A festive butter spread that can be served for Thanksgiving, the Holidays, and special occasions year-round! This easy cranberry butter is a game-changer and can be enjoyed slathered on hot dinner rolls, baked bread, and more!
Admittedly, I am not a fan of cranberry sauce, fresh or canned. I’ve tried, but it just isn’t my thing. However, this cranberry butter is a great alternative for me, particularly at Thanksgiving! Instead of using cranberry sauce as a side for my turkey, I slather this easy cranberry butter onto warm dinner rolls. Believe it or not, this butter also makes a great topping for pork chops. I enjoy this fruit-based butter so much that I make it year-round for special occasions.
Recipe note: This recipe calls for pure maple syrup. Do not use pancake syrup. You can substitute this ingredient with honey or agave syrup. However, it will change the overall flavor. It will still be delicious, but will have a slightly different flavor profile.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Frozen cranberries
- Pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- zest of 1 small orange
- Fresh-squeezed orange juice
- Salt
How to make Cranberry Butter
- Butter: Place the room temperature butter into a medium bowl.
- Cranberries: Chop and blot away excess juice from the cranberries with paper towels. If they release a lot of liquid, place them into a double layer of paper towels and gently wring them out. Add to the bowl with butter.
- Zest: Next, zest the orange, making sure to use only the orange-colored skin, avoiding the bitter white parts.
- Juice: Squeeze the juice from the orange, and add 1 tablespoon of the juice and all of the zest to the bowl. Reserve the remaining juice to use in another recipe.
- Remaining ingredients: Add the maple syrup and a pinch of salt, and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust the flavor to your liking.
- Refrigerate: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the butter mixture for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve: Gently stir once more before transferring it to a serving bowl. Serve the cranberry butter immediately.
Making Cranberry Butter Ahead of Time
If you’d like to prepare the butter spread beforehand, follow the instructions in the recipe card. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 8 weeks. Let the butter stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving. You can also roll the mixture in parchment paper and serve it as a compound butter, cold and unrolled.
Ways to Use Cranberry Butter
- Bread: Spread it on fresh-baked bread, dinner rolls, baguettes, crescent rolls, and biscuits.
- Meats: Use it as a topping for baked, pan-seared, or grilled pork, turkey, and chicken.
- Baked goods: Spread this cranberry butter on bran muffins or scones.
- Breakfast sides: Use it as a flavorful butter spread for pancakes, waffles, and Dutch baby pancakes.
- Butter board: Serve it along with a variety of other butter spreads and fixings to create the perfect butter board.
More Recipes to Enjoy!
- Pumpkin Pie Dip
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Sage Butter
- Fancy Green Bean Casserole
- Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Turkey Gravy (Quick and Easy!)
Easy Cranberry Butter
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 frozen cranberries
- 2 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup not pancake syrup
- zest of 1 small orange
- 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place the butter into a medium bowl.
- Chop and blot away excess juice from the cranberries with paper towels. If they release a lot of liquid, place them into a double layer of paper towels and gently wring them out. Add to the bowl with butter.
- Next, zest the orange, making sure to use only the orange-colored skin, avoiding the bitter white parts.
- Juice the orange, and add 1 tablespoon of the juice and all of the zest to the bowl. Reserve the remaining juice to use in another recipe.
- Add the maple syrup and a pinch of salt, and stir well to combine.
- Taste and adjust the flavor to your liking.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the butter mixture for 15-20 minutes.
- Gently stir once more before transferring it to a serving bowl.
- Serve the cranberry butter immediately.
- Prepare this butter spread beforehand and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 8 weeks. Let the butter stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving. Or, roll the mixture in parchment paper and serve it as a traditional compound butter.
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