Cranberry Spread with Brown Sugar, Bourbon, and Rosemary
If you’re looking for a new twist on cranberries to add to your Thanksgiving feast, this simple and flavorful cranberry spread is ready for the job. It comes together quickly and tastes delicious with freshly carved turkey or spread on the leftover turkey sandwich the next day.
I like cranberries, so I’m not sure why I haven’t created a single cranberry recipe to share with you. Perhaps it is a very simple reason: my mom always makes the cranberry sauce for our Thanksgiving celebration. It’s one of the dishes I never need to fit into my list of recipes to prep, bake, and cook during the week that leads up to our Thursday feast.
This year, everything is different and that includes our menu and its preparation here at the farmhouse. While we won’t have as many gathered at our holiday table, we’re still going to mark the holiday with our favorite flavors. Turkey and cranberry are near the top of the list.
Since this year’s celebration was going to be different already, I decided that I might as well see what sort of cranberry recipe I could create. I wanted to go in a different direction and not simply recreate the cranberry cherry recipe that my mom makes every year.
So, I gathered together a few ingredients that I thought would create a delicious combination. I started with fresh cranberries from a local farm, a bright green sprig of rosemary from our garden, brown sugar, and a bottle of bourbon.
I knew that brown sugar and bourbon were a delicious combination thanks to the large collection of recipes using both ingredients I have been making for years. From peach pie to applesauce, cinnamon rolls to caramel popcorn, you’ll learn rather quickly that I love the combination of brown sugar and bourbon. That’s rather ironic considering that I don’t enjoy drinking it. I sure do love cooking and baking with it.
I decided to follow the recipe I make each summer for Savory Husk Cherry and Rosemary Jam with a few changes to better suit the cranberries. It came together just as easily as that tried and true recipe. All of the ingredients went into the pot, I turned on the heat, and I went about the business of waiting for it to bubble and transform into a jammy combination of textures and flavors.
It didn’t take long for me to see that this cranberry goodness looked just how I hoped it would, so I removed it from the heat and allowed it to cool a little. I knew that the proof would be in the tasting, so I dipped a spoon in and took a bite. It was fruity, bold, just sweet enough, and delightfully delicious.
By the time the spread was room temperature, it was mid-afternoon on a Sunday. It was growing dark outside and I had a bit of time before starting on dinner. That was all the encouragement I needed to start pulling snacks and nibbles from the refrigerator, pantry, and kitchen counter. In minutes, I had Sourdough Crackers from the counter, Boursin Cheese from the refrigerator, the slightly warm cranberry spread, and a crisp local apple from the pantry.
While I hadn’t planned it, this combination turned out to be a delicious one. The Boursin Cheese and cranberry were such a fabulous pairing that I started dreaming of a crisp slice of toasted bread spread with Boursin Cheese, a healthy portion of leftover Thanksgiving turkey, and a topping of this new cranberry spread. I simply can’t wait to make one and start a new tradition that we can continue next year when we’re all gathered around our family table.
My Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes
I’ve gathered all of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes together in case you’re looking for a little inspiration for your feast. Along with the recipes, you’ll find my simple Tips for Making a Flaky Pie Crust, How to Roast your Thanksgiving Turkey Without a Roasting Rack, and How to Make Bone Broth with the inedible leftover bits from the turkey and roasting pan. I’ve also included my technique post on How to Make a Roux and Put it to Good Use and the recipe for Velouté Sauce just in case you need a refresher.
Cranberry Spread with Brown Sugar, Bourbon, and Rosemary
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cranberries , fresh or frozen
- 6 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoon bourbon
- 4 inch sprig fresh rosemary , left whole
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the berries, brown sugar, bourbon, and salt and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer before reducing the heat to low. Using the back of a large spoon or a potato masher, gently crush the fruit to break the skins and release the juice. Add the sprig of rosemary to the pan and continue to simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened to your liking.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt or sugar to suit your preference.
- This savory jam can be stored in a Mason jar in the refrigerator for several weeks. It is delicious spread on bread for a leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwich. It is equally delicious served at room temperature with our Boursin Cheese, Sourdough Crackers, and your favorite snacks and nibbles.