Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey (Printable)

Juicy turkey roasted and finished with a lively cranberry and orange glaze for festive meals.

# What You Need:

→ Turkey

01 - 1 whole turkey (10–12 lbs), thawed if frozen
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tsp salt
04 - 1 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 orange, quartered
06 - 1 onion, quartered
07 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
08 - 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

→ Glaze

09 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
10 - 1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed preferred
11 - ½ cup honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 tbsp orange zest
13 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
14 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
15 - ¼ tsp ground cloves
16 - ¼ tsp salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove giblets from the cavity and pat turkey dry with paper towels.
02 - Rub the turkey exterior with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Stuff the cavity with orange quarters, onion, thyme, and rosemary.
03 - Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Tuck wings under and tie legs together with kitchen twine.
04 - Roast uncovered for approximately 2½–3 hours (13 minutes per pound), basting occasionally with pan juices, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Tent with foil if browning too rapidly.
05 - In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cranberries, orange juice, honey, orange zest, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally until cranberries burst and sauce thickens, about 10–12 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
06 - In the final 30 minutes of roasting, brush the turkey every 10 minutes with the cranberry-orange glaze, reserving some for serving.
07 - Remove turkey from oven, loosely tent with foil, and let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
08 - Carve turkey slices and drizzle generously with reserved glaze.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cranberry-orange glaze is tangy-sweet magic that perfectly balances the richness of turkey, and your guests will ask for the recipe
  • A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness, so you'll never serve undercooked or dry turkey again
  • You can prepare the glaze while the turkey roasts, keeping your hands free to check on things and actually enjoy your kitchen time
02 -
  • Never skip the resting period—I learned this the hard way when I carved too eagerly years ago and the turkey was disappointing. Those 20 minutes make the difference between mediocre and memorable
  • The glaze will thicken as it cools, so if it gets too thick to brush, just warm it gently over low heat. This discovery changed everything about how I approach this step
03 -
  • Freshly squeezed orange juice truly does taste noticeably better in the glaze—if you can swing it, it's worth the extra effort and adds that personal touch that makes this recipe shine
  • Start basting the turkey every 30 minutes from the beginning, not just in the last 30 minutes—this builds golden color gradually and keeps the bird moist throughout cooking

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