Cointreau Orange Vanilla Marmalade – A Festive Boozy Preserve

Bright, citrusy, and indulgently boozy: this Cointreau Orange Vanilla Marmalade is the perfect homemade preserve for the holiday season and beyond. Made with fresh oranges, a splash of Cointreau, and the warmth of vanilla and spices, it’s a delightful treat for your toast, pastries, or as a unique gift for the holidays. The brandy-like richness of Cointreau gives it a grown-up twist, making it a sophisticated addition to your breakfast table or dessert spreads.

Hey, folks – I hope you’re all doing well and getting ready for some cozy holiday baking!

This Cointreau Orange Vanilla Marmalade is a perfect blend of citrusy brightness and aromatic warmth. Whether spread on fresh scones, paired with cheese, or simply gifted in a jar, it’s a preserve that captures the essence of the season with a rich, boozy twist. If you’re looking for edible gifts this season, look no further – this marmalade makes a thoughtful, delicious present that’s sure to impress.

Why You’ll Love This Cointreau Orange Vanilla Marmalade

• Citrusy and boozy: A zesty marmalade with a splash of Cointreau for a festive, slightly boozy kick.
• Timeless: While festive, this marmalade works beautifully throughout the year for breakfast or a sweet treat.
• Aromatic and rich: Vanilla and spices like cinnamon and star anise bring extra warmth, making it the perfect holiday preserve.
• Versatile: Great as a topping for toast, pancakes, or even ice cream, and perfect for gift-giving during the holidays.
• Not overly sweet: This is not an overly sweet marmalade! While similar recipes call for up to 4 cups of sugar for the same amount of orange juice, I used less than 2 cups, and it turned out perfectly sweet – thanks to the natural sweetness from the orange liqueur
• Easy to make: With just a few ingredients, this marmalade comes together easily and can be made in batches for gifting.

Flavour and Texture Profile

This Cointreau Orange Vanilla Marmalade is a perfect balance of tart, sweet, and aromatic. The oranges provide a bright, citrusy tang, while the Cointreau adds a subtle boozy richness. The vanilla and optional spices lend a cozy, festive depth, making it feel luxurious. The marmalade’s texture is spreadable and slightly chunky, with just the right amount of citrus peel and syrup for a satisfying bite. It’s indulgent yet versatile, perfect for both holiday breakfasts and year-round enjoyment.

This is not an overly sweet marmalade – a key feature that sets it apart from others. While many similar recipes call for up to 4 cups of sugar for the same amount of orange juice, I used less than 2 cups, and it already turned out quite sweet, thanks to the natural sweetness from the orange liqueur. Using 4 cups of sugar would make this marmalade excessively sweet, and that’s absolutely unnecessary!

Since sugar is essential for helping the natural pectin work, using less sugar means the marmalade may be a bit runnier. This is why the recipe calls for additional pectin to get the perfect consistency without over-sweetening. Make sure to use classic pectin (not low-sugar pectin) for the best results.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Recipe

• Cinnamon stick and star anise (optional): Both bring a festive, warming spice note to the marmalade, making it ideal for winter months.
• Oranges and lemon: Fresh citrus is key for that vibrant, tangy marmalade flavour.
• Cointreau or Triple Sec: The orange liqueur adds depth, warmth, and a slight boozy richness to the preserve.
• Granulated sugar: Provides the sweetness needed to balance the citrus and liqueur, and helps the marmalade set.
• Classic pectin: Essential for helping the marmalade set and achieve the perfect spreadable consistency (make sure to use classic pectin, not low-sugar pectin).
• Vanilla bean (optional): Infuses a warm, aromatic flavour that complements the orange and adds a luxurious touch.

Ho to Make This Boozy Cointreau Orange Vanilla Marmalade – A Festive Boozy Preserve

Start by washing the oranges and lemon thoroughly, scrubbing the peels to remove any residue. Use a vegetable peeler to carefully remove the rind, avoiding too much of the bitter white pith underneath (a little bit of the pith is fine). Julienne the rind into thin strips and set aside for later.

Next, cut each fruit in half and squeeze out as much juice and pulp as possible, discarding any seeds and the white stem parts. The orange membrane is fine to keep. This process can get messy, so do it over a large bowl. Set the juice and pulp aside.

