Got Cranberries? This Simple Cranberry Curd Recipe is a Must Make (2024)

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Homemade Cranberry Curd takes only a few minutes to make and with its bright red color and sweet yet tart flavor, it’s perfect for the holidays and is one of my favorite fresh cranberry recipes. Not only can you serve it dozens of ways but it also makes an amazing hostess gift!

Homemade Cranberry Curd

How is it that we’re already just weeks from Christmas!! I don’t know about you, but I’ve already started my holiday baking. (Don’t know what possessed me when I signed up to take 4 pies to the school.)

If you’re looking for a festive recipe that’s NOT cookies or cake for your upcoming gatherings and get-togethers, ( maybejust for yourself) this delicious Cranberry Curd recipe is just what you need.

I love all of the sweets of the season but sometimes I really want something with a little tartness. I think this Cranberry Curd balances sweet and tart perfectly – the cranberries, orange juice and sugar work together to offer a flavor that’s tart but with just enough sweetness to make it feel like a true treat.

If you’re a fan of Lemon Curd, I promise, you’ll love this cranberry curd recipe just as much as I do. It’s soo good!

Cranberry Curd Makes an Amazing Hostess Gift!

Being in the middle of the holiday season means we’re also in the midst of gift-giving and holiday parties.

Wine is always a good hostess gift option (for me anyway, lol) but I think Cranberry Curd makes a great hostess gift, one the hostess won’t end up with 10 of and will certainly enjoy more than ANOTHER cookie tray!

Other Ways to Use Cranberry Curd:

My favorite thing about this Cranberry Curd recipe is all of the ways you can use it! It can be used in desserts, appetizers, or even breakfast.

My family especially enjoyed it in the Cranberry Walnut Cream Cheese Tarts I made last week. (It’s similar to theseNo Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bites. I’ll be sharing the full cranberry tart recipe soon!)

What Ingredients are in this Cranberry Curd Recipe?

There’s only a handful of ingredients in this recipe so it’s fairly simple to make. (Scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.)

You can use frozen or fresh cranberries – personally I almost always have fresh cranberries on hand at this time of the year, but if you have frozen cranberries, They work just as well.

Want to give this cranberry curd recipe a try? Add these ingredients to your shopping list:

4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (a 12 oz bag has about 3 cups)
orange juice (or the juice from 3 to 4oranges)
butter
sugar
3 eggs
salt

How To Make Cranberry Curd?

Place the cranberries, water, and orange juice in a saucepan.
Bring to boil over high heat, cover and reduce heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst, about 15 minutes. (You should hear the cranberries popping.)
With the side of your spatula or spoon, gently crush any remaining cranberries as much as you can. If you have an immersion blender this helps.
Press cranberry curd mixture through a fine sieve, and discard solids.
Add the cranberry pulp back to the saucepan. Over medium heat, whisk in butter, sugar, and salt, stirring, until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved- about 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and egg. Then whisk eggs into the cranberries, a spoonful at a time.
Return heat to low, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Optional step: For a perfectly smooth cranberry curd, you can pass the curd back through the sieve one more time to catch any egg solids.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap onto the surface of the curd to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate till chilled.

Can I Double This Recipe:

Yes, this cranberry curd recipe is easily doubled, however, you may need to cook the curd a bit longer to get it to the right thickness.

How Long Will Cranberry Curd Last in the Fridge?

Cranberry Curd should last about a week in the fridge.

Can I Freeze Cranberry Curd?

Yes, you can freeze your Cranberry Curd for later use. I recommend sealing it in something airtight (like food saver bags or other freezer-safe containers) for up to 3 months (or longer if packed properly.)

To use, let the curd thaw in the fridge overnight.

More Cranberry recipes you might enjoy:

Whipped Cranberry and Walnut Cream Cheese Recipe
White Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Cookies (shortcut recipe)
Cranberry Orange Scones
Homemade Cranberry Relish w/ Pomegranate, Pineapple and Orange
Leftover Cranberry Sauce Hand Pies

Save this Cranberry Curd Recipe for Later Here:

Cranberry Curd Recipe

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 1 review

Author: Jamie Sanders
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 35 minutes, + time to chill
Yield: 2 cups (about) 1x
Category: desserts
Method: stovetop

Print Recipe

Description

Make this amazing Cranberry Curd Recipe with fresh OR frozen cranberries. It’s easy to make & the sweet, tart flavor makes it a perfect recipe for the holidays. (And makes an even better hostess gift!)

Ingredients

Scale

4 cups fresh or unthawed frozen cranberries (from one 14.5-ounce package)
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup fresh orange juice (from about 3 oranges)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 3/4 cups sugar
Pinch of coarse salt
3 large egg yolks plus 1 large whole egg

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Place cranberries, water, and orange juice in a saucepan.
Bring to boil over high heat, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst, about 15 minutes. (You should hear the cranberries popping.) With the side of your spatula or spoon, gently crush any remaining cranberries.
Press cranberry mixture through a fine sieve, and discard solids.
Add cranberry pulp back to the saucepan. Over medium heat, whisk in butter, sugar, and salt, stirring, until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk together egg yolks and egg in a medium bowl, then whisk into cranberry mixture, a spoonful at a time.
Cook cranberry mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes.
Optional step for velvety smooth cranberry curd: Pass through sieve into a bowl (to remove any egg solids)
Press plastic wrap directly on surface of curd to cover and prevent skin from forming.
Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

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About the AuthorJamie Sanders is a wife and mom of 2, located in the heart of Texas. She founded Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom in 2011 as a place to share creative ideas and family friendly recipes. Her work has been featured on Martha Stewart, Woman’s World, HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, CNET, Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, Oprah Daily, and Redbook, plus many other publications. To date, she had given away just under a million free pdf sewing patterns.

