I’m perpetually haunted by the ghost of cranberries Christmas past. One of the rare few fresh ingredients that remains firmly out of season and unavailable most of the year, the impulse to stock up is irresistible. Surely, there will come a time in mid-July when I absolutely NEED whole cranberries, right? It’s only reasonable to toss an extra two or three bags in the freezer while you can.

Then, the holidays roll around again and I still have those two or three bags from last year exactly where I left them.

It’s time to finally end the cycle. The solution, as with many problems, involves a more spirited approach.

What Is a Cordial?

Cranberry cordial is the easiest and most gratifying way to make festive fruit liqueur that the whole family (ages 21 and up, please) can enjoy. In the US, “cordial” and “liqueur” are often used interchangeably, generally referring to sweetened spirits flavored with fruits, herbs, spices, or other ingredients. Across the pond, however, ordering a cordial may get you a non-alcoholic fruit syrup instead, so choose your words carefully.

For this seasonal tipple, whole cranberries are steeped in alcohol with sugar and spices, slowly surrendering their color and tartness to make a more balanced little aperitif. Marvelously low-effort, affordable, and requires almost no intervention beyond 10 minutes of active cook time, hoarding excess cranberries will never be a problem again.

Low Effort, High Spirits

After a few weeks, you’re left with a jewel-toned, intensely cranberry-flavored cordial that’s equally at home mixed into cocktails, topped off with sparkling water, or sipped straight when the weather calls for something warming. Better still, the cranberries themselves aren’t finished yet. Plump, boozy, and thoroughly infused, they have one more job to do.

Saucy Second Act

Simply toss those spent cranberries back into a sauce pan and simmer them into a thoroughly boozy cranberry sauce, the likes of which are guaranteed to make a stuffy Thanksgiving gathering considerably more interesting. Waste not, want not, and never let perfectly good liquor-soaked fruit go unceremoniously into the compost.

It seems like old habits die hard; now I have a new reason to stock the freezer before cranberries vanish from stores again.

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Yield: Makes About 4 Cups (16 Servings)

Cranberry Cordial

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Turn an overabundance of cranberries into something worth raising a glass to. This easy cranberry cordial combines tart whole cranberries with orange, warm spices, sugar, and vodka for a jewel-toned homemade liqueur that's festive in cocktails, delicious with sparkling water, and even better when you discover the boozy berries can be transformed into cranberry sauce afterward.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 1 month

Total Time 1 month 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 Cups (12 Ounces) Fresh Cranberries
• 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 Cup Water or Cranberry Juice
• 1 Orange, Halved
• 1 Stick Cinnamon
• 1 Star Anise
• 1/2 Inch Fresh Ginger
• 2 Cups Vodka

Instructions

1. In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, sugar, water or juice, halved orange, cinnamon stick, star anise, and ginger. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes.
   
2. Cool completely before transferring to a large glass jar. Add the vodka and shake gentle to combine. Store in the fridge for roughly 1 month, shaking once a week. Strain before serving.
   
3. Don't toss those boozy cranberries after straining! Discard the orange and whole spices, then transfer the spent berries to a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your desired consistency, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust with more sugar or a splash of orange juice as needed. Cool completely before serving. The sauce will keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  Simply Organic, Cinnamon Sticks, 1.13 oz
• 
  Frontier Co-op, Organic Whole Star Anise Select, 16 oz
• 
  Wholesome, Organic Cane Sugar, 4 lbs (1.81 kg)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 231Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 2gSugar: 35gProtein: 0g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

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