Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce

What would a Thanksgiving meal be without the cranberry sauce?!

I love cranberry sauce year round, but unfortunately fresh cranberries are only in season for a short time. My husband has long preferred canned cranberry sauce, and I have long gotten over letting that hurt my feelings.

But for the rest of the world that agrees homemade is superior, it could not be easier to make! I like mine on the the thick side so add less water so it is nice a jellied! If you like yours thinner, just add more water! Easy Peasy!

I also like mine with a kick or orange because I love orange and cranberry together! Again, you can skip the orange if you want, It’s no big deal.

I also like to serve mine garnished with some fresh candied cranberries just to be a little extra around the holidays. They are also super easy to make but add a nice touch if you are serving the sauce for a holiday meal! However you deiced to make it is up to you! Just whatever you do, pass the cranberry sauce, please!!!!!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz fresh cranberries, or about 2 cups

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup white sugar

• optional, zest from one orange

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Rinse and sort the cranberries, tossing out any squishy, or discolored ones.

2. Add cranberrie , sugar, water, and orange zest to a large pot over medium heat.

3. Let the water come to a simmer. The cranberries will begin to burst as they heat and you will here the sound as they pop. Once they begin to start popping, I take a hand potato masher and start mashing them in the pot to speed the process. You do not have to do this, as they cook they will burst on their own, I am just impatient. Reduce the heat and let the cranberries do their thing while stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes, or until the cranberries are all broken down and the sauce is thick and sticky.

4. Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and store in the fridge. The sauce will firm up in the fridge as it cools. I like my cranberry sauce really thick. If you are a fan of thinner cranberry sauce you can add and extra 1/4 cup water to the recipe.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Vegan Turkey Style Roast

Southern Vegan Cornbread Dressing with Jackfruit

Creamy Vegan Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Vegan Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls

One of my favorite fall and winter flavor combos is cranberry and orange. It is actually my favorite anytime of year, but it always seems I crave it around the holidays, and it so happens that is when both are in season.

So while I was dreaming about all things cranberry orange the other day, it occurred to me that I should fill a cinnamon roll with cranberry and sweet cream cheese and drizzle them in an orange glaze.

And, well, I did just that!

Canned cranberry sauce works just fine for this recipe, because sadly it was not quite cranberry season when I made them, so fresh was not even an option. If you are feeling extra, and like to make homemade cranberry sauce when it is season, by all means, knock yourself out!

Either way, these sweet rolls are DELICIOUS! Like a cream cheese and fruit danish married a cinnamon roll and had this perfect baby!

I would even say I love these more than cinnamon rolls, and I LOVE cinnamon rolls. The tangy cranberry, sweet cream cheese filling, and hint of fresh orange are perfection together. So if you are looking to change up you cinnamon roll or danish game, or just need the perfect holiday breakfast to serve, this is probably the recipe for you!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 5 cups all purpose flour, divided

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup melted vegan butter

• 2 cups almond or oat milk

• 1/2 cup sugar

• zest from 1/2 a large orange

THE FILLING:

• 1 can whole cranberry sauce

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 8 oz container vegan cream cheese, plus 1 tablespoon sugar

• juice from 1/2 orange

THE ICING:

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• zest from 1/2 orange

• Juice from 1/2 orange

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat milk in a microwave safe container to about 100-110 degrees. Any warmer and It will kill the yeast. It should feel warm but not scalding hot.

2. In a large bowl mix the heated milk, butter and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and let it sit for a few minutes. (don’t stir it in, just sprinkle)

3. Add 4 cups of the flour to the wet mixture, and mix until well combined. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and allow the dough to double in size. This should take about an hour.

4. While the dough is is rising prepare the cranberry filling by adding 1 can whole cranberry sauce and 1/2 cup sugar to a medium size pot. Heat the mixture on the stovetop over med/low heat, stirring often, for about 30 minutes. You just want the mixture to reduce. You should be left with a thicker, sticky cranberry “jam.” Set aside and allow to cool.

5. Once the dough has doubled in size, add the last cup of flour, baking powder, orange zest, and salt. Mix well until a soft dough has formed. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Lightly knead the dough, adding extra flour as needed until the dough is no longer sticky. The dough should be soft, but you should be able to handle it without it sticking to your hands.

6. Roll the dough out into a rectangle that is about 18 inches by 12 inches, and 1/2 inch thick, give or take.

7. Mix the cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar, and juice from half an orange together. Depending on the brand of cream cheese you may not need as much juice. You are just using it to help thin the cream cheese enough to make it spread easily over the dough. Kite Hill brand for example is already pretty thin and might not need all of the juice, Tofutti brand is very firm and would need more juice. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving 1/2 inch around the edges free from mixture. Next spread the cranberry mixture on top of the cream cheese.