Got Cranberries? This Simple Cranberry Curd Recipe is a Must Make (2024)

FAQs

How do you take the bitterness out of homemade cranberry sauce? ›

"Instead, start by stirring in one tablespoon maple syrup and one teaspoon of a sweet drink like apple juice, orange juice, or fruity white or red wine. Add more to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (in small amounts, it intensifies sweetness)."

Tell Me More ›

Can you eat canned cranberry sauce past expiration date? ›

As long as an unopened can of cranberry sauce is stored in a consistently cool pantry, it'll keep and taste good for at least a year beyond the date stamped on the can. (That date is the manufacturer's estimate of how long the cranberry sauce will remain at peak quality and is not a safety-related expiration date.)

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How can I thicken my homemade cranberry sauce? ›

Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.

How do you make Bobby Deen cranberry sauce? ›

Bobby Deen's recipe

Cooking is as simple as combining the sugar, orange juice, ½ cup of water, the cinnamon, salt and cranberries in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes - and then let cool before serving.

How do you get the bitter taste out of cranberry juice? ›

Adding a sweet fruit, such as an orange, can help it taste sweeter.

Explore More ›

How do you counteract bitterness in sauce? ›

Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal. Saltiness: Salt plays two very important roles in flavouring a dish. Firstly, it balances against bitterness.

Tell Me More ›

How long is cranberry juice good for after expiration date? ›

The juice will likely stay safe to drink, but the quality will degrade gradually. That means that cranberry juice that's 10 months past the date on the label will likely taste okay at best and terrible at worst. Once you open the bottle, you should drink the juice or freeze it within 7 to 10 days.

How long can cranberry last in the fridge? ›

Fresh cranberries are usually good stored in the refrigerator for two weeks. If kept longer, you will find a gradual deterioration of quality with more soft or bruised berries. Berries can be stored in the original packaging in the refrigerator crisper for up to four weeks.

Know More ›

Is it safe to put an unopened can of cranberry sauce in refrigerator? ›

Metals can corrode and rust in moist environments. However, you may store them in the refrigerator for a short period of time. It is best to store unopened commercially canned foods in a cool and dry place (such as in a cupboard). For best quality use closed canned fruits within 18 months.

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How do you jazz up canned cranberry sauce? ›

Adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or orange zest, a tablespoon of chopped candied peel, or even a splash of juice to your canned sauce will brighten flavors and bring in some homemade flavor.

How do you doctor up canned jellied cranberry sauce? ›

Stir-in one (or more) of the following add-ins to one can of whole or jellied cranberry sauce:

2 Tbsp. of orange juice plus 1 tsp. of finely grated orange peel.
½ can of mandarin oranges.
½ cup pineapple.
½ tsp. cinnamon.
½ cup chopped dried apricots.
½ cup toasted pecans.
2 Tbsp. Zinfandel Wine.

Aug 11, 2022

Learn More Now ›

Why is my homemade cranberry sauce runny? ›

Mistake #2: Your Cranberry Sauce Is Too Runny

You may have added too much liquid to the cranberries. In addition to pectin, cranberries contain water, which means you only need to add a splash of liquid to get the cooking going. Add too much and you'll be stirring at the stove much longer than expected.

What is in Bobby Flay sauce? ›

His fry sauce in particular has become a staple of Flay's, reflecting his signature style with a spicy twist. The best part about the recipe for Bobby Flay's fry sauce? It requires just three ingredients: mayonnaise, roasted red pepper puree, and adobo sauce.

Is canned cranberry sauce better than homemade? ›

While there are some editors who prefer homemade cranberry sauce, the canned variety also has quite a following. "There's something so beautifully perfect about the texture of canned cranberry sauce, and none of those homemade mess will ever compete," says Senior Digital Food Editor Kimberly Holland.

Read On ›

Why is the label on canned cranberry sauce upside down? ›

The cans are "filled and labeled upside down with the rounded edge on top and the sharp can-like edge on the bottom to keep the jelly whole." This creates an air bubble vacuum on the rounded side (the top) so customers "can swipe the edge of the can with a knife to break the vacuum and the log will easily slide out."

Find Out More ›

How do you tame tartness in cranberry sauce? ›

Add A Splash Of Vinegar

While citrus is a natural pairing for cranberry sauce, bright, savory vinegars like sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar play well with the bitter-tart berries. Start with a little, then add more gradually.

Keep Reading ›

Why does my homemade sauce taste bitter? ›

Leaf states that this can be due to burning the sauce in the pot or simply dealing with a batch of produce that are overly acidic or metallic from canning or cooking. This can also come from under-ripe or low-quality tomatoes, as well as stirring in a hefty amount of tomato paste, per Boss The Kitchen.

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Why are my cranberries bitter? ›

Cranberries are generally considered safe whether they are cooked or raw. However, because of their notoriously bitter, sharp taste, most people prefer not to eat them raw or unsweetened. This bitterness is due to the high tannin content of cranberries.

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How do you fix too sweet cranberry sauce? ›

Cranberry sauce is supposed to be a balance of sweet and tart. The sauce acts as a cleansing port in a tumultuous storm of fat and salt, but the effect is lost if the sauce is too sweet. Luckily, there is a very easy way to fix an over-sugared homemade sauce: You just need a little citric acid.

Get More Info ›