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Chocolate Covered Cranberry Sauce

Chocolate covered cranberry sauce with burst-cranberry texture and a glossy dark chocolate swirl. Simmered with orange juice, then chilled until thick enough to spoon over turkey, cheesecake, or ice cream.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup water
  • 0.25 cup orange juice
Chocolate swirl
  • 3 oz dark chocolate (60-70%), chopped
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.06 salt
  • 1 dark chocolate shavings for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the cranberry sauce
  1. Bring sugar, water, and orange juice to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the liquid looks clear and glossy.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and simmer 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens to a spoonable consistency with some intact skins.
Melt in the chocolate
  1. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in chopped dark chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt until fully melted and glossy, about 1 minute.
Chill and garnish
  1. Cool the chocolate cranberry sauce to room temperature, then chill until cold and set, so it holds shape when spooned.
  2. Top with dark chocolate shavings and serve alongside turkey or spoon over cheesecake or ice cream.

Notes

Pro tip: use chopped chocolate while the hot cranberry sauce is off the burner so it melts smoothly without scorching. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a dairy-free swap, keep the chocolate dairy-free (many dark chocolates are), and the recipe remains naturally dairy-free.