Quick and Easy Cranberry Compote Recipe: Ready in Just 10 Minutes

Quick and easy cranberry compote recipe ready in 10 minutes feature image close up in decorative dish with spoon

5 from 1 vote

Quick and Easy Cranberry Compote Recipe: Ready in Just 10 Minutes

This 10-minute, make-ahead friendly, simple-ingredient Cranberry Compote gives you a bright citrus lift with almost no effort. It uses fresh cranberries and orange cooked briefly on the stovetop for a balanced, lightly sweet sauce that works for both holiday plates and everyday meals.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Optional Resting Time20

Total Time35

Course: Sauce, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 88kcal

Author: Jami Powell

Equipment

Medium saucepan
Microplane for zesting
Citrus juicer
Wooden spoon

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh cranberries about 3 cups
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
⅓ cup granulated sugar compote uses less sugar than sauce
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Zest of 1 orange
Optional for true compote texture: ¼ cup dried cherries dried cranberries, or golden raisins

Instructions

Rinse the fresh cranberries and discard any soft or damaged berries. Zest and juice the orange.
Add the orange juice, sugar, and cinnamon to a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves.
Add the cranberries to the warm liquid and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want only 30–50% of the berries to burst. The rest should stay whole so the compote remains chunky.
Remove from heat. Stir in the orange zest and any optional dried fruit.
Let it rest 10 minutes. Compote thickens as it stands but should remain chunky with whole cranberries throughout.

Video

Notes

Storage Store cooled cranberry orange compote in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Freeze Freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove.

Reheat To reheat compote, warm in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave in 30-second intervals.

Substitutions

Orange Juice: Swap for pomegranate juice for a tangier flavor.
Sugar: Use brown sugar or maple syrup for a richer sweetness.
Cinnamon: Replace with nutmeg or cardamom.

Adjustments Cooking time may need to be adjusted based on the geography of the area (high vs. low elevation), cookware (stoneware vs traditional bakeware), and outdoor temperature if grilling.

Nutrition information is only an estimate

Nutrition