Description

A succulent turkey breast rubbed with warm spices and molasses, roasted with a vibrant cranberry-orange sauce that’s sweet, tart, and irresistible. Perfect for holidays or special occasions.

Ingredients

Turkey & Rub

1 turkey breast (about 4-5 lb)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp dark molasses
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Cranberry-Orange Sauce

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 can (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
½ cup lingonberry jam (or substitute: cranberry jam or orange marmalade)
1 cup orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
2 Tbsp cornstarch

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Turkey

Get your oven to 375°F first thing. I use a big fork to poke holes all over the turkey breast – my kids think it’s hilarious, but those little holes help the rub stick instead of sliding off during cooking.

Step 2: Make the Magic Rub

Mix your brown sugar, garlic, oil, molasses, and spices in a bowl until it looks like thick frosting. Slather this all over your turkey with your hands – it’s messy but so worth it. Don’t miss the sides and bottom!

Step 3: Create the Cranberry-Orange Sauce

Dump your cranberries, cranberry sauce, jam, and orange zest in another bowl. Mix that cornstarch with the orange juice really well (I learned this the hard way when I got lumps), then stir it into your cranberry mix.

Step 4: Assemble for Roasting

Put your turkey in the pan and pour that beautiful red sauce around it, not over it. The first time I made this, I dumped it right on top and washed off half my rub – don’t make my mistake!

Step 5: Roast to Perfection

Into the oven it goes for about an hour and a half. I check with my meat thermometer at the thick part – when it hits 165°F, you’re done. My kitchen always smells incredible by this point.

Step 6: Rest and Serve

Pull it out, cover loosely with foil, and wait 15 minutes before slicing. I know it’s torture to wait when it smells so good, but trust me on this – it keeps all the juices in the meat.

Notes

Save every drop of that sauce from the bottom of the pan – it’s liquid gold for drizzling over everything. I always make extra because my family fights over it.

Pat your turkey completely dry with paper towels before rubbing. Wet turkey equals sliding rub, and nobody wants that. Size your pan right too – too big and the sauce burns, too small and nothing cooks evenly.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: American