Some nights I want a real turkey dinner without roasting a whole bird. With just the two of us at the table, a whole turkey is a lot more than we need. This cranberry glazed turkey breast gives us a nice meal with a few slices left over.
A boneless turkey breast bakes under a glaze of whole berry cranberry sauce with a little Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar. The glaze caramelizes in the pan, and those pan juices are so good I skip the gravy entirely. I make it whenever I'm in the mood for turkey but don't want the whole Thanksgiving experience.
I can find these wrapped turkey breasts in stores year-round now, so it's an easy choice. I know once you try it, you'll want to have it on repeat.
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Ingredients needed for Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast
- Boneless turkey breast (I use the 3-pound Butterball package)
- Whole berry cranberry sauce
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
The Butterball package comes with a gravy packet. I don't use it, because the cranberry pan juices take its place.
How to Make Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast
Thaw and prep the turkey
These turkey breasts are sold frozen, so plan ahead. I thaw mine in the fridge for 2 days. A dense boneless breast can take longer than you'd expect, and 2 days gives you a cushion.
If it's still partly frozen on cooking day, you can finish it in cold water. Keep it sealed in its bag and submerge it in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes, and allow about 30 minutes per pound. Cook it right away once it's thawed this way.
Take the thawed turkey out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before cooking so it can start warming up.
Turn the oven on to 375°F first thing. The prep takes about 10 minutes, which is faster than my oven takes to preheat.
Open the plastic bag and set the gravy packet aside. The breast is wrapped in a net. I remove it so the glaze can reach as much of the meat as possible. Cut the top of the net first, then gently peel it away. The breast relaxes a little once the net is off, but it holds together.
Line a shallow baking pan with foil. I use a 7x11-inch glass pan about an inch deep, the same one I use for my caramel stuffed brownies. A small pan keeps the juices from spreading out, so they stay deep enough to spoon up later. The foil makes cleanup much easier, since the glaze caramelizes in the pan.
Glaze and bake
Stir the cranberry sauce, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard together in a bowl.
Set the turkey breast in the lined pan. Sometimes the package includes a small extra piece of breast. When it does, I tuck it under the larger piece so it doesn't overcook.
Pour half the cranberry mixture over the turkey and bake for 45 minutes.
Take the pan out and pour the rest of the glaze over the top. If you haven't put a temperature probe in yet, do it now. Bake for up to 45 more minutes, until the probe reads 155°F. Mine usually gets there a little before the 45 minutes are up.
Rest and slice
When it reaches 155°F, take the turkey out of the oven and tent it well with foil. Make sure there are no gaps. I use a second piece of foil if I need to. Leave the probe in.
Let it rest about 15 minutes, until it reaches 165°F. The temperature keeps rising as it rests. After 10 minutes mine was at 163°F, and it hit 165°F a few minutes later.
Then slice it and spoon some of the pan juices over the top.
Serving suggestions and variations
Since the turkey takes up the oven, I like sides that cook somewhere else. My Air Fryer Roasted Baby Potatoes cook in the air fryer, and my Brussels Sprouts and Carrots are made on the stovetop in about 20 minutes. Both can cook while the turkey bakes.
Those cranberry pan juices are practically the best part. I spoon them over the sliced turkey, and they're good for dipping too. That's why I never bother with the gravy packet.
If you don't have whole berry cranberry sauce, jellied cranberry sauce works. The only real difference is that the texture of whole berry sauce helps it stick to the meat a little, rather than sliding off. I've used canned jellied sauce and my homemade Jellied Cranberry Sauce, and both turned out well.
Dijon is the mustard I'd recommend. Yellow mustard was too harsh for my taste.
Storage
Slice any leftover turkey and store it in a shallow container in the fridge. USDA recommends getting leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. A shallow container helps them cool quickly. USDA also recommends using cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days.
I drizzle a little of the cranberry juices over the slices before storing them. It helps keep them from drying out.
We love the leftovers in sandwiches. I haven't tried rewarming the slices, but I'd expect them to be good warm with some of the juices. I've also never frozen this, so I can't say how it holds up.
📖 Recipe
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Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 Butterball boneless turkey breast 3 lb package, thawed
- 1 can 14 oz whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Turkey breast should be thawed. Remove from fridge 30 to 60 minutes before cooking to allow it to start warming to room temperature.
- Remove turkey breast from the plastic bag and set aside the gravy packet (not used). Remove the net, cutting the top part first and gently peeling it away.1 Butterball boneless turkey breast
- Line a shallow baking pan (7x11-inch) with foil.
- Mix cranberry sauce, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a bowl.1 can, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Place turkey breast in the pan. If there is a small extra piece of breast, tuck it under the larger piece.
- Pour half the cranberry sauce mixture over the turkey and bake for 45 minutes.
- Add the rest of the cranberry sauce mixture and insert a temperature probe if you haven't already. Bake for up to 45 minutes more, until the internal temperature reaches 155°F.
- Remove from oven and tent well with foil. Rest about 15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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