Cranberry-Port Crisp

Have you ever had a cranberry? Like an actual fresh cranberry – not the sugary dried variety or the wobbly canned kind? They are fantastic and they happen to be absolutely everywhere this time of year. They are also super fun to eat because they pop in your mouth, kind of like an all-natural and über-healthy version of Pop Rocks. For this dessert, I combined two common components that are often present during Thanksgiving – cranberries and Port. During the holidays, my family enjoys after-dinner drinks, such as Port, so it seemed natural to pair the sweet wine with tart cranberries. This delightfully warming crisp serves as a nice departure from the omnipresent pumpkin pie. Plus, it is really fun to make since the fresh cranberries erratically explode as they cook! Don’t worry about the mess though, because the holidays are supposed to be unpredictable and hectic, right? What, that's only my house? Oh well, where's the Port?

Cranberry-Port Crisp
Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pint fresh cranberries
1 cup Port wine
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Splash of orange juice or pinch of orange zest

Additional sugar, if desired
Ginger cookies, crushed

Method

Simmer cranberries, Port, cinnamon, and orange juice/zest in a pot for 15 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add sugar if your cranberries are overly tart or your Port isn't quite sweet enough. Spoon into ramekins or small dishes and sprinkle with crushed cookies. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

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