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You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make my easy 20-minute Homemade Cranberry Sauce! Bursting with flavor from juicy cranberries, freshly squeezed orange juice, and brown sugar, this cranberry orange sauce has the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Pair it with roast turkey and all your favorite holiday sides!
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Growing up, I was never a fan of cranberry sauce from a can. I couldn’t understand what the appeal was, so I always skipped it for my holiday meals. It wasn’t until I had a family of my own that I started making cranberry sauce from scratch, and finally, I understood!
Nothing from a can could possibly compare to the taste and texture of fresh cranberries boiled down into a perfectly tart but sweet sauce. If you’ve never made it before, prepare to be shocked. Add in a little orange juice, and you’ll find every excuse to make homemade cranberry sauce!
Best of all, fresh cranberry sauce only gets better the longer you leave it to sit in the refrigerator. So, make it a few days before your big holiday meal, and watch everyone’s faces light up when they try a bite!
Fresh Cranberry Sauce Ingredients
- Brown sugar
- Water
- Fresh orange juice
- Orange zest
- Fresh cranberries
- Salt
Ingredients Notes
- Use fresh orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice for the best flavor in this dish. You can use bottled juice if it’s what you have on hand, but I do recommend fresh when possible.
- I use brown sugar in this recipe, as the molasses flavor goes well with holiday flavors. Light or dark brown sugar both work. You can also use white sugar, if it’s what you have on hand.
- A little salt balances out the flavor well. I use sea salt flakes or kosher salt for this. However, you can leave the salt out, if you prefer.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, skillet, or pot over medium-high heat, bring orange juice, water, and sugar to a boil.
- Once boiling, stir in cranberries, orange zest, and salt, and return to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until most of the cranberries burst open (you may need to use a spoon to mash them a bit).
- Once cranberries are mushed, transfer them to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Remove from the fridge and let the cranberries come to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!
Cranberry Sauce Recipe Tips
- You can use fresh or frozen cranberries, but make sure to defrost frozen cranberries first. Just leave them in the refrigerator overnight to thaw out.
- You can make sugar-free cranberry sauce by substituting brown sugar for a sugar replacement like Splenda.
- Mash the cranberries to your preferred texture. Sometimes, I like to leave more of the berries whole for the bursting texture and beautiful presentation.
Fresh Cranberry Sauce Variations
- Add a tiny amount of vanilla extract for a subtle vanilla flavor.
- Try adding your favorite Fall spices, like a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
- For a little extra sweetness, you can add a Tablespoon of honey or maple syrup. I love to use local honey to add flavor to my cranberry sauce!
Can you make cranberry sauce ahead of time?
Homemade cranberry sauce can easily be made up to 1 week before serving! For the best results, make sure to thoroughly chill the sauce before serving, so it has time to set.
Preparing cranberry sauce the day before serving gives it plenty of time to chill, and saves you time on the day itself.
Freezing and Storing Cranberry Sauce
- Cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Or, freeze the cranberry sauce for up to 6 months! Thaw in the refrigerator overnight when ready to use. Make sure to label it with the freezing date.
Cranberry Sauce Recipes FAQ
You can use frozen cranberries to make fresh cranberry sauce! Just allow them to thaw first. The easiest way to do this is to add them to the refrigerator overnight so they thaw on their own. However, you can also add them to a bowl of ice cold water, replacing the water every 30 minutes until the cranberries thaw out. Do not add them to warm water.
You can use dried cranberries, such as Craisins, although the flavor and texture will turn out differently than fresh. Use about 2 cups of dried cranberries to replace the fresh cranberries used in this recipe. Additionally, you will want to add ¾ cup cranberry juice. Cook according to recipe instructions (no alterations needed).
Expect to have about 6 servings at a little over ⅓ cup serving size. If you need to feed more people, double the batch. Cranberry sauce stores well, so you don’t have to worry about leftovers.
To put it simply: yes! Living in Florida, I have the privilege of being surrounded by amazing fresh oranges every year… but I know that isn’t the case for everyone! If the oranges available to you just aren’t cutting it for flavor, feel free to use store-bought orange juice.
Cranberry sauce is done cooking when most of the berries have burst or split open. This usually takes about 10 minutes over medium heat. You can leave some of the berries whole for texture, or mash them all according to your preference.
Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
- Mashed Potato Recipe
- Green Bean Casserole
- Creamed Corn Casserole
- Southern Sweet Potatoes Casserole with Pecans
Check out my best turkey recipes – don’t forget the Homemade Turkey Gravy! And, try my Candied Yams and Easy Creamed Spinach next!
Recipe
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup orange juice freshly squeezed from 2 oranges
- zest from half an orange about 1 tablespoon
- 16 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries defrost if frozen
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring orange juice, water, and sugar to a boil.½ cup water, ½ cup orange juice, ¾ cup brown sugar
- Once boiling add in cranberries, orange zest, and salt and return to a boil.zest from half an orange, 16 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, salt
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until most of the cranberries burst open (you may need to use a spoon to mash them a bit).
- Once cranberries are mushed, transfer them to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen cranberries, but make sure to defrost cranberries if they are frozen.
- Want to make sugar-free cranberry sauce? Substitute brown sugar for a sugar replacement like Splenda.
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