3-Ingredient Cranberry Compote
I love a sour fruit situation. Cranberries meet my need for a little sweet and a big pucker, every time. This cranberry compote is the perfect topping for cheesecakes (check out this Rosemary Cheesecake), pavlova’s, or even spooned-over biscuits.
The resulting mixture has the perfect sweet-to-sour ratio with a little chew from the cranberries themselves. It also adds a vibrant pop of color to any dish and who doesn’t want that?
The best part is how easy it is to make. It’s only three ingredients and one pot. Stir together over your stove and this delicious topping comes together in just a few minutes!
Whether it’s the season for fresh or frozen cranberries, cook up an easy batch and add a little color to your next dish! Side thought this would be amazing in a parfait – a little Greek yogurt, some granola, and this? YUM!
COMPOTE vs JAM vs SAUCE
There are so many delicious (and easy!) ways to play with fruit and with only three core ingredients: sugar, citrus juice, and the fruit itself. You can make a sauce to layer with crepes, a jam to go between linzer cookies, or a compote to top a delicious pavlova, but what’s the difference?
It really comes down to technique and heating. For a sauce, you’ll heat it until the sugar has dissolved before blending and straining to get that smooth texture. With a compote, you’ll bring it to a gentle boil, thicken it, and remove it from the heat. Jam takes the longest on the heat, as you need to cook it down to get it nice and thick (usually around that 221F mark) before removing from the heat to cool.
Basically, how do you want to use it?
(sorry, coming soon with a website update – full recipe available at the bottom!)
INGREDIENTS
- (sorry, coming soon with a website update – full recipe available at the bottom!)
(sorry, coming soon with a website update – full recipe available at the bottom!)
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY COMPOTE
(sorry, coming soon with a website update – full recipe available at the bottom!)
3 reasons you’ll love this dessert
TIPS & CALLOUTS
- As you cook your compote on the stove, be sure not to overcook it. The mixture will look runny and you might think, “Shouldn’t this be thicker? Should I leave it on the stove a little longer?” No! Your mixture will thicken as it cools. We’re going for a slightly thickened, saucy fruit vibe here – not jam
- You can make your cranberry compote in advance, as you do want it to be cool ahead of spooning onto your cheesecake. I made mine a day ahead of time, let it cool at room temperature, and then covered it with a lid before popping it in the fridge. Just give it a quick stir before adding on top of your cheesecake.
- I listed frozen cranberries for this recipe as those are the easiest to find year-round but feel free to use fresh. Frozen will likely bring out more liquid, so you might need to reserve a tablespoon or so of extra orange juice if you’re using fresh, to add to your pot.
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
(sorry, coming soon with a website update – full recipe available at the bottom!)
MORE CRANBERRY RECIPES
(sorry, coming soon with a website update – full recipe available at the bottom!)
Equipment
- Medium Pot
- Spoon
- Spatula
- Measuring Cups
- Heat-proof bowl
- Zester or Microplane
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen cranberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 orange juiced and zested
Instructions
- Place cranberries into a pot or frying pan over high heat, until juices start to release. Stir occasionally
- Add sugar and orange zest; stir
- Once the mixture begins to thicken, add orange juice and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and thicken for about 5-8 minutes, stirring often. The compote will thicken as it cools so don’t over-thicken in the pan, you want it to have a slight run to it after it cools and sets (this is not jam!)
- Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool. If making ahead, cool to room temperature, cover, and place in the fridge
