Description
Creamy cranberry butter brings festive holiday cheer straight from pioneer kitchen traditions. Rich crimson spread promises delightful warmth and seasonal comfort for your breakfast table and special gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits:
- 12 ounces (340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
Sweeteners:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
Liquids and Dairy:
- ½ cup (120 ml) orange juice
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Place fresh cranberries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring intermittently until berries rupture and transform into a glossy, thick compote.
- Allow the cranberry mixture to cool slightly, reducing its temperature to prevent butter from melting during blending.
- Introduce softened butter into the cooled cranberry compote, incorporating orange zest and vanilla extract for enhanced aromatic complexity.
- Whip the mixture vigorously until ingredients seamlessly integrate, creating a smooth, vibrant spread with marbled crimson and golden tones.
- Carefully transfer the cranberry butter into a decorative serving vessel or sealed glass container.
- Refrigerate for minimum one hour, permitting flavors to harmonize and develop deeper taste profile.
- Remove from refrigerator approximately 15 minutes before serving to achieve optimal spreadable consistency.
- Serve alongside warm breads, toasted bagels, or as a delightful accompaniment to morning pastries.
Notes
- Customize the sweetness by adjusting sugar levels to match your taste preferences, ensuring a perfectly balanced cranberry butter.
- Use unsalted butter for better control over the overall saltiness, allowing the cranberry and orange flavors to shine through.
- Experiment with different citrus zests like lemon or lime to create unique flavor variations that complement the tart cranberries.
- Freeze the cranberry butter in small portions for up to 3 months, providing a convenient make-ahead option for quick breakfast spreads or holiday gifts.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 16
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg