Looking to add some excitement to your holiday table? Our Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce takes the traditional cranberry sauce you know and love and gives it an unexpected but delicious kick of heat. Like our classic orange cranberry sauce, this version comes together in just 15 minutes and can be made days in advance. Adding jalapeños creates a perfect balance of sweet, tart, and spicy, elevating everything from turkey to sandwiches. Say goodbye to the canned stuff – once you try this homemade version, you’ll never go back.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
The beauty of this spicy cranberry sauce lies in its simple, fresh ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
In the printable recipe below, you can find a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
- Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries work equally well. Their natural pectin helps thicken the sauce as it cools, so there is no need to thaw the frozen cranberries.
- Jalapeños: Fresh jalapeños add a bright, spicy kick. Remove the seeds and membranes for milder heat, or leave some in for extra spice.
- Orange Juice and Zest: Fresh-squeezed orange juice and zest add brightness and help balance the heat and tartness. Don’t substitute it with bottled juice – fresh juice makes a noticeable difference.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar helps balance the cranberries’ tartness and the jalapeños’ heat.
- Salt: A small amount enhances all the flavors and creates balance. Don’t skip this ingredient!
How to Make Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce
Here are the quick step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions with the exact ingredients in the recipe card below.
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Pro-tip: Start with less jalapeño and taste as you go. You can always add more heat, but you can’t take it away! For consistent heat distribution, finely dice the jalapeños and add them at the beginning of cooking to let their flavor infuse throughout the sauce.
1. Combine Liquid Ingredients: In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine sugar, water, orange juice, and salt. Bring to a boil.
2 Add Cranberries And Jalapeños: Once boiling, add the cranberries, jalapeños, and orange zest. Return to a boil.
3. Simmer and Cook: Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most cranberries burst and the sauce thickens.
4. Allow to Cool: Transfer the jalapeno cranberry sauce to a serving bowl and let it cool completely. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This jalapeño cranberry sauce is perfect for making ahead of time. In fact, we recommend preparing it 1-2 days before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together and the sauce to reach the perfect consistency. Plus, it’s one less thing to worry about on the big day!
How to Store: Once cooled completely, transfer the sauce to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. The flavors will continue to develop over the first few days, and the heat from the jalapeños may intensify slightly.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Control the heat. For milder heat, remove all seeds and membranes from the jalapeños. For medium heat, leave some seeds. For a spicier sauce, include all seeds and membranes.
- Don’t rush the cooking. Listen for the cranberries to “pop” – this releases their natural pectin and helps the sauce thicken properly.
- Use fresh oranges. The combination of fresh orange juice and zest significantly improves the flavor compared to bottled juice.
- Watch the simmer. Keep the heat at medium to avoid scorching the sugars at the bottom of the pan.
- Cool completely. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools due to the pectin in the cranberries, so don’t worry if it seems thin while hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can control the heat by adjusting the amount of jalapeños and whether you include the seeds. Start with less – you can always add more heat, but you can’t take it away.
When stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will last 7-10 days.
While perfect with the traditional turkey, this sauce is versatile! Try it on sandwiches (especially leftover turkey sandwiches), cheese boards and crackers, grilled or roasted pork, mixed into cream cheese for a spicy spread, or as a glaze for meatballs or chicken wings.
If it is too thick, thin with a bit of orange juice or water. If it is too thin, continue cooking until more liquid evaporates, keeping in mind that it will thicken significantly as it cools.
More Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this holiday recipe, we recommend checking out some of these other Thanksgiving recipes.
- Southern Cornbread Dressing – Made with cornbread, celery, onions, and sage, this dressing is a Thanksgiving favorite and is also delicious with chicken or pork. This cornbread casserole is the classic comfort food side.
- Southern Green Bean Casserole – This side dish skips the canned soup in favor of fresh ingredients and hand-breaded crispy onions. It is simple enough for weeknight dinners yet elegant enough to impress at holiday gatherings.
- Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole – This easy make-ahead casserole recipe is a twist on a classic Thanksgiving side. Made with sweet potatoes, brown sugar, a couple of splashes of bourbon, and topped with candied pecans.
Let’s Connect! If you make this recipe or any other recipe on Casual Epicure, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are considering making our recipes and we love hearing about your cooking experiences. And if you snapped some shots, share them on Instagram, and be sure to tag @casual.epicure so we can feature them in our stories.
Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce
This recipe may contain paid affiliate sales links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclaimer policy for details.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup sugar
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
- ½ cup orange juice, from two medium oranges
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine sugar, water, orange juice, jalapeños, and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Add the cranberries and orange zest and return to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and boil gently for 10 to 12 minutes until most of the cranberries have burst open, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer sauce to a serving bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Note: The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.