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Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey – Easy Holiday Turkey Recipe

Make this Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey with juicy roasted turkey and a sweet-tangy homemade cranberry orange glaze. A beautiful and flavorful centerpiece for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and holiday dinners!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Turkey

  • 1whole turkey (10–12lb), thawed

  • 1/2 cup(115 g) unsalted butter, softened

  • 3garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tablespoonfresh rosemary, chopped

  • 1 tablespoonfresh thyme leaves

  • 1 teaspoonpaprika

  • 1 teaspoonsalt

  • 1/2 teaspoonblack pepper

  • 1orange, quartered

  • 1onion, quartered

  • 1 cupchicken broth

For the Cranberry Orange Glaze

  • 1 cupfresh or frozen cranberries

  • 1/2 cupfresh orange juice

  • 1 tablespoonorange zest

  • 1/3 cuphoney

  • 1/4 cupbrown sugar

  • 2 tablespoonsunsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoonDijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoonground cinnamon

  • A pinch of salt

For Garnish

  • Fresh rosemary sprigs

  • Orange slices

  • Fresh cranberries

Instructions

Prepare the Turkey

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

  • Remove the giblets from the turkey and pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels.

  • In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, paprika, salt, and black pepper.

  • Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast and spread some of the seasoned butter underneath.

  • Rub the remaining butter mixture all over the outside of the turkey.

  • Place the orange quarters and onion inside the cavity.

  • Set the turkey breast-side up on a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan.

  • Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.

Make the Cranberry Orange Glaze

  • In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, and salt.

  • Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

  • Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens.

  • Stir in the butter until melted and smooth.

  • Remove from the heat and lightly mash some of the cranberries for a thicker texture.

Roast the Turkey

  • Roast the turkey for approximately 2½–3 hours, depending on its size and your oven.

  • Baste occasionally with the pan juices.

  • Begin checking the internal temperature before the estimated cooking time is complete.

  • During the final 40–45 minutes, brush the turkey generously with the cranberry orange glaze.

  • Continue roasting, applying another layer of glaze every 15 minutes.

  • If the skin becomes too dark, loosely cover the turkey with aluminum foil.

  • The turkey is ready when a thermometer registers 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh and wing.

  • Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let it rest for 20–30 minutes before carving.

Garnish and Serve

  • Arrange the carved turkey on a large serving platter.

  • Spoon some extra cranberry orange glaze over the slices.

  • Decorate with fresh orange slices, cranberries, and rosemary sprigs.

  • Serve the remaining glaze on the side.