Maple Cranberry Mustard Sauce
This Cranberry Mustard Sauce Recipe is the perfect way to jazz up Thanksgiving leftovers or to serve with holiday appetizers!
Made with Dijon mustard, prepared cranberry sauce, and rich maple syrup, you can create a condiment worthy of bringing that leftover Turkey sandwich back to life.
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Holiday food is the best food and I feel strongly that the leftovers are even better than the main meal. This recipe is a fun way to add a festive spin on a traditional honey mustard dipping sauce by incorporating some holiday-inspired ingredients like cranberry sauce and Dijon mustard. For a New England twist, I like to use maple syrup for my sweetener, but you can totally use honey if you prefer.
If you’re looking for a versatile condiment that will refresh your Thanksgiving leftovers or a tasty way to use up leftover cranberry sauce, then this maple cranberry mustard is what you need!
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Ingredients
- Prepared cranberry sauce – You can use canned cranberry sauce or a homemade recipe made with fresh cranberries. If using canned cranberry sauce, I prefer the kind with whole cranberries because there is less sugar added.
- Dijon mustard – The Dijon adds a spicy kick and has a little more flavor than traditional yellow mustard.
- Pure Maple syrup or honey- Sweetener helps to tone down the tart cranberries and spicy mustard. I love using maple syrup for a nice change to a traditional cranberry honey mustard recipe. Do not use pancake syrup.
- Salt and black pepper – These are optional. The salt will cut the bitterness of the cranberries if needed, and the pepper will add an extra kick. Taste the sauce first before seasoning, you may not feel it needs it.
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient amounts.
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
The sauce is ready when it starts bubbling and the ingredients have melted together into a thick sauce.
Remove the cranberry mustard from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Give the sauce a taste, and add additional honey or maple syrup, a pinch of salt, and black pepper if desired.
Cool the mustard sauce to room temperature before transferring to a serving dish.
Tip: If you want a smooth dipping sauce, you can blend the cranberry mixture until smooth in a food processor, or use an immersion blender or regular blender. Do this after the sauce cools.
Substitutions and Variations
This is a simple sauce that is extremely versatile and adaptable to what your family loves! Feel free to use what you have on hand, and adjust the sweetness and tang to suit your taste. Here are a few variations that work well in this recipe:
- You can use smooth canned cranberry sauce in place of the whole cranberry variety.
- For extra sweetness and flavor add a squeeze of orange juice and a pinch of orange zest to the sauce.
- For extra tang, stir in some apple cider or red wine vinegar. Start with a teaspoon and add more to taste.
- Play around with the mustards. Whole grain mustard or stone ground mustard would work well in this recipe. If you have a homemade mustard recipe you love, definitely use that!
If you’re looking for a homemade cranberry sauce, try my version of Gordon Ramsay’s Cranberry Sauce. It’s super flavorful and made with fresh fruit and aromatic spices.
Servings Suggestions
- This mustard makes a great spread on sandwiches during the holiday season. Use it to jazz up leftover turkey sandwiches, ham sandwiches, and even grilled cheese sandwiches!
- Serve as a condiment alongside tender pork chops, pork roast, and pan-fried chicken breasts.
- Use this spicy cranberry mustard as a dipping sauce for appetizers like ham and cheese crescent rolls, pigs in a blanket, chicken tenders.
- Serve in a small bowl on a charcuterie board.
- This makes a great dipping sauce for Brussels sprouts, green beans, roasted cauliflower, or pan-fried asparagus.
I love this cranberry mustard recipe because it’s so versatile and so simple to make. It compliments most savory dishes, veggies, and proteins, making it the perfect condiment for any occasion!
Storage
Leftover sauce can be stored in a glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Pro Tips
- Do not cook the sauce on high heat. There’s a lot of sugar in the cranberry sauce and maple syrup, so it can burn easily.
- If you’re blending the sauce smooth, allow it to cool before adding to the blender. This will make sure you don’t get splattered with hot liquid.
- After cooking, give the sauce a taste to adjust the sweetness and seasonings to your liking.
FAQ
It’s a sweet and savory sauce with a kick. Cranberry mustard has a unique flavor that combines the tartness of cranberries with the spiciness of mustard. The addition of maple syrup balances out any bitterness and tartness from the cranberries and compliments the spicy mustard.
Yes! Just store the sauce in a freezer safe container for up to a month. Allow the sauce to thaw in the fridge and give it a stir before serving. You can also heat it up on the stove if you want to serve it warm.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cranberry Mustard Sauce:
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Tasty Cranberry Mustard Sauce
This Maple Cranberry Mustard is a sweet and tangy dipping sauce with a kick! Made with cranberry sauce, Dijon mustard, and sweetened with maple syrup, this Cranberry Mustard Sauce is a fun holiday inspired condiment for all your dipping needs!
Ingredients
- 14 oz (1 can) whole berry cranberry sauce
- 5 tablespoons of dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey (see note)
Instructions
- Combine the cranberry sauce, Dijon mustard, and syrup (or honey) in a small saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally.
- Once bubbling, remove from the heat and let cool.
- Give the sauce a taste and add salt, pepper, and additional syrup if desired.
- Cool before serving.**
Notes
*Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
Tip: If you don't want your sauce chunky, transfer the cooled cranberry mustard to a blender and blend until smooth before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 55Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 146mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 0g
