Orange cranberry sauce with Grand Marnier makes traditional cranberry sauce a new favorite side dish for Thanksgiving, or any other time of year!
Originally published November 20th, 2012.
I don’t know about the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I often prefer to contemplate how something may be improved, especially when it comes to food. Of course, there are many exceptions in traditional dishes that have been passed down over generations, but let’s talk about orange cranberry sauce right now.
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Yesterday, I volunteered to bring a dish to my daughter’s high school’s teacher appreciation luncheon. At the luncheon (as usual when I’m around), conversation turned to food. Another volunteer and I were discussing cranberry sauce. She mentioned Trader Joe’s orange cranberry version, which she really liked. (I’m a Trader Joe’s fan too, which you can probably tell from my copycat recipes like their mac and cheese, Danish pancakes and buttermilk pancake recipes!)
I told her I was going to make my own as I had a fabulous idea to add Grand Marnier to the sauce. She agreed that it sounded wonderful and that she would do the same.
Well, I have to say I was a bit deflated when I googled “Grand Marnier orange cranberry sauce” to find that “my” idea was not even slightly original. However, I did discover that none of the recipes I perused made the sauce the way I had intended, so I’m posting my own Grand Marnier orange cranberry sauce recipe after all!
What’s in this Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce that Makes it so Good?
I think the orange flavor (when only using orange juice, zest or concentrate) isn’t able to fight through the strong cranberry flavor, so my recipe uses two whole oranges, orange zest and Grand Marnier liqueur.
How else can I use this Orange Cranberry Sauce?
If you have any extra, you can serve it with pork, put it into baked goods, and one of my favorites: top a wheel of brie with a few spoonfuls, and cover with puff pastry! Once baked, it’s a gorgeous centerpiece to a cheese board. So you might want to make a double batch for the upcoming holiday season!
I bet you’ll also love these cranberry orange muffins!
Can I Freeze Orange Cranberry Sauce?
Yes! Once you take it out of the freezer and defrost it in the fridge, you can put it in a pot and reheat it and it will taste exactly the same as when you first made it.
If you love cranberry and orange flavors together, you’re going to love this cake!
How Long Will it Keep in the Refrigerator?
Although it would probably be fine for much longer given the sugar content, I would say that if you want to keep it longer than 5 or 6 days, put it in the freezer.
I love these fruits together so much, I also have an orange cranberry bread and butter pudding recipe!
Grand Marnier Orange Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 whole seedless oranges, zested then peeled and separated into about 6 parts
- 1 teaspoonful of orange zest (I like this tool for zesting citrus)
- 12 oz fresh cranberries, preferably organic
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) sugar
- 2 Tbsp Grand Marnier (or more to taste)
Put the orange parts in a small food processor or blender and make into a puree. Place in a small pot with the orange zest and sugar.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cranberries and cook, continuing to stir occasionally, over medium heat, for about 10 minutes.
The cranberries will expolde and pop, and eventually look like traditional cranberry sauce. Stir in the Grand Marnier liqueur and remove from heat.
Spoon into serving bowl or dish.
Serve Grand Marnier Orange Cranberry Sauce hot or cold.
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Grand Marnier Orange Cranberry Sauce
An orange flavored cranberry sauce that will knock everyone's socks off!
Ingredients
- 2 whole seedless oranges, zested then peeled and separated into about 6 parts
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) sugar
- 12 oz fresh cranberries, preferably organic
- 2 Tbsp Grand Marnier (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Put the orange slices in a small food processor or blender and make into puree.
- Place the pureed orange in a small pot with the orange zest and sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cranberries and cook, continuing to stir occasionally, over medium heat, for about 10 minutes.
- The cranberries will break and pop, and eventually look like cranberry sauce. Stir in the Grand Marnier liqueur and remove from heat.
- Serve hot or cold.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: one servingAmount Per Serving:Calories: 63Total Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 0g
Here’s a nice idea for a Thanksgiving turkey dish if you don’t want to cook a whole turkey. This cranberry sauce would go very nicely with it too!
Turkey Schnitzel with Leeks and Butter Sage Sauce
Finally, if you do make a whole turkey, here’s what to do with the leftovers–brilliant, no?
Genius Potato, Turkey and Stuffing Layered Leftovers
And a Nantucket cranberry pie for dessert!
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Can kids eat this?? Thanks!
Hi Veronica, since there’s only 2 Tbsp in the entire batch, I gave it to my kids, but that’s a parental decision. The alcohol is added at the end so it’s not cooked out, but again, the amount in it is truly negligible. :) Happy Thanksgiving!
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I’m happily re-tweeting this recipe today, as it has now become a favorite on our Thanksgiving table! Delicious!!
That’s awesome to hear, thanks so much, Betty!
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I made this tonight. *WINNER*
I added another splash of Grand Marnier. It’s going to be a hit at dinner tomorrow!
So happy you tried it and loved it, Sandy! Thanks for coming back to let me know, too! :) Merry Christmas!
I’ll have to take a note of this recipe, Christina. The only time I make this is in Scotland at my parents since it’s the only time we have a UK turkey Christmas. Many years ago found a recipe in their kitchen and added this booze to it to tempt French husband person into trying some with his turkey. No luck. Didn’t even taste it since he refuses to put “la confiture sur la viande”. Och. I’ll have to try yours next time and see what happens!
Hard to believe we didn’t know one another back then! Lovely recipe. Mark went rogue this year and just started adding things willy-nilly! We shall see what happens in a couple of hours!
Haha! That’s funny, hope it turns out well! Happy Thanksgiving, David!
It’s happened to me many times. I think that I’ve invented a recipe, and then come to find out it’s been around for years… Still, this sounds wonderful. Cranberry sauce for grown ups!
Haha! Glad to know I’m in good company, Frank! :)
Oh yes, this looks awesome. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks, Kristina!
One can’t go wrong with that combination! Excellent & classy.
Thank you!
That sounds amazing Christina. I do like a pimped up classic. I actually love leftover cranberry sauce with Greek yogurt for breakfast in the days after Christmas. So good.
That’s so tasty, too! THanks, Helen!
Everyone loves cranberry sauce in our house, but we never have anything as special as this. I can’t wait to try at Christmas.
Love the fruity flavor sauce, this is amazing perfect for any occasions. Great recipe.
Thanks, Sabrina!
[…] settle for ho-hum cranberry sauce when Christina of Christina’s Cucina upgrades hers with Grand […]
Your cranberry sauce sounds delicious with all those orange flavor notes. By the way, the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Mousse that you brought to FBLA was fantastically delicious. I had two pieces.
Thank you, Lynne! So glad you enjoyed the dessert-it’s one of my favorites! CC
Oh this sauce sounds wonderful.. I can almost taste it.. :)
You are so sweet!
Oooh, this does look yummy. I’m so making this tomorrow. I can’t wait for Thanksgiving!
I’m so glad! Happy Thanksgiving, Wendy!
Awesome, can taste it with my smoked turkey. Would need to use frozen cranberries- never seen a fresh one in Oz!!
Frozen cranberries would work just as well-but never having used them myself, I’d think there would be a higher water content so you may need to simmer it a little longer to get it as thick as you like. So happy you stopped by my blog, all the way from Australia!! :) CC