8. Roll the dough tightly starting at the 18 inch edge, forming a log. Cut log into 12- 14 equal pieces with a nice sharp knife. It helps if you flour the knife to cut through the sticky dough. This filing is more gooey than a cinnamon roll and will want to kinda squish out if you are not carful with the cutting. Place the rolls into 2 buttered pie pans or round cake pans. Cover each pan in plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise for another half hour.

9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

10. Once the rolls have risen, place the pans on the middle oven rack and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let Rolls cool a bit before adding the icing.

11. To make the icing, mix powdered sugar, zest and orange juice together. Mix just enough juice to thin out the mixture. If you get it too thin, just add a little more powdered sugar. Drizzle the icing over the rolls still in the pan and serve.

12. Store left over rolls in an airtight container at room temperature.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Vegan Angel Biscuits

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Easy Homemade Vegan Bagels

vegan cranberry orange sweet rollls using vegan cinnamon roll dough

Soft Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

Soft vegan gingerbread cookie

What screams “HOLIDAYS!” more than gingerbread. These soft vegan ginger cookies are one of my favorite holiday treats. Serve these with a cup of hot coffee, or a glass of vegan egg nog, and you will have no problem getting right into the holiday spirit. Bake up some extra to gift to friends and family and help spread some holiday cheer this season!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup vegan butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 Flax egg

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• additional sugar

Instructions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in the molasses and the flax egg until just combined. (I like to spray my measuring cup with some non stick spray before adding the molasses. This will help the molasses slide right out)

3. In a smaller bowl whisk togerherr flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture into the creamed mixture, and mix until all ingredients are combined.

4. Scoop dough with a small cooke scoop or a spoon, and form 1 inch balls. Roll the balls in the additional sugar and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, a few inches apart. Lightly press down on the dough balls with your hands. Do not flatten them, just give them a little press.

5. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

Vegan Ranger Cookies

Growing up, ranger cookies were hands down my favorite treat. We would buy them from our local grocery store’s bakery. After growing up and moving away, I would still pop in a buy a pack when visiting my parents. Eventually we went vegan , and it finally occurred to me to search for a recipe, and try to veganize my favorite cookie!. These taste just like the the ranger cookies I grew up eating. These cookies are chewy, and coconutty, with little crispy bits from the rice cereal. So if you have never had or even heard of a ranger cookie, bake up a batch. I think you might just love them as much as I do!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegan butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• 2 flax eggs



• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups quick-cooking oats

• 2 cups crisp rice cereal

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large bowl if you are using a hand mixer, cream butter with both sugars until it is light a fluffy.

2. Beat in the flax eggs and vanilla.

3. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a smaller bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix until just combined.

4. Stir in the coconut, oats, and rice cereal.

5. Line a 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, scoop out dough onto cookie sheets, leaving a few inches between each scoop of dough.

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies for a few minutes on the pan before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

Vegan Brie with Cranberries and Candied Pecans

Of all the cheeses I missed when we went vegan, brie was at the top of the list. Especially baked brie. This recipe is actually really simple and straightforward. It does not require sitting out for 48 hours like some other vegan brie recipes I’ve seen. It works perfectly for baking and makes a beautiful dish for entertaining. The sauerkraut in the recipe tends to throw people, but it helps give this brie that cheesy tang, so don’t skip that ingredient. If you don’t care for cranberries, you could always top it with any fruit compote or jam you like. No matter what you top this vegan brie with, it is creamy, dreamy, vegan cheese heaven.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted, unroasted cashews (plus water for soaking)

• 1 cup water

• 1/3 cup refined coconut oil

• 1/3 cup sauerkraut, without the juice

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch

• 2 teaspoons agar powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• cheese cloth

Cranberries:

• 1 cup fresh cranberries

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup water

Candied Pecans:

• 1 cup peans

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• pinch of salt

• salt

Instructions:

1. For the Brie: Place cashews in a microwave safe container and cover in water. Microwave for 3 minutes. You can also cover in hot water, and let them soak for a few hours if you do not have a microwave.

2. Drain cashews, and add them along with remaining ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until COMPLETELY smooth. If you are using a food processor, add the nuts first and try to break them down a bit before adding everything else.

3. Transfer mixture to a medium size sauce pan, over medium heat, and stir continuously until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly. This will only take a few minutes.

4. Line a 6 inch cake pan, or similarly sized shallow bowl, with a piece of cheese cloth that is large enough that it hangs a good bit over the sides of the bowl. Pour the mixture into the bowl and cover with the excess cheese cloth that is hanging over the sides. Place in the refrigerate for at least 4 - 5 hours to allow cheese to firm up.

