Cranberry Mole

Cranberry mole is made by combining cranberries, chiles, tortillas, spices, and chocolate to create a thick, rich, and creamy sauce. Serve it as a main course over turkey legs, chicken, or with enchiladas, tacos, and seafood.

Mole for the holidays is always a good idea. My cranberry mole is hearty, cozy, and perfect for the holidays.

Last year I shared mole braised brisket and it was a HIT!

If you’ve never tried mole at home before. I’m here to tell you this is the year you should give it a try. My cranberry mole is a tasty fusion sweet, smoky, with a hint of spiciness.

I added cranberries to my mole this year instead of prunes or raisins for a twist on the classic, pero this mole is so good I know you will love it. The chocolate pairs perfectly with the cranberries.

Serve my cranberry mole sauce over turkey legs as shown here with a side of rice, or over steak, seafood, or chicken.

What Is Mole?

Mole is a term used in Mexican cuisine to describe a type of sauce. The word mole (pronounced MOE-lay) comes from Nahuatl language. The word molli, which simply means sauce.

A mix of chiles, seeds, fruit, spices is ground into a paste then diluted with stock or broth and served with a protein or seafood.

Mole can be found from in dark and thick to soup-like and bright green, with red, yellow and black moles each from different regions in Mexico.

The modern mole most Mexicans eat today is said to have originated in either the state of Puebla or Oaxaca, which are both famous for their moles.

There is a wide variety of moles in Mexico, and every cook, every Tia, every Mami, has his or her own variation, twist, or trick to making mole.  

Most moles include nuts or seeds, chili peppers and dried spices.

Many types of moles also include either fresh or dried fruit.

The mole mixture usually gets ground or pureed together, yielding a thick yet pourable sauce.

What is Cranberry Mole Made Of?

Cranberries: fresh cranberries add sweetness to our mole sauce

Pasilla chiles: Is the dried form of the chilaca chili pepper. Named for its dark, wrinkled skin, it is a mild to hot, rich-flavored chile.

Guajillo chiles: Guajillo peppers are fresh mirasol chiles that have been dried. Rather than spicy, their flavor profile is actually very fruity (think plums, prunes, and peaches), tart, tangy, and slightly smokey.

Ancho chiles:  is the dried version of the Poblano pepper. Mild heat, as well as sweetness, and smokiness.

Tomatoes:

Onion: white or yellow works well in this recipe

Garlic cloves

Corn tortillas: helps to thicken our mole sauce.

Pecans: toasted pecan give our mole sauce thickness, richness

Ground cloves: a pinch for a touch of sweetness

Pepper

Oregano and Cumin: warmth, that all day cooked taste

Broth: chicken, beef, or vegetable work well in this recipe.

Olive oil or lard: we are frying the mole sauce to add depth of flavor.

Mexican chocolate: An Abuelita tablet, Ibarra chocolate or your family favorite chocolate  

How to Make Cranberry Mole

In a saucepan add cranberries, chiles, tomatoes, onions and garlic cover with water, bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes.

In a comal or skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat, toast the tortillas on both sides, remove from comal and lightly toast the pecans. 

In a blender, in batches to accommodate blender add cranberries, chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic, toasted tortilla in pieces, pecans, cloves, pepper, oregano, cumin and 2 cups of beef broth.

Blend until smooth.

Heat olive oil or lard in a Dutch oven or stock pot over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.

Carefully add sauce as it might splatter. Fry sauce, stirring often, for 3 minutes.

Add remaining broth and chocolate.

Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until chocolate dissolves.

Taste, season with salt and pepper if needed.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER MOLE SAUCE: 

Store leftover mole sauce in an airtight container or jar. It will stay good for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so add more broth as needed.

To Reheat: Warm over the stove on medium heat, adding chicken broth if needed to thin out the mole sauce.

Print

Cranberry Mole

Author: Vianney Rodriguez

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 2 pasilla chiles stem and seeds removed
• 2 guajillo chiles stem and seeds removed
• 2 ancho chiles steam and seeds removed
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 white onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 corn tortillas
• 1 cup pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 6 cups broth chicken beef or vegetable
• 1/2 cup olive oil or lard
• 4 oz Mexican chocolate chopped

Instructions

1. In a saucepan add cranberries, chiles, tomatoes, onions and garlic cover with water, bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In a comal or skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat, toast the tortillas on both sides, remove from comal and lightly toast the pecans.
3. In a blender, in batches to accommodate blender add cranberries, chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic, toasted tortilla in pieces, pecans, cloves, pepper, oregano, cumin and 2 cups of beef broth.
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Heat olive oil or lard in a Dutch oven or stock pot over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
6. Carefully add sauce as it might splatter. Fry sauce, stirring often, for 3 minutes.
7. Add remaining broth and chocolate.
8. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until chocolate dissolves.

9. Taste, season with salt.

10. Serve warm.