Honeyed Cranberries With Tahini

By Andy Baraghani

Updated Nov. 17, 2025

Honeyed Cranberries With Tahini
Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth.
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes, plus 1 hour cooling
Rating
5(107)
Comments
Read comments

Cranberries are one of the few fruits that are almost exclusively eaten cooked, and it’s because of their natural pectin: Once the cranberries hit heat with sugar (or in this case, honey), they break down and set up into that familiar jammy sauce. Usually that’s where the story ends but here, ground cardamom sneaks in for some warm spice. And instead of the usual orange zest or clove, the cranberries get finished with a generous drizzle of tahini. The nutty, fatty richness of the tahini softens the fruit’s sharp edge and makes the whole thing taste bigger, rounder and more grownup.

Featured in: Make Your Most Beautiful Thanksgiving Yet

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:3 cups
  • 1pound fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1cup honey
  • 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice  
  • ¾teaspoon ground cardamom 
  • Small pinch kosher salt
  • ½cup tahini 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

246 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 37 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 31 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the cranberries, honey, lemon juice, cardamom, salt and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high.

  2. Step 2

    Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until cranberries burst and the mixture is quite juicy, 2 to 5 minutes. Continue to cook, still stirring frequently, until the sauce goes from very runny and juicy to syrupy and jammy, 12 to 15 minutes. (Cranberries can be made up to 5 days ahead. Let them cool, then cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly onto the cranberries, and chill.)

  3. Step 3

    Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool for about 1 hour before drizzling tahini on top.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
107 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

ButteristhenewSugar

So nobody actually made this recipe, they reminisced about their own cranberry sauce recipe and then commented on this one. Thanks?

John

Cranberries are almost always cooked in some manner but an old family favorite is fresh cranberries coarsely chopped with orange zest, fresh orange juice and a bit of sugar; then left to cure for a day or so. Lovely, palate refreshing chutney. I get a bit adventurous and finely mince jalapeño peppers and red onion to add some piquance to the mixture.

Aileen

I made this today. It’s good! The tahini/cranberry combination is grown up peanut butter and jelly vibes. I accidentally added a little too much honey because I was measuring by weight and got the math wrong but it’s not overly sweet.

Mathina Calliope

Dang. You have to reeeeaaalllyyy love honey to enjoy these. “Honeyed” to me suggests a hint, but it is all honey. If I make again I’ll use mostly agave or sugar and add just a tablespoon or so of honey.

Lisa Breneman

This was an absolute hit exactly as instructed. I am making it again today as I was going to make a cranberry curd tart. I am using this, this time to go with a salad of roasted butternut squash, toasted hazelnuts and spicy roasted chickpeas to be served over a bed of lettuce.

Annette

I made this for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was a big hit. Really delicious.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.