5. For the Cranberries: Add cranberries, water, and sugar to a medium sized pot. Heat on medium heat, until the cranberries begin to burst. Lower the temp to low heat, and begin mashing the berries with the back of a wooden spoon, or a handheld potato masher. Let the mixture simmer, stirring regularly for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Set aside and let cool.

6. For the candied pecans: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans, brown sugar, and maple syrup to the pan. Continuously move the nuts around the pan for about 5 minutes to allow all of the sugars to melt and caramelize. If you don’t keep the nuts moving, they will quickly burn. Pour finished nuts on a parchment lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with a little salt. Allow pecans to cool and harden.

7. Brie baking instructions: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully unwrap cheese from the cheese cloth. Place the brie in a pan or baking dish that you wish to serve it in. It will be too soft to transfer once it is baked. Top the brie with the cranberries sauce and bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Once the brie is out of the oven, garnish the top with candied pecans and some fresh rosemary. Serve with fresh bread, crackers, cut up veggies, or sliced fruit.

Vegan Reuben Latkes

I’ve never met a potato dish I didn’t like, but my all time favorite way to eat a potato is a latke!

Golden brown potato pancakes, fried up to crispy perfection.

Deciding to marry my favorite potato dish with my favorite sandwich to create a vegan reuben latke is almost too much for me to handle.

Thinly sliced seitan works so well in this recipe, and mixes beautifully with the potatoes and tangy sauerkraut.

You can follow my recipes for your preferred seitan meat, or use your own favorite recipe, or store brand.

So, if you are eating these to celebrate Hanukkah, or just to celebrate your love for latkes and reubens, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

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Ingredients:

• 5 cups shredded russet potatoes

• 2 cups thinly sliced/shaved vegan pastrami, basic seitan, vegan dry rubbed brisket , vegan roast beef

• 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut (plus more for garnish)

• 1 flax egg

• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch

• 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon dried dill (optional)

• pepper to taste

• 2-3 diced green onions for garnish

• oil for frying

Vegan 1,000 Island dressing:

• 1 cup vegan mayo

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tablespoon diced dill pickles

• salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions:

1. First, try and remove as much liquid from the shredded potatoes as you can. You can dump the shredded potatoes into a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, or you can put the shreds in a mesh sieve and press out the liquid that way. The more liquid you remove, the crispier the latkes will be.

2. Remove as much liquid as you can from the sauerkraut using the same method.

3. For the seitan, you can follow my recipe, or watch my video for making homemade seitan, or use store-bought. I used a kitchen mandolin to thinly slice mine then chop it up. If you do not have a mandolin, attempt to slice it as thinly as you can with a knife. You want thin small pieces.

4. Once the liquid has been removed from both the potatoes and the sauerkraut, add both, along with remaining latke ingredients (minus the green onion,) to a large mixing bowl. Mix well.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a few tablespoons of oil. I normally use grape seed oil for frying. Using a large spoon to scoop out about 1/4 cup portions of latke mixture. Add the latkes carefully to the hot oil and use a spatula to flatten them out. You do not want to over crowd the pan, so only cook 3 or 4 latkes at a time depending on your pan size. Let the latkes cook on the first side for a few minutes before flipping. Repeat on the other side. I normally repeat this a few times on each side just make sure they are nice and crispy. You want them to be brown, and crisp around the edges. If they seem to be burning, reduce the heat. You may also need to add more oil between batches. Place finished lakes on a wire cooling rack that has been placed on top of some paper towels.

6. Prepare the 1000 island by mixing all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

7. To serve, stack 3 or 4 latkes on a plate and top with vegan 1,000 island, green onions, and extra sauerkraut if you like.

Serves 4 - 6.

Savory Cranberry Vegan Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes

I often make meatballs wth thawed Beyond Meat Burgers.

They work very well as a meat substitute in all kinds of recipes other than just using them as burgers.

Once thawed, they can be used just as you would ground meat. This particular recipe is sweet, tangy, and savory.

The sauce screams holidays, and would make a perfect alternative to a traditional holiday meal.

The cranberries, onion, and savory spices make such a beautiful sauce for the meatballs, and wonderful topping for the mashed potatoes.

You can just as easily use a bag of frozen plant based meatballs, but I really encourage you to try a batch using the Beyond Burgers! Or use whatever homemade seitan meatball you already make!

