If you really want to impress your holiday guests, serve this homemade sweet and spicy Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce recipe packed full of festive heat.
The holidays are in full swing and you know what that means. It’s time to break out those family recipes! Cranberry sauce is a staple at every holiday table. In my house, we often have the argument of canned vs. homemade cranberry sauce and end up with about three different kinds on the table every year. I’m not complaining because the more cranberry saucen the better!
One of my favorite versions is this homemade Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce recipe which makes an appearance at our holiday dinners every year! It’s a great twist on the traditional cranberry sauce you’re used to with a nice little kick from fresh jalapeños. Your taste buds will be dancing with the fun flavor combination of this sauce. You’ll also love how easy it is to make. This unique cranberry sauce only takes a few ingredients and less than 30 minutes! Once you see how simple it is to make your own cranberry sauce, you’ll never go back to store bought again.
Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce Recipe
I’ll tell you, this Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce recipe isn’t super spicy. It just has a spicy flavor in the background of the sauce. The perfect amount of heat, if you ask me. However, if you do love spicy foods, feel free to add an extra jalapeño! In a typical cranberry sauce, you often see fresh orange juice and zest in the recipe. Here though we’re using lime zest and juice because jalapeño and lime go together like…well jalapeño and lime. This recipe also doesn’t use as much sugar as typical cranberry sauces, which means it’s not overly sweet. It’s a great balance of subtly sweet, tangy, and spicy. What more could you want in a cranberry sauce this holiday season?
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup jalapeños (1 large or 2 small), seeded and minced
- 1/4 cup lime juice (2 limes)
- Zest from two limes
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Rinse cranberries in water and discard any that are shriveled or bruised.
- In a medium size saucepan, add cranberries, granulated sugar, jalapeños, lime juice, lime zest, and water. Stir to combine.
- Cook over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat and cook until the cranberries start bursting.
- Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let cool.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Adjust the amount of jalapeño depending on your desired level of spiciness.

We hope you love this Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce recipe from SoFabFood Home Chef, Megan from A Dash of Megnut, as much as we do. If you enjoyed this recipe, you can find more like it by visiting our Side Dish Section. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply