This raspberry balsamic cranberry sauce is an easy and delicious twist for your Thanksgiving feast.
I know, raspberry balsamic cranberry sauce…in September?
Here’s the deal: Canadian Thanksgiving is October 13, which is about three weeks away.
In that time, I am going back to work, throwing Kai’s first birthday party, and hosting Thanksgiving. So, I thought I would get the Thanksgiving recipes rolling a little sooner than normal!
And if you’re American, I am reeeally early. Bookmark this one for November, it’s a keeper!
I take my cranberry sauce verrrry seriously. It has pretty well always been my job {even before I got all ‘into’ food}, to make the cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, whenever we were having a turkey. I totally got off easy when I consider the amount of work it takes to cook the turkey 😉 {By the way: the BEST EVER turkey recipe, hands down, is this one}
And about the turkey: I won’t even bother unless there is cranberry sauce involved. A big scoop of that sweet, tart, gooey sauce. I like my cranberry sauce with a little bit of turkey, please!
I can’t even wrap my brain around the fact that they sell cranberry sauce in a can…people must buy it, because every year, it’s back. It takes about 10 minutes to make cranberry sauce. I know, there’s the turkey, stuffing, sides, dessert, etc etc etc. But it’s the cranberry sauce!! {Tell me I’m not alone in my cranberry sauce passion, here!}
OK, stepping down from my crazy lady cranberry sauce rant.
I wanted to make my own cranberry sauce recipe, something a little different. But not too different, I didn’t want to mess with a good thing. I almost went chipotle on it, but I have done a lot of chipotle recipes this summer.
Instead I went raspberry on it. Then a little balsamic on it. Both good decisions. This raspberry balsamic cranberry sauce is definitely not the same as the original, but still has the tart, sweet flavors that I love so much. There is a fresh raspberry twang to it, and a teeny little balsamic zing at the end. Twang and zing…am I making up words here?
One Three more things: 1} it still only takes about 10 minutes to make, and 2} it is much prettier than those can-shapped wobbly things, and 3} your taste buds will think they’ve died and gone to heaven. And I’m done.
More Thanksgiving recipes for us!
- get a TON of ideas from this round-up of 27 Holiday Slow Cooker Recipes
- these Herb & Garlic Potato Stacks will are secretly super easy
- this Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Salted Brown Butter Pecan Streusel takes pumpkin pie to the next level
RASPBERRY BALSAMIC CRANBERRY SAUCE
A delicious twist on the traditional cranberry sauce recipe, using fresh raspberries and a dash of raspberry balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
- 3 tsp raspberry balsamic vinegar {good quality}
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar, and bring to a boil, stirring until all sugar is dissolved.
- Add the cranberries and raspberries and simmer for 5 or so minutes, until most of cranberries have popped.
- Stir in the balsamic vinegar and allow to cool before serving.
- Must be stored in the refrigerator.
I like your cranberry rant! 🙂 Because I happen to agree! I have to admit, my cranberry sauce is always pretty plain and traditional. I love the raspberry and balsamic with this! And the idea of chipotle cranberry sauce is basically blowing my mind!
What can I say…I love my cranberry sauce 😉 Maybe I should try to make a chipotle cranberry sauce…it does sound like a good flavor combo!
I’m like you, I like a TON of cranberry sauce with my turkey. It’s all about that salty and sweet. Love that you added raspberry. Yum!
Yay, another cranberry sauce addict 🙂 You’re right, that savory sweet is totally why I love cranberry sauce, because I don’t really care for it on it’s own. Thanks, Natalie!
I love home-made cranberry sauce! I didn’t even know that there was raspberry balsamic vinegar, this I have to try! Sounds like this will be perfect for your Thanksgiving meal, Denise! And I’m definitely pinning this one for November! 🙂
A friend of mine gave us a really nice bottle of the raspberry-balsamic vinegar, and it is so delicious! We put it on our salads and it has enough flavor that it doesn’t need anything else. Thanks, Gayle!