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Ingredients:

• 1 batch plant based meatballs (Use frozen or follow recipe below)

• 1 can whole cranberry sauce

• 1 cup water

• 1 yellow onion

• 2 teaspoons Vegetable Better Than Bouillon

• 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 2 teaspoons tapioca or corn starch

• salt and pepper to taste

Mashed Potatoes:

• 4 - 5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter

• 2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese or plain vegan yogurt

• salt and pepper to taste

• a few splashes of plant based milk

Meatballs:

• 4 Beyond Meat Burgers, thawed

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 2 pieces of sliced bread (whatever you have on hand)

• 1 flax egg

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Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. For the meatballs: If using frozen, bake to package instructions. If making meatballs with Beyond Meat Burgers, put sliced bread into a blender or food processor, and break them down to crumbs. Combine bread crumbs, thawed Beyond Beef patties, flax egg, and dried thyme in a bowl. Mix well. Form meatballs with a small scoop or spoon and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

2. While meatballs are baking, thinly slice the onion. Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add a few teaspoons of oil or vegan butter. Drop the onions in and sprinkle with a little salt. Let onions cook until they become translucent and soft. Add the cranberry sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir well and reduce heat to low.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the water, Better Than Bouillon, and starch. Add to the pot of cranberry sauce and stir. Allow sauce to simmer and thicken while the meatballs finish baking. Once the meatballs are done baking, add them to the pot of cranberry sauce and let them simmer along with the sauce while you prepare the mashed potatoes.

4. Bring another large pot of water to a boil, then add the diced potatoes. Let potatoes boil until they are soft enough to pierce with a fork. This should take about 10 - 15 minutes. Drain the water from the potatoes and return them to the pot you boiled them in. Using a hand masher or an electric hand mixer, begin to mash the potatoes. Add the butter, cream cheese or yogurt, salt and pepper. Begin adding milk, just a few tablespoons at a time, until the potatoes are your desired consistency.

5. To serve, scoop some potatoes onto a plate and top with meatballs and sauce. Garnish with fresh time or parsley flakes.

Serves 4 - 6.

Vegan Eggnog Cake

Not everyone loves eggnog.

I am not one of those people!

I LOVE it.

I get giddy waiting for the grocery store to begin stocking my favorite holiday drink. How lucky we are that most stores now carry a vegan version!!Miracles happen everyday, y'all!

Even if you don’t love to drink eggnog, I’m going to go out on a limb and say I think you still may love this cake.

My eggnog hating husband went back for seconds. It’s the perfect mix of buttery vanilla, nutmeg, and a touch of bourbon in the frosting for an added noggy kick.

If you want to leave out the bourbon, go ahead, it will still be delicious!

Vegan and dairy free baking does not need to be intimidating. Now days more than ever it is so easy. There are so many options for replacing eggs and dairy in a recipe!

We use aquafaba in this recipe to replace the eggs. Aquafaba is simply the liquid from canned beans, and can be whipped up to resemble whipped egg whites, making it a wonder egg substitute in many recipes! Cheap, easy, and near vegan baking magic! Seriously, what a time to be alive y’all.

So go forth with confidence and bake yourself a vegan cake, and remember this holiday season you can have your nog, and eat it too!

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Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose white flour

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/4 cup aquafaba (whipped chickpea liquid, you are measuring out the WHIPPED aquafaba, not the liquid)

• 1 cup vegan eggnog, store bought or try Meggan Leals recipe from Cooking On Caffeine

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 1/4 cup vegan butter

Buttercream:

• 1/2 cup vegan butter

• 1/2 cup shortening

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2-3 tablespoons eggnog

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Instructions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Prepare (2) 8 inch cake pans by first coating with a thin layer of vegan butter, then lightly dusting pans with flour.

2. Prepare the aquafaba according to instructions. (follow link to recipe and instructions)

3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, whisk together all of your dry cake ingredients.

4. Add the butter, and all of the eggnog into the dry ingredients. Cream on medium speed for a few minutes until completely smooth. Add vanilla and mix for a few more seconds.

5. Next, with a spatula, gently fold in the aquafaba, careful not to over mix. You do not want to deflate the aquafaba. If you do, your cake will not be as fluffy.

6. Evenly divide batter between the 2 prepared pans and bake cakes for 40 - 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Allow cakes to cool in the pans on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes.

8. While cakes are cooling prepare the frosting by mixing together the butter and shortening in your stand mixer or using an electric hand mixer. Add in the vanilla, spices, and bourbon and continue mixing until well incorporated. Slowly begin beating in the powdered sugar. The frosting should be pretty stiff. Begin adding just enough eggnog to thin the frosting enough to easily spread on the cake. ( if you leave out the bourbon, you will need a little extra eggnog)

9. Once cakes have cooled for 20 minutes, turn them out onto the cooling rack to cool completely. Once cakes are completely cooled, begin frosting by adding a layer of buttercream on one cake layer, and spreading evenly to the edges. Place other cake layer on top and cover the cake with remaining buttercream.

10. Store cake in the refrigerator and serve at room temperature.

*We have altered some instructions from the original recipe to help cut down on the deflating of the aquafaba. Over mixing the aquafaba will cause it to deflate, resulting in a more dense cake. Being careful to gently fold in the aquafaba will help achieve a nice light crumb.