Keto Cranberry-Walnut Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup whole walnuts
• 10 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
• ½ cup sugar-free maple-flavored syrup
• 1 tablespoon peeled, freshly grated ginger
• ¾ teaspoon pure orange extract
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
• sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper then add the walnuts in a single layer. Bake until the nuts are a few shades darker and you can smell the aroma of toasted nuts, 10-15 minutes. Let cool, then chop the walnuts into smaller pieces and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, maple-flavored syrup, ginger, orange extract, cinnamon stick, clove, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until the berries begin to break open, 5-6 minutes. Keep cooking, stirring often, until berries are soft, about 10 minutes more.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the cranberry sauce cool and thicken for 5 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick, stir in the chopped walnuts, then let the sauce cool to room temperature.
4. Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl, then cover it with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap onto the surface of the sauce. Refrigerate and let thicken until ready to serve.