Cranberry Maple Butter | Optional Canning Instructions
This Cranberry maple butter spread is a wonderful way to preserve the flavors of cranberries and enjoy them throughout the year. If you want to can it, we’ll walk you through it step-by-step.
Comparison of cranberry butters
Wait a minute; there are two distinctly different recipes for cranberry butter? Yes, indeed, there are.
Cranberry butter and cranberry compound butter are delicious condiments that incorporate cranberries. However, they differ in terms of their texture, ingredients, recipes, and usage. Here’s a comparison between the two:
Cranberry Butter is a spreadable condiment with a smooth and creamy texture, similar to fruit preserves or fruit butter, such as apple butter. It is made by cooking and pureeing cranberries into a spreadable consistency.
The ingredients for this cranberry butter are cranberries, a sweetener, such as sugar, honey, or maple syrup, and maybe spices, like cinnamon.
Use this form of maple butter as a spread for toast, scones, or other baked goods. It is also useful as a filling or topping for baked goods, ice cream, or pudding.
Whipped Cranberry Butter: This compound butter has a solid or semi-solid texture, similar to regular butter. It is made by mixing cranberries and other ingredients with softened butter, then refrigerating or freezing it to solidify.
Whipped Cranberry Compound Butter is a replacement for plain dairy butter. It’s great to flavor savory dishes. Melt it over grilled meats or vegetables. Add it to pasta or rice for a unique twist on classic flavors. Melt it over popcorn for a fun treat around the holidays. It’s also just great to spread on your morning toast.
It is made with butter and cranberries. You can add optional spices, herbs, or even orange zest to change the flavor profile.
Cranberry maple butter
What you need
- Cranberries: Frozen or Fresh cranberries will both work beautifully. Buy an extra bag around the winter holidays and freeze them so you can use them all year.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup, maple sugar, honey, or brown sugar to sweeten it and balance out the tartness of the cranberries. Adjust the sweetener to your liking.
- Orange juice and zest: Use freshly squeezed orange juice.
- Water- if needed, just to make 1 cup of liquid.
Optional spices
- Ground Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds warmth and depth of flavor to the cranberry butter spread. It complements the tartness of the cranberries and enhances the overall taste.
- Ground Nutmeg: Nutmeg is a warm, aromatic spice that pairs well with cranberries. It adds a subtle earthy and nutty flavor to the spread.
- Ground Cloves: Cloves add a touch of spiciness and complexity to the cranberry butter spread.
How to make it
Step One
Grate the orange zest into a medium saucepan.
Step Two
Add the remaining ingredients. Heat over medium heat.
Step Three
Bring the cranberry mixture to a boil.
Step Four
Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the cranberries burst.
Step Five
Puree the mixture with an immersion or stand blender or a food processor in batches, if needed.
Optional canning directions
Step One
Ladle the hot butter into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.
Step Two
Remove the air bubbles using a bubble tool, plastic, or wooden chopstick.
Step Three
Wipe the jar rims with a damp paper towel or kitchen towel.
Step Four
Center the lid on the jars.
Screw on band fingertip tight.
Small-batch canning
Small-batch canning is easy, and you don’t need a special canning pot. You can do a few jars in a large, deep pot. Ensure your jars are covered by at least 1-2 inches of water.
You need to add something to the bottom so the jar does not bounce around on the bottom of the pot. A clean kitchen towel or any other rack fitting into your pot will work well.
How to store it
Canning this fruit butter is optional. If you do, store it in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
If you don’t can it, store it in a jar or another airtight container for up to three months if it is not opened. Use opened jars within one month.
How to use it
Besides spreading it on toast, cranberry butter can be used in many ways.
- Top pancakes and waffles
- Mix in yogurt or oatmeal
- Use as a filling to fill pastries, cakes, or cookies.
- Make a glaze for meats, particularly poultry like chicken or turkey. Mix it with citrus juice, soy sauce, or balsamic vinegar, and brush it onto the meat before baking or grilling.
