Dessert at Thanksgiving is arguably the best part. Forget the turkey and the mashed potatoes — can we just eat pie? No? Darn. If you don’t stuff your face too much during the meal, chances are good you’ll have room for dessert and maybe an after-dinner drink. But if you do, you should roll your dessert and your after-dinner drink into one neat package with a cranberry on top.
This zesty Cranberry Bourbon Granita is the answer. A little bit cranberry sauce, a little bit bourbon and a little bit snow cone, this after-dinner libation is a delicate, icy treat that you didn’t know you were missing. I chose this recipe for Blogsgiving Dinner because you can make it a day ahead of time and keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to serve it.
Making any granita — a slushy, sorbet-like iced cocktail — is fairly easy. For this one, you’ll first make a sugary cranberry-orange mixture on the stove. Then, you’ll stir in the bourbon and orange juice, transfer it to a baking dish and place it in the freezer. You’ll need to tend to it for the first five or so hours, raking it with a fork to form ice chips. After a while, you’ll have a frosty delight that any adult will welcome after a big meal. (You can make a version for the kiddos, too. Just leave out the bourbon! And maybe add a 1/2 cup more sugar to those tart cranberries.) The leftovers will be safe in the freezer in an airtight container for a couple weeks.
I do hope you’ve enjoyed the Blogsgiving Dinner collaboration. All 52 of the recipes look so amazing and make me wish we could all get together for one big dinner. That’s the beauty of the Internet, I guess! Tomorrow I’m posting a full round-up on the blog, but you can check the hashtag #blogsgivingdinner on Instagram for a little food porn. // susannah
Here’s what’s on the menu today:
DESSERT
Grandma’s Pecan Pie from The Wetherills Say I Do
Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting from My Cooking Spot
Gluten-Free Apple Berry Crumble from Twin Stripe
Paleo Pumpkin Pudding from Wit Wisdom Food
Cranberry Almond Coconut Bars from Love & Flour
Torched Marshmallow Pumpkin Pie with Olive & Sinclair Chocolate from The Local Forkful
Poached Pears with Salted Maple Caramel Syrup from Home at Six
Sweet Potato Pie from Think Fruitful
Nutella Pumpkin S’mores Tart from bethcakes
Gluten-Free Acorn Squash Spice Bars from I Cook. I Eat. It’s Life.
Drunken Pecan Pie Bars from The Speckled Palate
Butter Pecan Cupcakes from Glamour Girl Gourmet
AFTER-DINNER DRINKS
Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider from A Savory Feast
Cranberry Bourbon Granita from Feast + West — See recipe below!
LEFTOVERS
Cheesy Potato Croquettes from Hello Little Home
Leftover Stuffed Egg Rolls with Cranberry Dipping Sauce from Cake ‘n’ Knife
Freezer-Friendly Turkey and Rice Casserole from Betty Becca
Stuffed Crescents with Thanksgiving Leftovers from My Cooking Spot
Click below to see my recipe for Cranberry Bourbon Granita!
Cranberry Bourbon Granita
ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries typically one bag or about 4 cups, minus a handful for garnish
- 2 cups water
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ½ cup to 1 cup bourbon to taste (I used Bulleit)
- ½ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
- mint leaves or sprigs
instructions
- Wash, drain and dry cranberries. In a medium saucepan over high heat, stir together cranberries, water, sugars and orange zest until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer until the cranberries begin to pop, around 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a blender, add cranberry mixture, orange juice and bourbon and puree. For a more textured dessert, pour directly into a deep 13 x 9-inch baking dish. For a smoother texture, allow juice to drip into the dish through a fine mesh strainer.
- Place the baking dish into the freezer at a level spot until set, about 5 to 6 hours. Every hour, stir mixture with a fork to rake up the ice chips. Serve immediately in shot glasses or store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks. (Ice should be frosty like a snow cone, not smooth like sorbet.) Garnish with cranberry and 1 or 2 mint leaves.
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nutrition information
amount per serving:
Jenna @ A Savory Feast says
Yes please! This sounds so good. I am loving cranberries right now for some reason. They are just so good!
Susannah says
They really, really are, Jenna! So tart and juicy! Thanks for your comment, friend, and thank you for being a part of Blogsgiving. It has been such a pleasure getting to know you this week.
Meghan @ Cake 'n' Knife says
Oh my gosh I LOVE the color of this granita!! And it has bourbon in it…. ummmmmm HELL YES. I am so sad this is the last day of our Blogsgiving Dinner… I can hardly wait until we do it again next year BFF!
Susannah says
Me too! Already excited for next year, my BFF. 🙂 You will love this granita. The color really is so festive!
Mer Now Fitz says
I am sooo excited to try this recipe out!! Since I need 5 hours to hover near the freezer though, I think it will have to wait until next weekend, when I have more time and have picked up the 2 ingredients I need – oranges & cranberries! I am counted on to bring a set dish to every Tgiving (candied sweet potato casserole – so yum) with my own family, but I think I might make this for my mother-in-law’s Tgiving this year. Something to make her feel a bit more *forgiving* when we leave before dinner is really served at her house, to go to my family’s house!
I have enjoyed periodically checking in on your blog ever since I was introduced to you through TwinStripe. This blogsgiving is no exception to the awesomeness. I’ve just signed up for Bloglovin’ and added you to my feed. I’m looking forward to more great recipes and good writing! 🙂
P.S. Sorry for the long post!!
Susannah says
Hi Mer! Sorry for taking so long to reply to your comment! I hope you had an opportunity to try the granita! We had it at mine yesterday and it was soooo good. It’s something so different, and it was a great conversation starter. Thank you so much for following and for stopping by! I look forward to hearing from you again soon. 🙂
Jennifer Stewart says
Yummy! My hubs is a HUGE bourbon fan. I am slowly getting a handle on it with the help of raspberry ginger ale and blood orange liqueur. I will be sure to try this tasty drink this Thanksgiving! Lots of bourbon drinkers in my family!
Susannah says
You will seriously love this, Jennifer! I hope you were able to try it yesterday. It is so fun and delicious that even non-bourbon drinkers will enjoy. I might make it again for Christmas!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
While I can’t currently enjoy bourbon, I’m absolutely saving this recipe for later because it sounds DELICIOUS. What a fun spin on an after-Thanksgiving dessert and drink, rolled into one! I have a feeling we’ll love this in my house!