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If you're looking for an easy and delicious way to dress up your holiday dinner rolls, homemade biscuits, or morning toast, this Cranberry Honey Butter is exactly what you need! It's creamy, sweet, slightly tart, and full of delicious cranberry flavor.

The best part? You don't have to cook fresh cranberries or spend extra time in the kitchen. This simple recipe uses canned whole berry cranberry sauce, making it one of the easiest homemade flavored butters you can prepare for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

With just a few ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep time, you can create a beautiful, festive spread that tastes amazing on everything from warm yeast rolls to homemade cornbread.

I love finding little ways to make holiday meals feel special without adding a ton of extra work. This cranberry honey butter is one of those recipes that looks impressive but couldn't be easier to make!

Why You'll Love This Cranberry Honey Butter Recipe

There is something so delicious about spreading homemade flavored butter on a warm dinner roll. And when you combine creamy butter, sweet honey, and tart cranberries, you get a spread that is absolutely perfect for the holidays.

Here's why this recipe is a keeper:

• No cooking required: Using canned whole berry cranberry sauce means there's no need to cook or cool fresh cranberries.
• Only a few ingredients: You probably already have most of what you need in your kitchen.
• Ready in minutes: The butter comes together in about 10 minutes, plus chilling time.
• Perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas: The beautiful cranberry color makes it a festive addition to your holiday table.
• Great for making ahead: Prepare it a day or two before your holiday gathering.
• Delicious on everything: Serve it with rolls, biscuits, toast, pancakes, waffles, and more.

Ingredients for Homemade Cranberry Honey Butter

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this easy holiday butter.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
• ½ cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• Pinch of salt

Why Use Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce?

Whole berry cranberry sauce is perfect for this recipe because it gives the butter little bits of cranberry throughout.

Unlike jellied cranberry sauce, which has a completely smooth texture, whole berry sauce adds both flavor and texture to the finished butter.

It also already contains sugar, which means you don't need as much honey to sweeten the butter.

I prefer the whole berry version because I love seeing those pretty red cranberry pieces swirled throughout the creamy butter.

How to Make Cranberry Honey Butter

This recipe couldn't be easier to make. All you need is a mixing bowl, a hand mixer, and a few minutes.

Step 1: Soften the Butter

Start by allowing your butter to soften at room temperature.

You want the butter soft enough to mix easily but not melted.

Place the softened butter in a medium mixing bowl.

Step 2: Whip the Butter

Using a hand mixer, beat the softened butter for about 2–3 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.

Whipping the butter first creates a creamy texture that makes the finished cranberry honey butter easy to spread.

Step 3: Add the Honey

Pour the honey into the whipped butter and continue mixing until completely combined.

If you're using orange zest, cinnamon, or a pinch of salt, add those ingredients now.

The honey adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance the tart cranberry flavor.

Step 4: Add the Cranberry Sauce

Add ½ cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce to the butter mixture.

If the sauce has a lot of loose liquid, stir it first and use the thicker portion to keep the butter from becoming too soft.

Gently fold the cranberry sauce into the butter with a spatula.

You can mix it completely for a pretty pink butter or leave it slightly swirled for a beautiful red-and-white appearance.

I personally love leaving some of the cranberry pieces visible because it makes the butter look extra festive.

Step 5: Chill and Serve

Spoon the finished cranberry honey butter into a small serving bowl or airtight container.

Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the butter to firm up and the flavors to blend together.

Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes so it becomes soft and spreadable.

Serve with warm homemade rolls, biscuits, or your favorite bread.

What to Serve with Cranberry Honey Butter

One of the best things about this recipe is how versatile it is. While it's perfect for the holidays, you can enjoy it any time of year.

Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it.

Homemade dinner rolls: Nothing beats a warm, fluffy dinner roll topped with a generous spoonful of cranberry honey butter. The butter melts right into the bread and adds the perfect sweet and tart flavor.

Buttermilk biscuits: Spread this butter over freshly baked Southern biscuits for a delicious breakfast treat.

Cornbread: The sweetness of the honey and cranberries pairs beautifully with savory homemade cornbread.

Pancakes and waffles: Add a spoonful to a stack of pancakes or waffles instead of regular butter.

Toast and English muffins: This is an easy way to make your everyday breakfast feel a little more special.

Sweet potatoes: Try adding a small spoonful to a hot baked sweet potato. The cranberry and honey flavors complement the natural sweetness of the potato.

You can also add a small bowl of cranberry honey butter to a holiday bread board alongside homemade rolls, sliced bread, and biscuits.

Tips for Making the Best Cranberry Honey Butter

Even though this recipe is incredibly simple, there are a few things you can do to make sure it turns out perfectly every time.

Use softened butter, not melted butter. Melted butter won't whip properly and can make the finished spread too loose.

Choose whole berry cranberry sauce. The little cranberry pieces add texture and make the butter look beautiful.

Don't add too much cranberry sauce. Start with ½ cup. Adding too much can make the butter watery and difficult to spread.

Adjust the honey to your taste. Since canned cranberry sauce is already sweetened, you may prefer to start with 2 tablespoons of honey and add more as needed.

Fold the cranberry sauce in gently. If you want those pretty cranberry swirls, use a spatula instead of mixing everything together with the hand mixer.

Add a little orange zest. Fresh orange zest brings out the cranberry flavor and gives the butter a wonderful holiday taste.

Can You Make Cranberry Honey Butter Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! This is one of my favorite things about this recipe.

When you're preparing a big Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, anything you can make ahead of time is a lifesaver.

You can prepare this cranberry honey butter up to 2 days before your holiday meal.

Simply store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.

When it's time to eat, remove the butter from the refrigerator about 10–15 minutes before serving to let it soften slightly.

How to Store Cranberry Honey Butter

Because this butter contains cranberry sauce, it needs to be refrigerated.

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezer: You can freeze cranberry honey butter for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. The texture may be slightly less fluffy after freezing.

Serving: Keep the butter refrigerated until shortly before serving. Don't leave it sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use jellied cranberry sauce instead?

Yes, but the texture will be different. Jellied cranberry sauce creates a smoother, more uniformly pink butter, while whole berry cranberry sauce gives you delicious little cranberry pieces throughout.

Do I need to cook the canned cranberry sauce?

No! That's what makes this recipe so easy. The cranberry sauce is already cooked and ready to use straight from the can.

Can I use salted butter?

Absolutely. If you use salted butter, simply leave out the additional pinch of salt.

Why is my cranberry honey butter too soft?

Canned cranberry sauce contains moisture, so adding too much can make the butter loose.

Be sure to use softened butter rather than melted butter, and stick with about ½ cup cranberry sauce for every cup of butter.

Refrigerating the finished butter will help it firm up.

Can I make this without honey?

Yes! Since canned cranberry sauce is already sweetened, you can leave out the honey if you prefer a less sweet cranberry butter.

Can I double this recipe?

Definitely! This is a great recipe to double when you're feeding a crowd during Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Just double all the ingredients and divide the finished butter into smaller serving dishes.