Cranberry Orange Sauce with Grand Marnier (Triple Orange Flavor)

Cranberry orange sauce with Grand Marnier makes traditional cranberry sauce a new citrusy favorite side dish for Thanksgiving, or any other time of year!

Originally published November 20th, 2012.

Seriously, if you’ve never made this cranberry orange sauce, don’t miss the chance to make it now, while cranberries are in season!

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 cranberry orange 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!

Why is this Grand Marnier Cranberry Orange 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 for triple the orange flavor, and it’s so good!

How else can I use this Orange Cranberry Sauce?

If you have any leftover sauce, 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 super light and fluffly (no butter) cranberry orange muffins!

Can I Freeze Cranberry Orange 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 orange cranberry cake!

How Long Will Cranberry Orange Sauce 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 the sauce 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!

The cranberries will explode 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

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

An orange flavored cranberry sauce that will knock everyone's socks off!

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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

1. Put the orange slices in a small food processor or blender and make into puree.
2. 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.
3. The cranberries will break and pop, and eventually look like cranberry sauce. Stir in the Grand Marnier liqueur and remove from heat.
4. Serve hot or cold.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: one serving
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 63Total Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

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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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