Cranberry Orange Marmalade

Cranberry Orange Marmalade is the kind of small-batch preserve that tastes like the holidays in a jar, with tart cranberries, bright citrus, and just enough sweetness to round it out. It’s incredibly easy to make, even if you’ve never made marmalade before.

I developed this recipe because I went looking for a tested cranberry marmalade and didn’t love what I found.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation does have a cranberry marmalade recipe, but the proportions honestly don’t make much sense to me. It calls for about seven cups of sugar for a relatively small amount of fruit, which is wildly out of step with how cranberries behave in recipes I actually cook from (a similar-sized cranberry sauce uses around three-quarters of a cup of sugar, and while marmalade should be sweeter than sauce, it shouldn’t be ten times sweeter).

The NCHFP also adds boxed pectin, which feels unnecessary and expensive when the main ingredients are two naturally high-pectin fruits. Cranberries set on their own, oranges set on their own, and together they make a marmalade that turns thick and glossy after a short boil, no added pectin required.

Ingredients for Cranberry Marmalade

This is a short ingredient list, but each one matters. You’ll get the best flavor if you use good oranges and don’t rush the brief first cook that helps the cranberries release their juice.

• Cranberries: Provide tart flavor, deep color, and natural pectin for a firm set.
• Oranges: Bring citrus aroma and that classic marmalade bite from the peel.
• Water: Helps the fruit soften quickly and prevents scorching at the start.
• Sugar: Balances the cranberries’ tartness and helps the marmalade gel properly.

You can use fresh or frozen cranberries, and this is a great way to use cranberries you’ve tucked into the freezer after the holidays. For the oranges, any sweet orange works well. If you want a slightly more complex flavor, swap one orange for a blood orange, or add a small splash of vanilla at the end for a softer finish.

If you’re sensitive to bitterness, slice the oranges as thinly as you can and remove obvious seeds. Most of the bitterness comes from very thick peel pieces or a lot of pith in big chunks, so thin slicing makes a noticeable difference.

How to Make Cranberry Marmalade

This marmalade comes together quickly, with a short first boil to pop the cranberries and a second boil with sugar to reach the set.

Prep the citrus

Wash the oranges well, then quarter them and slice the quarters as thinly as you can. Remove any seeds as you go. Thin slices soften quickly and give you that pleasant marmalade texture without chewy peel.

Pop the cranberries

Combine the cranberries, sliced oranges, and water in a wide saucepan or jam pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook briefly until the cranberries pop and release their juice. This happens fast, and once the pot smells strongly of cranberry and the berries begin bursting, you’re ready for sugar.

Add sugar and boil to set

Stir in the sugar and return the pot to a full rolling boil. Keep it boiling, stirring often, until the marmalade thickens and passes a set test. This usually takes about seven to eight minutes, but your pot size and stove strength can shift it slightly.

Check the set

If you like a firm marmalade, use a quick plate test: put a small plate in the freezer before you start, then spoon a small amount of marmalade onto the cold plate and let it sit for a few seconds. Push it with your fingertip. If it wrinkles and holds a clean line, it’s ready. If it runs thin, boil another minute and test again.

Canning Cranberry Orange Marmalade

Prepare a water bath canner, jars, and lids before you begin cooking so you can fill and process the jars while the marmalade is hot.

Ladle the hot marmalade into hot, clean half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove bubbles, adjust headspace if needed, then wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth. Apply lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight.

Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes, or 15 minutes if above 1,000 feet in elevation. Those times are for both pints and half pints.

When the time is up, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars rest in the water for a few minutes to reduce siphoning. Lift jars out and let them cool undisturbed for twelve to twenty-four hours. Check seals, label, and store.

Serving Ideas

This marmalade is more than toast topping, and I end up using it in all sorts of ways.

Stir it into plain yogurt or oatmeal for a bright, tangy swirl. Spoon it over cheesecake or pound cake, especially when you want something that cuts sweetness with a little zip. Warm it gently and use it as a glaze for ham or roasted poultry, or whisk a spoonful into a pan sauce for pork.

I used it this past holiday season on my cheese board, alongside my other late season preserves, including Pickled Peppers, Pickled Carrots, Green Tomato Marmalade, Pickled Pears, Italian Green Tomato Preserves and three types of Pickled Green Tomatoes (sweet, dill and spicy).

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