Cranberry Horseradish Sauce

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The holidays would not be the same without Cranberry Horseradish Sauce, aka Bobbie’s Berries! These easy-to-follow instructions will show you how to make my grandmother’s signature dish, homemade cranberry sauce with a spicy kick!

I LOVE preparing and eating Thanksgiving dinner. It is truly my favorite meal of the year, and this cranberry horseradish sauce MUST be a part of it. This cranberry sauce is known as “Bobbie’s Berries” in my family because it’s my grandmother Bobbie’s signature recipe.

I know what you’re thinking -horseradish in cranberry sauce? It may sound bizarre, but this is by far my most requested Thanksgiving recipe. It is slightly spicy, slightly sweet, and compliments turkey perfectly.

Did I mention how easy making cranberry sauce from scratch is? You will never reach for a can of cranberry sauce again! To make Bobbie’s berries, you will need only 5-ingredients and 10 minutes of your time. Your fridge will do the rest of the work.

Bobbie’s Berries Ingredients //

• Fresh Cranberries: These tart berries are perfect for holiday recipes. When they’re perfectly ripe, you should be able to give them a gentle squeeze without bursting. Mushy cranberries are too ripe.
• Plain Gelatin Packets: This cranberry sauce is thick and jiggly. Gelatin helps achieve that.
• Water: You’ll need water to boil the cranberries and to dissolve the gelatin.
• Sugar: Fresh cranberries are pretty sour and NEED sugar. This sauce has the perfect balance of sweet AND spicy.
• Horseradish: kicks this cranberry sauce up SEVERAL notches. You want to be using raw horseradish or prepared horseradish here. Horseradish “sauce” has a bunch of added ingredients we don’t want.

How to Make // The Steps

Step 1: Wash cranberries and prepare the mold.

Place your cranberries in a colander and rinse well. Pick over them if you need to. Also, line a bowl or gelatin mold with plastic wrap. Set aside.

Step 2: Boil cranberries.

Put the cranberries in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and cook until the cranberries soften and burst.

Step 3: Dissolve gelatin.

While the cranberries boil, add the packets of gelatin to 1/2 cup of water. Gently stir until the gelatin dissolves.

Step 4: Process ingredients.

Transfer the boiled cranberries to a food processor or food mill along with the sugar and dissolved gelatin. Process until smooth. Add the horseradish, give it a quick pulse and then taste. Not spicy enough? Add a little bit of horseradish at a time until it’s perfect.

Step 5: Let sauce set.

Transfer the jellied sauce to the plastic-lined bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill at least overnight but no longer than 2 to 3 days.

Step 6: Unmold and serve.

When your cranberry sauce is firm and has some jiggle, you can turn it out onto a serving dish -and that’s it. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks //

• Frozen cranberries also work in this recipe. There’s no need to thaw them first. Boil them frozen just as you would fresh until they soften and pop.
• If you happen to get your hands on fresh horseradish, be sure to grate it finely. It’s potent, so start with a little and taste before you add any more.
• This recipe makes a perfectly delicious traditional cranberry sauce without the horseradish. That said, you can leave the horseradish out. For gatherings, I set aside half of the cranberry sauce without any horseradish.
• A little bit of horseradish goes a long way. Start with a tablespoon and add just a bit at a time until it’s just right. Please don’t make my mistake. A few years ago, I plopped a few spoonfuls in without tasting it. There were a lot of watering eyes and runny noses that Thanksgiving.

Why is Cranberry Horseradish Sauce So Good? //

• Making cranberry sauce from scratch tastes SO much better than canned.
• It’s quick, easy and has only 5-ingredients.
• You can make it as mild or as spicy as you want.
• Adding horseradish sauce to cranberry sauce is a great way to switch things up.

Variations //

Bobbie’s cranberry sauce is perfect just the way it is, but there’s certainly room to customize it and transform it into your signature holiday dish:

• Berries – Try making cranberry sauce with a blend of fresh raspberries, cherries and cranberries.
• Citrus – Add fresh orange or lemon zest into the sauce.
• Spices – Season the cranberries with warming spices while they’re cooking (cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, etc.).

How to Store //

Storing: Jellied cranberry sauce can be made up to a few days in advance and kept in the mold until you’re ready to serve. Leftovers should be refrigerated in a shallow airtight container for up to 10 days.

Make-Ahead and Freezer Options //

Freezing is not recommended

FAQ //

More Sauces & Chutneys Recipes //

Blueberry Thyme Lemon Chutney

Blueberry Sauce

Roasted Summer Berries

Orange Marmalade