Go Back

Chocolate Covered Cranberry Sauce

Chocolate covered cranberry sauce with a quick stovetop simmer and glossy dark-chocolate finish. Fresh cranberries burst into a thick jam-like sauce, then it’s chilled and topped with dark chocolate shavings.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the cranberry sauce
  1. Bring the sugar, water, and orange juice to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Look for rolling bubbles that completely cover the surface.
  2. Add the cranberries and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens. Keep the simmer at a steady, active bubble and watch for thickened, jam-like texture.
Add chocolate and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat, then stir in the chopped dark chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt until melted and glossy. The sauce should look smooth and shiny with no visible chocolate bits.
  2. Cool to room temperature, then chill until set. The surface should thicken further so it holds its shape when spooned.
  3. Top with dark chocolate shavings right before serving. Garnish should look visibly speckled over the glossy cranberry sauce.
Serve
  1. Serve with turkey, or spoon the chocolate cranberry sauce over cheesecake or ice cream. The sauce should be spoonable and richly chocolate-swirled.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, stir the chocolate in off-heat so it melts evenly without breaking the sauce. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freezing is not recommended due to texture changes. For a lighter option, use a sugar substitute that measures like sugar and keep the simmer time the same until thickened.