Wine Cranberry Sauce with Zinfandel

Wine cranberry sauce with Zinfandel brings bold flavor and elegance to your holiday table. Tart cranberries simmered in spiced red wine with hints of orange and warm cinnamon create a sauce that’s vibrant, aromatic, and far superior to anything that comes from a can. Whether you’re making Thanksgiving dinner or a festive roast in December, this recipe transforms simple ingredients into a beautifully balanced side dish that feels gourmet but is surprisingly easy to make.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

this recipe

• 🍷 Elevated flavor – Zinfandel adds rich, fruity depth
• 🕰️ Make-ahead magic – Preps beautifully up to a week in advance
• 🍊 Bright & bold – Fresh cranberries, orange peel, and warm spices
• 🎉 Holiday ready – Perfect for turkey, ham, pork, or cheese boards
• 🫙 Freezer-friendly – Keeps for months, ideal for meal prepping

This cranberry sauce is sweet, tart, spiced, and infused with red wine. It’s everything a festive condiment should be.

Ingredients

For the wine syrup:

• 1¾ cups red Zinfandel
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• Peel from half an orange

For the cranberries:

• 12 oz (about 3 cups) fresh whole cranberries

Instructions

1. Make the Spiced Wine Base

In a medium saucepan, combine red Zinfandel, both sugars, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and orange peel.
Stir gently over medium-high heat until sugars dissolve completely.

2. Simmer

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reduces slightly.

3. Strain

Pour the reduced wine mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot. Discard the solids (spices and peel).

4. Cook the Cranberries

Add fresh cranberries to the strained wine syrup. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most berries pop and the mixture thickens.

5. Cool and Chill

Remove from heat. Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2–4 hours, preferably overnight. The sauce will continue to thicken as it chills.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 10–15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
• Chill Time: 2–4 hours (or overnight)
• Total Time: ~3 hours
• Servings: 6–8

Nutrition Facts (Per Recipe – Approx.)

• Calories: 1500 (entire recipe)
• Protein: 1–2g
• Fat: 0–1g
• Carbohydrates: 340–360g
• Fiber: 6–8g

(Serving size: ~2 tbsp = approx. 100–120 calories)

Tips & Variations

🔁 Substitution Ideas:

• Wine: Swap Zinfandel for Merlot or Cabernet. For non-alcoholic, use cranberry or pomegranate juice (use 1 cup instead of 1¾).
• Spices: No whole cloves? Use ¼ tsp ground cloves. No cinnamon sticks? Use 1 tsp ground cinnamon.
• Sweeteners: Replace sugars with honey or maple syrup (use ¾ of the amount and reduce wine slightly).
• Citrus: Lemon peel or orange juice concentrate can substitute for fresh orange peel.

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

• Overheating: Boiling too hard evaporates the wine and burns sugars. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
• Removing spices too soon: Let them infuse the full simmering time for bold flavor.
• Over-mashing: Keep some whole berries intact for the best texture.
• Skipping the chill: The sauce sets and tastes better after resting overnight.

Wine Cranberry Sauce with Zinfandel

Tart cranberries simmered in spiced Zinfandel wine create an elegant, make-ahead cranberry sauce that elevates any holiday meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 1500

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• #### Wine Syrup:
• – 1¾ cups red Zinfandel wine
• – 1 cup granulated sugar
• – 1 cup packed brown sugar
• – 6 whole cloves
• – 2 cinnamon sticks
• – ¼ tsp ground allspice
• – Peel from half an orange
• #### Cranberries:
• – 12 oz fresh whole cranberries about 3 cups

Equipment

• Medium saucepan
• – Whisk or wooden spoon
• Fine mesh strainer
• – Airtight container

Method

 

1. Combine wine, sugars, spices, and orange peel in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
2. Simmer on low for 15 minutes until slightly reduced.
3. Strain the mixture into a new pot, discarding solids.
4. Add cranberries and cook for 10 minutes until berries burst and mixture thickens.
5. Let cool to room temp. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2–4 hours or overnight.

Notes

– Store in fridge up to 2 weeks
– Freeze up to 6 months
– Use frozen cranberries straight from the freezer
– Serve chilled or at room temperature

FAQs

Q: Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes, straight from frozen — no need to thaw.

Q: Can I make it ahead of time?
Absolutely! Make it 2–3 days in advance or freeze up to 6 months.

Q: Is there a non-alcoholic version?
Yes, sub Zinfandel with cranberry or pomegranate juice and reduce the amount.

Q: How do I serve it?
With turkey, ham, pork roast, grilled chicken, or even over brie with crackers.

Q: Can I double the recipe?
Yes, just use a larger pot and extend simmer times slightly.

Conclusion

This wine cranberry sauce with Zinfandel delivers the perfect balance of sweet, tart, and spiced with a sophisticated wine-forward twist. It’s a make-ahead dream, an instant upgrade to your holiday meal, and an unexpected star on everything from turkey sandwiches to cheese boards.

So skip the canned stuff this year and stir up something truly special. One taste, and this recipe might just become your new holiday tradition.