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Orange Amaretto Cranberry Sauce

Orange amaretto cranberry sauce that simmers until the berries burst, then turns glossy and thick after a quick amaretto-orange zest stir. Chill for a spoonable texture and finish with toasted almonds right before serving.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Orange Amaretto Cranberry Sauce
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 0.25 cup amaretto
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 0.1 salt pinch
  • 2 tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

Method
 

Simmer the cranberry base
  1. Bring sugar, orange juice, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and you see active bubbling.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, with occasional stirring so it stays glossy.
Finish, cool, and chill
  1. Remove from heat and stir in amaretto and orange zest until evenly combined and fragrant.
  2. Cool completely, then chill before serving until set and spoonable.
Serve
  1. Top the chilled sauce with toasted sliced almonds just before serving.

Notes

For the best texture, simmer only until the berries burst and the sauce noticeably thickens—if it reduces too far, it can gel hard after chilling. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze up to 1 month, then thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter version, replace sugar with an equal amount of a no-calorie sweetener blend designed for cooking (check packaging for 1:1 substitution guidance).