I always find cranberry sauce too tart and never thought of adding anything to sweeten it up. Love the additions of raspberries and balsamic vinegar – adding sweetness and richness to the tartness of the cranberries – great idea! Pinning for November. Thanks, Denise!
I made a few versions of this and at first it was SO tart, almost bitter. I had to up the sugar to ‘mask’ the tartness a bit, so it is sweet, and a bit tart. Thanks, Geraldine!
I love homemade cranberries too! We just started making them last year and were astounded with how delicious and easy they were. I love adding balsamic vinegar to roasted strawberries and bet it tastes great in these cranberries. I’m totally book marking this recipe for November 🙂
Karen, the strawberry-balsamic flavor combination is to die for, isn’t it? That’s where I got my inspiration for this recipe. Although the balsamic is pretty toned down, but could easily be increased for more balsamic flavors.
Denise, I love your idea to add raspberries in the cranberry sauce. I’ve only made cranberry sauce once, and it was too tart for me. I’m pinning this, and I don’t care if it’s September. 🙂 Good luck with all of your plans!
Thanks, Andrea! I find that adding more sugar masks the tartness of the cranberries a bit. But I do like the tart flavors, so it could be personal preference 😉
This cranberry sauce looks all kinds of amazing!! I will be for sure be making this for Canadian thanksgiving – it sounds delicious! I’m bringing Canadian thanksgiving to Belgium this year and introducing it to my in laws here!! 🙂 One of my fav. holidays for sure!
I didn’t realize you were in Belgium! Good for you for throwing a Thanksgiving dinner, I lived in Australia for a few years and really missed my turkey dinner that time of year (even though it was their spring).
I would want to eat this by the spoonful!
Thanks, Bianca! There was a bit of spoon licking, for sure. Taste testing is a very serious job 😉
Oh, I just love this twist! Can I celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving AND American Thanksgiving? I definitely wouldn’t mind stuffing myself twice. 🙂
I don’t see why you can’t celebrate both, you can be an honorary Canadian 😉
Your pictures make me want to eat this sauce with a spoon. Simply gorgeous, Denise! And I totally agree – making your own is so simple and tastes sooo much better than the stuff from a can. Definitely bookmarking this one!
I’m glad you are on board with the homemade stuff, Kathi! So much better!
Absolutely bookmarking this one! I bet that touch of vinegar and raspberries makes this spectacular! Great pics!
That cranberry sauce looks incredible! I am all about the cranberry sauce too – the turkey is just the side to me 🙂 I love that you added raspberries – no need for the spoon I would just want to inhale that entire bowl 😉
It’s never too early to start with gathering Thanksgiving recipes and ideas. I can’t wait to make this sauce. It looks spectacular Denise. You must be feeling sort of anxious about everything that’s coming your way and going back to work.
Loving this beautiful ruby red sauce! I bet it tastes amazing!
Oh, you are SO not alone in being a crazy-cranberry-obsessed lady. I’m right there alongside ‘ya skipping the turkey and mashed potatoes to stuff my face with cranberry sauce instead. —This is SUCH a gorgeous twist on classic cranberry sauce—love the addition of rasberries and balsamic and omg the color is so freaking gorgeous! Pinned. 🙂
omg so much better than a regular cranberry sauce! saving this for thanksgiving!!
I have to be honest with you, I’ve never once made my own cranberry sauce and I always buy the congealed canned one. In a gross way I kinda like it. But yours looks so much better and I love the addition of the raspberries and balsamic! I will have to try to make this for Thanksgiving this year and surprise everyone with something new! Also, I love your blue bowl 🙂
OMG how have I never made cranberry sauce before? This looks totally yummy! I’m definitely gonna try to make it this Thanksgiving, no more canned cranberry sauce for me! Yay!
Hi Trang! YOu should totally try making your own cranberry sauce, it is SO easy!
This cranberry sauce sounds amazing!!!
Thanks Marla! And thanks for linking it!