Go Back

Chocolate Covered Cranberry Sauce

Chocolate covered cranberry sauce with a glossy dark-chocolate finish made from simmered cranberries until they burst and thicken. Stir in chopped 60–70% chocolate for a rich, swirled texture, then chill for a sliceable, spoonable sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chill 1 hour 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberries
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
Sweetener and liquid base
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup water
  • 0.25 cup orange juice
Chocolate and flavoring
  • 3 oz dark chocolate (60-70%), chopped
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.05 salt pinch
Garnish
  • 1 dark chocolate shavings for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the cranberry sauce base
  1. Bring sugar, water, and orange juice to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Watch for rolling bubbles across the surface.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens. The mixture should look glossy and slightly jammy.
Add chocolate and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in chopped dark chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt until fully melted and glossy. Keep stirring until no chocolate chunks remain.
  2. Cool the sauce to room temperature, then chill until set, about 1 hour 35 minutes. The surface should thicken and look scoopable.
Serve
  1. Top the chilled cranberry sauce with dark chocolate shavings for garnish. Serve cold or slightly chilled with turkey, or spoon over cheesecake or ice cream.

Notes

Pro tip: If the chocolate seizes while stirring, let the hot sauce sit off-heat for 1 minute, then stir again until smooth. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; the texture firms as it cools, so stir before serving. Freezing is not recommended since the cranberry texture can become grainy after thawing. For a dairy-free option, use dairy-free 60–70% chocolate that includes no milk solids.