Grab an extra bag of cranberries this week and make this incredibly simple and ridiculously delicious Cranberry Butter. It’s great to have on hand, especially when you need an quick and easy breakfast treat—or midday snack!–after a long day of cooking. It also makes the perfect hostess gift. We’re bringing back this old favorite so you can make a batch or two, or six!
Need a quick, edible, last-minute gift? Have a few extra cranberries lying around? You’ve got to try this Cranberry Butter, a recipe from MissyDew (the woman who also blessed us with That’s the Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had). I swear it’s magical. Even more magical than butter is on its own.
You only need four things: fresh cranberries, honey, an orange, and a pound of softened butter. Because you probably haven’t used enough butter this month.
First give the cranberries a chop.
Stick them in a bowl with the butter.
Add the honey.
Get out your trusty zester and get all the zest you can off that orange. Don’t have a zester? It’s probably not too late to ask Santa for one. Although you might want to spell out “Microplane” for him, just so he can get it right. He’s getting old, you know.
There. Everything’s in the bowl. That took, what, 5 minutes?
Give it a good stir.
(Or more realistically, stir until you realize your butter isn’t as soft as you thought. Dump it into a larger bowl, buzz it with an electric mixer, and return it to the smaller, prettier bowl like nothing happened.)
Now, please don’t make the mistake that I made. Once I made this, I was dying to schmear it on something, but I realized, with actual horror, that I didn’t have a single thing to spread it on in my house. We were even out of bread that day. I almost put it on a tortilla because I was desperate, but I did the same thing that any of you might have done—I put a big glob of it on my finger and popped it in my mouth. Talk about a burst of sweet, citrus-y, buttery goodness.
When I came to my senses and actually bought some bread, I discovered this Cranberry Butter will turn even the humblest piece of toast into an $8 piece of room service toast at a four-star hotel. You could also put it on pancakes, waffles, muffins, scones, chubby baby cheeks, and even popcorn,.
C’mon, I know I’m not the only one who has cannablistic tendencies toward cute babies.
By the way, I’ve had it melted over popcorn. It’s divine.
This spread would be great on so many baked goods here at Tasty Kitchen, but here are a few that caught my eye. And may keep me from eating the whole bowl with my fingers.
Clockwise from top left: Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Muffins from HowSweetEats, Gingerbread Waffles from emily {onelovelylife}, White Chocolate Cranberry Scones from crobbins (there is a slew of cranberry scone recipes on TK!), Carrot Cake Pancakes from multiplydelicious, and Double Ginger Scones from angpritch.
Thanks MissyDew for a fantastic recipe!
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Description
I love this during the holidays. I first received some as a gift in a jar and enjoyed every bit of it, especially on toast or on homemade rolls or lefse. Make some for yourself and some to share with others.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Butter, Softened To Room Temperature
- ½ cups Chopped Fresh Cranberries
- ½ cups Honey
- 1 whole Orange (just The Zest)
Preparation Instructions
Such an easy recipe, it’s easy to adjust the ingredients to your personal taste. Want more orange flavor? Zest another orange! Want it less sweet? Reduce the amount of honey. Make it your own!
Combine softened butter, chopped fresh cranberries, honey to taste (about 1/2 cup) and the ZEST ONLY of one orange. Mix until well blended.
You’ll need to store this in the refrigerator.
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Be sure to check out Natalie’s own beautiful food blog, Perrys’ Plate, where you can see her growing collection of lovely recipes. There’s always something new to see there. Go visit now!
44 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
MJ on 3.9.2016
I miss seeing the blog posts! What has happened?
Henry on 12.26.2015
This looks really yummy! gotta try this out
Deb C on 11.28.2015
Natalie…..you have changed my world! Thank you!!!!
***SueD……gonna try this one next year, my Tarragon is hibernating. Sounds like a winner too!!
kay43026 on 11.27.2015
Oh.My.Goodness. I made this to go with my homemade dinner rolls for Thanksgiving. The usual fare is homemade strawberry jam. I think the jam might take a back seat when this cranberry butter is on the table!!! THANKS for sharing the recipe!
a on 11.11.2015
I would throw the cranberries in the food processor instead of chopping them one by one. You could mix all the other stuff in there, too.
macy dawn on 2.11.2011
I shared a link back to this recipe on my blog so my mother-in-law can try it. I recently made a similar butter compound and we LOVED it. I can’t wait to try this one!
Becky White on 1.20.2011
I make a similar butter during the holidays with pure maple syrup, dried cranberries and powdered sugar. It is wonderful!
boschka on 1.11.2011
I had never had this before and my neighbor ( partner in crime gal pal ) gave me some that she got at the local HEB. It is amazing on simple pound cake and I am so glad that the recipe is here . The company that makes the product that HEB sells is in New Braunfels and I think it’s a seasonal product. I’d much rather make my own..especially as a ” Favorite things” gifty bag.
Waving from Houston
mamakopac on 1.4.2011
This sounds and looks so delicious I will make and use in a stuffed French toast!
baobabs on 1.2.2011
wow this is such a great idea! I suppose we can do with blueberries and all other sorts of berries too? Thank you for sharing!
ak on 1.1.2011
hell yes
Janet on 12.29.2010
Bara, did you post your recipe—–we should do a taste test Janet
SueD on 12.27.2010
This Christmas I brought flavored butter to my parents’. Chopped tarragon & orange zest. Everyone loved it and kept telling me how good it was on the crackers, bread, veggie balls, artichoke balls, shrimp, fingers – almost everything on the table but the spiced poached pears. For each softened stick of butter, about 1/4 C chopped tarragon and zest of 1 small orange. Today my Dad called to tell me I left a gift at his house and that I had forgotten to leave any of the butter for him.
