely. I would use it to wash down my cranberry sauce :)
I just want to be sure before I make this – no sugar at all??? Wouldn’t this be delish on top of crostini with melted brie – yum!
There is 1 cup of sugar in it! I updated the recipe section. You’re going to love it. LMK what you think!
You had me at cabernet, but blueberries too? Love.
thanks Erin!
Oh I love this Averie! Nice flavors all the way around!
This sauce is awesome! I’d totally put it on more than just thanksgiving stuffing. The blueberries in it are so fun!
They add such a great flavor too!
I think I’m pretty good at drinking wine too ;) And jam, actually now that I think about it. So combine those into sauce and I’m pretty sure I could down this quite quickly.
Such great idea to use all of these ingredients in cranberry sauce! Love it.
Glad to hear you’re good at both those things…me too :)
Averie you’re a girl after my own heart! Wine and cranberries – PURE MAGIC!!
Glad to hear you’re a fan of both :)
Averie, I’m with you–why reach for the canned stuff (the lines totally creep me out) when in 30 minutes, you can have this gorgeous sauce. I’ve seen bunches of cranberry sauces out there, but this is the one I’m sending to my mom for our menu. Like you, I can never get enough jam or wine. Or cheese, but that’s another story.
Well I’m honored that in a sea of nonstop cran sauces and options, you just emailed this one to your mom. THANK YOU! If you end up trying it, please LMK what you think! :) Wow!
I am making this tomorrow!! I know I’ll love it as much as the tomato chutney so I’ll have to try and save some for my husband. I just glanced over the recipe again—might as well make a double batch to be on the safe side! This looks very healthy to me–no guilt if I do eat most of it by myself. I am soooo excited to try this!!!!
This is to cran sauce with the tomato chutney was to chutney. Paula, loveeeeed it. Like loved it to the point I ate the mason jar and a half that the batch made in under 24 hrs. I literally had to force myself to stop eating it so I could take pics of it. And I NEVER do that. Not even with cookies! I have a feeling that this stuff would last a very long time in the fridge or even freezer, i.e. like freezer jam. It’s practically at the jam point after the 30 min simmer and sealing it off in a glass jar. LMK what you think!
Fantastic idea using the wine! I started making a cranberry “relish” a couple of years ago. I use some chipotle to give it some body and heat. But this would be amazing when you wanted a totally different flavor profile. Talk about perfect for a wine tasting party too!!
Oh I bet your version with the chipotle is excellent! A nice kick for sure! And yes to this stuff being perfect for a wine-tasting party. I never thought of that :)
This is so pretty! I love that color!! I think I could spread this on some toast and be happy for days!
UGH! OK, 1st of all, the ugh is not for the recipe. It looks AMAZING! Really want to try it. Cooking Turkey Hindquarters this weekend & my very picky boyfriend loves homemede cranberry sauce, also wine, so thinking this will be a winner.
As a kid I was never a big fan of cranberry sauce, (mom likes the canned stuff) so never had to worry. When he moved in with me in 2006, HAD to make it from scratch, so to make it more palatable for me, I added blueberries to the recipe I had. So with your recipe, we both win!
Bought a bunch of extra bags for the freezer last November. (They aren’t available all year in Hawai’i). However, they take up a lot of space & make my Sam’s/Costco restock trips difficult.
So the UGH is because I saw there is supposed to be a canning comment somewhere & thought maybe I can cook them all up later tonight, (to make freezer space for my Sam’s trip tomorrow) & I could give canning a try for the surplus!
My plan was to find that post in the older comments, copy & paste it into a new comment to “BUMP” it up to the top to make it easier to find for new visitors such as myself. It’s what I used to do when I was an officer for a FB Group (until my neurologist cut my screen time) to give easy access to info/posts frequently needed by members.
1hour+ later… my phone is almost dead, my head & eyes hurt & the only link left is “Newer Comments”, (ie: end of comments). Somewhere deep along the way, waiting for comments & ads to load, & feeling the headache starting, I stopped reading every comment & started skimming & apparently missed it.
Tried going backwards back up the comments, but I am now at 5% battery. If you have time, can you please bump it to the top? The “How to can it” comment? I would deeply appreciate it.
I’m older now & have health issues that makes everything, including making meals, painful if I have too much to do at one time. It would be nice to be able to have some of this deliciousness on hand. I can picture him eating it right out of the jar! Lol. Thank you for your time!
I cannot bump up comments, there is just simply not that functionality.
I would simply google how to can cranberry sauce and improvise from there but of course knowing, that canning incorrectly can make one very sick if the product is not perfectly preserved and since I have never done it, I really cannot give advice or comment on exactly what is needed.
Good luck on your canning experiments.
So great that this doesn’t have tons of sugar in it like every cranberry sauce ever. Fresh cranberries are so much fun to work with. I often add dried cherries to cranberry sauce and we fight over them ;)
And I thought about going with even less but any less and I feared it would get too tart. I am so happy with how it came out!
This sounds wonderful! What a great twist on a Thanksgiving classic!!
Yeah, so I’ll be making this. Whether I share it with my family or not is still up for debate… ;)
I ate the whole batch myself in like…24 hours. Totally didn’t share! LOL