In a medium saucepan, add the julienned rind and cover with water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-high and simmer for 10 minutes to remove excess bitterness. Drain the water, then return the rind to the pan along with the juice and pulp. Add 1/2 cup of orange liqueur, sugar, and any optional ingredients like vanilla seeds, cinnamon stick, or star anise. Let the mixture simmer over medium-low heat for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in another 1/4 cup of orange liqueur and add the pectin, following the package instructions. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes to allow the pectin to activate. Once the marmalade is off the heat, let it cool completely – it should thicken as it cools. If it’s too runny, add 1-2 tbsp. of more pectin, bring to a boil, and simmer for a few minutes. If it’s too thick, add extra orange liqueur to adjust the consistency.

Store the marmalade in an airtight container or jar in the fridge, where it should keep for up to 2-3 weeks. To increase shelf life, sterilize your jars by boiling them.

More Recipes for Christmas Gifts

Looking for more recipes that would be perfect for Christmas gifts? I hope you can find some.

• Easy Holiday Candied Chestnuts – Quick Festive Treat
• Fig Jam with Brandy (Dried Fig Spread)
• Homemade Chestnut Jam with Brandy and Warm Spices
• Chocolate Dipped Dried Oranges

I hope you enjoy this Cointreau Orange Vanilla Marmalade – A Festive Boozy Preserve and will give the recipe a try. If you do, please let me know in the comment section below, send me a message on Instagram, or share your photos using the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.e your photos by adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers!

Print

Cointreau Orange Vanilla Marmalade – A Festive Boozy Preserve

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Christmas, Sweet Spreads and Preserves

Servings

12-18

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Cointreau Orange Vanilla Marmalade – a citrusy, boozy preserve with a hint of vanilla, perfect for the holiday season or enjoying year-round.

Cook Mode

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Ingredients

• 8 medium oranges (~225 gr. each)

• 1 lemon

• ~2/3 cup (180-190 ml.) orange liqueur such as Cointreau or Triple Sec

• 1 and 2/3 cups (~330 gr.) granulated sugar

• 1 package (57-60 gr.) classic pectin (not low-sugar pectin)

• 1/2 – 1 vanilla bean, seeds, optional

• 1 cinnamon stick, optional

• 1 star anise, optional

Directions

• Wash the oranges and lemon, thoroughly scrubbing the peels. using a vegetable peeler, remove the rind. Using a peeler ensures that you will not also remove too much of the pith – white part under the skin that will also make your marmalade bitter (but some of the pitch is totally fine.)
•  Use a sharp knife to julienne the rind into long thin strips (match-like). Set aside (until step 4).
• Cut each fruit in half. Squeeze and remove as much of the juice and pulp as possible, discarding any seeds and white stem parts; orange membrane is fine. You can use any available juicer or simply use a small spoon; I’d suggest doing this under a large bowl as it’s quite messy process! Set aside (until step 5).
• Place the julienned orange rind into a medium heavy-bottom pan / saucepan. Fill with water to fully cover the rind and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil over medium high heat for 10 minutes. Drain the water from the pan. This process ensures that excessive bitterness is removed. No worries – the marmalade will still be pleasantly butter, especially once the orange liqueur has been added. But if your orange rind is super bitter, you can repeat this step (after changing the water.)
• Return the rind to the saucepan along with the extracted orange pulp and juice. Add 1/2 cup of the orange liqueur, sugar, and if using – vanilla seeds, cinnamon stick, and/or star anise.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low so that the mixture is simmering. Cook the marmalade for 40-45 more minutes, giving it a nice stir every 3-5 minutes.
• Stir in another 1/4 cup of orange liqueur as well as the pectin, stirring constantly (make sure to check the package instructions as they could wary.) Most pectin crystals call for a few minutes of cooking time, but I simmered it for about 5 minutes.
• Off heat. Let the marmalade completely cool. Once cooled, it should significantly thicken up. If it is not thick enough to your liking (amount of juice, pectin quality, etc. can be different), then add 1-2 tbsp. of more pectin, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer for a few minutes. If the marmalade is too thick to your liking, a few extra splashes of orange liqueur will help, too!
• Keep refrigerated in an air-tight container or jar. As it contains alcohol, it should be fine up to 2 weeks (or even longer, but we always consume jams within 10 days or so.) Enjoy!