Gordon Ramsay Cranberry Sauce-Shortcut Recipe
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Want to really impress everyone this holiday season? Make the best homemade cranberry sauce with orange, apples, warm spices, and a secret shortcut that makes it extra easy and delicious! It’s a simplified, foolproof twist on Gordon Ramsay’s famous caramelized cranberry sauce—perfect for beginners and stress-free holiday cooking.
Cranberry sauce is a staple at any Thanksgiving table, especially if you’re in New England.
Sure I could open up a can, wiggle it into a dish, and slide it next to the juicy turkey, but I wanted something a little more impressive.
I loved Gordon Ramsay’s cranberry sauce for its spices and flavors, but his recipes require caramelizing sugar, and I was not about that.
That’s a lot of work and risk! So, I came up with a simpler version using pure maple syrup, which gives it the same warmth and smokiness without the hassle.
I also swapped the Port wine for sweet apple cider, making the sauce even sweeter and more delicate.
Make this cranberry sauce for your next Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner—it’s earned its spot right next to the creamy garlic mashed potatoes and homemade dinner rolls!
How to Make Gordon Ramsay’s Cranberry Sauce
This homemade cranberry sauce was adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s Caramelised Cranberry Sauce Recipe.
Ingredients:
- Pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- Whole star anise
- Whole green cardamom pots, lightly crushed
- Whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
- McIntosh apples, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces (about 2 medium apples)
- Apple cider
- Zest and juice from 1 navel orange
- Dash of salt
How To Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Prep the cranberries by washing them and picking out any stems or mushy berries. Set aside.
In a 2 quart saucepan, add the maple syrup along with the star anise and the cardamom pods.
Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the cranberries and toss with a wooden spoon until coated in syrup. Turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 3-4 minutes until the berries begin to soften and pop.
Add the chopped apples and give a good stir to coat everything in the syrup. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
Next, add in the apple cider, orange juice, orange zest, and a dash of salt. Turn the heat up to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue simmering for 10 minutes, uncovered. Turn the heat down to medium low if the mixture is bubbling too furiously.
Stir gently every few minutes to prevent burning. The berries and the apples will begin to break down and start to thicken the sauce.
Once thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the last tablespoon of maple syrup.
Give the mixture a taste and add more salt or syrup if desired. You can now remove the anise and cardamom pods.
If the mixture feels too thick, add more apple cider a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken more as it cools.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge for later use.
What We Changed From the Original Gordon Ramsay Recipe
Gordon Ramsay’s original cranberry sauce recipe called for caramelized sugar and deglazing with Port.
Caramelizing sugar can get tricky since it can be hard to tell when it’s done. And worse, if you cook it a second too long, it burns.
To take out any of the guesswork, we swapped out the sugar for maple syrup. Maple syrup is basically natural caramelized sugar so you’re still getting those warm caramelized undertones. As a bonus, maple syrup is not a refined sugar so it’s a little more nutritious than white sugar.
The only other portion of the recipe that was changed was swapping out the Port for apple cider. I’m not a huge fan of Port personally, and I wanted something a little more delicate for this sauce. Apple cider is a really nice and flavorful way to introduce liquid to the sauce, and it complements the apples, cranberries, and maple beautifully.
Making Ahead
This sauce can be made 3-4 days ahead and kept in the fridge. Per the original Gordon Ramsay recipe, he recommends warming the cranberry sauce before serving.
FAQs
When using fresh cranberries, make sure to wash and pick out any stems or mushy berries prior to making the cranberry sauce or freezing.
If you plan on freezing the berries, pat them dry after rinsing and place them on a sheet pan in the freezer. Once the berries are completely frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for long-term storage.
When you’re ready to make the cranberry sauce, just add them to the pot straight from the freezer, no thawing required!
Yes! If you want to freeze your cranberry sauce, just prepare the recipe as stated and let it to cool completely. Once cooled, move the cranberry sauce to a freezer-safe container or bag and pop it in the freezer. It’ll be good for months–as long as the container is airtight! When you’re ready to serve, remove your cranberry sauce from the freezer and pop it in the fridge overnight to thaw. Gently heat and serve when you need it.
In the Gordon Ramsay version of this recipe, the cranberry sauce is very chunky. The apples and the cranberries do break down some during the cooking process but are otherwise left whole. If you prefer a smoother cranberry sauce, you can use an immersion blender or food processor to smooth out the mixture. I also love using a food mill for a more textured, but not chunky sauce.
Where to buy star anise or cardamom and substitutions
Gordon Ramsay elevates an ordinary cranberry sauce with the use of floral and aromatic spices like star anise and cardamom. This combo screams holidays…and makes your kitchen smell AMAZING.
Star anise and cardamom are not everyday ingredients, but are still pretty easy to find. I got mine at my local grocery store, but they can also be found online or at Whole Foods. Make sure to get whole star anise–not any extracts. As for the cardamom, you want the whole cardamom pods, not just the seeds.
If you can’t find these items, no worries! Sub in a couple of whole cloves for the anise and add a cinnamon stick or two.
Ground cardamom would be acceptable but add very cautiously. I’m talking like the tiniest pinch. That stuff is strong and will overpower the dish in no time.
But if you’re just not a fan of either spice or can’t find any on the shelves, just omit!
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Gordon Ramsay’s Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup not pancake syrup
- 2 whole star anise
- 4 whole green cardamom pots lightly crushed
- 12 oz of whole cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1 1/2-2 cups of McIntosh apples peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces (about 2 medium apples)
- 1/4 cup of apple cider
- Zest and juice from 1 navel orange
- Dash of salt
Instructions
- Prep the cranberries by washing them and picking out any stems or mushy berries. Set aside.
- In a 2 quart saucepot, add 1/2 cup of the maple syrup along with the star anise and the cardamom pods.
- Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the cranberries and toss until coated in syrup. Turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 3-4 minutes until the berries begin to soften and pop.
- Add the chopped apples and give a good stir to coat everything in the syrup. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Next add in the apple cider, orange juice, orange zest, and a dash of salt. Turn the heat up to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue simmering for 10 minutes, uncovered. Turn the heat down to medium low if the mixture is bubbling too furiously.
- Stir gently every few minutes to prevent burning. The berries and the apples will begin to break down and start to thicken the sauce.
- Once thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the last tablespoon of maple syrup.
- Give the mixture a taste and add more salt or syrup if desired. You can now remove the anise and cardamom pods.
- If the mixture feels too thick, add more apple cider a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken more as it cools.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge for later use.