- Cheese Pairing: Serve it alongside a cheese platter as a fruity accompaniment. It works well with soft cheeses like Brie, creamy cheeses like goat cheese or cream cheese, or even aged cheddar.
- Drizzle cranberry butter spread over ice cream, cheesecake, or pound cake for a delightful dessert topping.
- Spread some on your sandwich instead of mayonnaise. It’s especially delicious on leftover turkey sandwiches and chicken sandwiches.
- This cranberry maple butter makes a delicious, unique Christmas or Thanksgiving gift for friends and family.
More cranberry recipes
- Cranberry Pepper Jelly
- Cranberry Sauce
- Dehydrated Cranberries
- Cranberry Vinegar
- Cranberry Meatballs
- Compound Butter
Helpful tools
Try this easy Cranberry Maple Butter for a surprisingly delicious condiment.
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Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Cranberry Maple Butter
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup maple sugar or substitute maple syrup
- 1 cup Juice from orange
- water
- orange zest
Instructions
- Grate orange directly into a medium saucepan.orange zest
- Add cranberries, maple sugar or maple syrup, plus the juice of one orange with enough water added to make one cup.1½ pounds fresh or frozen cranberries, ¾ cup maple sugar, 1 cup Juice from orange, water
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the berries pop and are soft.
- Remove it from the heat and puree it using an immersion blender, a stand blender or a food processor.
Optional Canning Instructions
- Heat jars. Ladle the butter into pint or half-pint jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace.
- Remove the air bubbles with a bubble tool or a plastic or wooden chopstick.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel or kitchen towel to clean off debris.
- Center lid. Screw on band fingertip tight.
- Process jars for 10 minutes.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Spread on Toast: Cranberry butter is perfect for spreading on a slice of toast or a bagel, as with marmalades, jams, or jellies. Its tangy and sweet flavor pairs well with the crispness of the bread. Enjoy it plain, or combine it with cream cheese for an extra creamy and delicious spread.
- Top Pancakes and Waffles: Give your breakfast a delightful twist by adding a dollop of cranberry butter spread to your pancakes or waffles. It adds a burst of fruity flavor and enhances the overall taste of your breakfast.
- Mix in Yogurt or Oatmeal: Stir a spoonful of cranberry butter spread into your yogurt or oatmeal for a fruity and comforting twist. It adds a touch of sweet, tart flavor, making your breakfast or snack more enjoyable.
- Use as a Filling: Use cranberry butter spread to fill pastries, cakes, or cookies. Spread it between cake layers, swirl it into muffin batter, or use it as a filling for thumbprint cookies. Its vibrant flavor will elevate your baked goods.
- Glaze for Meats: Make a glaze for meats, particularly poultry like chicken or turkey. Mix it with citrus juice, soy sauce, or balsamic vinegar, and brush it onto the meat before baking or grilling. The sweet and tangy flavors of cranberry butter will add a delicious glaze and complement the savory taste of the food.
- Cheese Pairing: Cranberry butter spread pairs wonderfully with various types of cheese. Serve it alongside a cheese platter as a fruity accompaniment. It works well with soft cheeses like Brie, creamy cheeses like goat cheese, or even aged cheddar.
- Dessert Topping: Drizzle cranberry butter spread over ice cream, cheesecake, or pound cake for a delightful dessert topping. The tangy cranberry flavor will provide a refreshing contrast to the sweetness of the dessert.
- Sandwiches: Spread some on your sandwich instead of mayonnaise. It’s especially delicious on leftover turkey sandwiches and chicken sandwiches.
- Gifts: This cranberry butter makes a delicious, unique Christmas or Thanksgiving gift for friends and family.
Nutrition
Originally published May 15, 2023.
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When using maple syrup is the amount the same as the maple sugar?
You can start with the same amount. It will probably need more but adjust the sweetener to your liking.