Housewives of the USMC on 12.27.2010
Looks lovley, can’t wait to try it thanks!
Rachel P on 12.27.2010
Oh butter, how do I love thee; let me count the ways…
Jean von B on 12.27.2010
Sounds wonderful!
Sam on 12.27.2010
Angpritch-please put up your recipe for homemade cranberry vodka! Thanks
Marci on 12.27.2010
I made this last night and it is incredible (and easy)! I packaged some up in a small mason jar for a friend with a pretty bow, as I know that she will love it as well!
fafahere on 12.26.2010
very very nice : )
angpritch on 12.26.2010
Thanks for including my double ginger scones as one of the baked goods to go with your wonderful cranberry butter. I saved the cranberries that I strained from my homemade cranberry vodka and planned to put them in some muffins but might need to reserve some for butter too.
gfumom on 12.26.2010
This is easy and SO delicious! I will always have this on hand. It is that good.
Robin on 12.25.2010
Thanks for the amazing recipe. So simple and so tasty! I made a batch yesterday and one this morning. What a perfect gift to bestow to on friends and family!
Here’s to a simple, tasteful and joyful Christmas!!
Robin Spooner
Bara on 12.25.2010
What a refreshing take on this! I’ve given Cranberry Orange Butter as gifts for years and it always receives rave reviews. My recipe uses canned whole cranberry sauce, sweet orange marmalade, and unsweetened butter… that’s all — just beat the daylights out of it and you’re done.
This sounds great with FRESH ingredients and I will have to make it soon to try it out. Meanwhile, I’ll dig out my recipe and post it on here for others to compare. Oh, and it keeps for months in the fridge! So I was told by someone, I used to give a 4 C container of this, because she was soooo crazy for it!
Must shop tomorrow for berries and an orange!
MOV on 12.24.2010
What I love is how carefree and simple you make this look. Over at our house, I have been known to make a few, ahem, substitutions. Say, instead of butter– how about cream? Out of cranberries– perhaps blueberries (umm, frozen?) will taste okay? Could I use powdered sugar instead of regular sugar (you get the idea).
No one much likes my cooking.
Can’t imagine why.
*
http://mothersofbrothersblog.blogspot.com
*
MOV
Linda on 12.24.2010
Ha! loved the comment about the babies. My husband flips out everytime I tell a baby that its so cute I could eat it up! And we are going to have another grandchild in July!!! so he will be hereing it a lot.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I wish I could whip some up now before my family arrives tonight.
Merry Christmas!
Jocelyn in oc on 12.24.2010
This is too funny, I was about to post my gingerbread pancakes with cranberry butter. Now the magic is lost…..
Laurie on 12.24.2010
My timing stinks! I just finished prepping some veggies to roast tomorrow (butternut squash with cranberries). I had leftover cranberries but didn’t know what to do with them, so when I was cleaning up I just tossed them. And now I see this! This looks really tasty!
My New Year’s resolution – check this site BEFORE cleaning up!!!
Courtney on 12.24.2010
Thanks for sharing – my mouth is watering! I just bought a loaf of French bread for tomorrow night’s broiled Parmesan toast… and I’ll make sure there are leftovers now!!
Serve at Once on 12.24.2010
Oh, hotlanta in summertime, this look scrumptious!
rere on 12.24.2010
this looks wonderful!!! want to make it real soon.
spruce hill on 12.24.2010
Now that is such a good idea! Can’t wait to try it
Natalie | Perry's Plate on 12.24.2010
SueDeeSue – It should keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks. The only reason why mine isn’t gone yet is because I ran out of things to put it on!
SueDeeSue on 12.24.2010
How long will the cranberry butter keep? That is if you can resist not eating it all in one setting.lol Can’t wait to try this!
Lene on 12.24.2010
Oh, this looks wonderful! And I have all the ingredients on hand… Hmmm..
teri on 12.24.2010
Your recipes are the best and even if I never win any of the giveaways I love coming here.
Today I’m nursing a horrible cold/sinus infection and the food still looks good to me.
MissyDew on 12.24.2010
And here I didn’t even make it this year! (Working more hours, broken arm, yada yada) I might be going to the grocery store on Christmas Eve after all
Liz McMom on 12.24.2010
Just when I thought I coulden’t possibly love butter more,,,,,,,,
Natalie | Perry's Plate on 12.24.2010
Annie – You are a brilliant woman. I love the idea of subbing cream cheese!
FarmGirlJo on 12.24.2010
RUNNING to the kitchen to whip up some right now!
Santa will be good to you this year, Ree, because you are so good to us!
Barbara Louise on 12.24.2010
WONDERFUL!
I was planning on making a bunch of different flavored butters and sugars to give as Christmas gifts this year, and this would have been perfect !!!
But alas… my friends told me they don’t use real sugar or butter anymore (HA) But I’m going to make this for me !
Amy | She Wears Many Hats on 12.24.2010
Oh yummy yummy! And pretty too!
Pam Spradlin on 12.24.2010
This looks yummy. I have printed up the recipe and am handing it over to the chef…who happens to be my husband!
Annie on 12.24.2010
This looks wonderful, and also like you could do this subbing cream cheese for the butter. How delish on a bagel would that be!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is on 12.24.2010
I thought this would be more of a “jam” type butter, and was pleasantly surprised to see this! How delicious is that?