I love homemade cranberry sauce so much better than the canned versions! Fresh cranberries are simmered with honey, orange juice, and cinnamon. They break down, absorb the sugar, and create the perfect sweet, tart side dish.

A saucepan with cranberry sauce and a spoon. Small bowls of fresh cranberries and orange zest beside it.

Cranberry Sauce Overview

There's no comparison to homemade cranberry sauce! Fresh cranberries make a world of difference alongside Thanksgiving turkey.

I've been making this cranberry sauce from scratch for years. It's an easy yet thoughtful side dish to bring as a guest and I always get compliments on it.

This recipe only requires 5 ingredients. All mixed and simmered in one small saucepan.

Honey, water, and orange juice are heated together before the cranberries and cinnamon are added. It takes just a few minutes to hear all the cranberries "pop" as they heat up and break down.

The most important part of this recipe is that you stir slowly through the whole process! This will prevent the sugar from burning as the cranberries cook.

Bowls of fresh cranberries, honey, orange juice, water and cinnamon sticks.

Recipe Ingredients

¾ cup honey - or granulated sugar (both will work)
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup water
12 oz fresh cranberries - you must use fresh cranberries. Canned versions will not work the same way here.
1 cinnamon stick - or ½ tsp cinnamon powder

Four images of a saucepan, first two with honey and orange juice. Second two with fresh cranberries and cinnamon stick added, then broken down to a red sauce.

How To Make Cranberry Sauce

Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.

STEP 1: Add ¾ cup honey, ½ cup orange juice, and ¼ cup water to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently until the sugar dissolves with the liquid.

STEP 2: Add in the 12 oz cranberries and 1 cinnamon stick. Let this simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often or the sugar will burn. Continue stirring and cook until all the cranberries start to "pop" and break down.

STEP 3: Discard the cinnamon stick and let the cranberry sauce cool for 30 minutes on the counter, then transfer to the fridge to chill overnight. Stir just before serving.

A spoon scooping cranberry sauce in a pot.

Recipe Tips

I usually double the recipe because a single batch is typically gone halfway through Thanksgiving dinner. It makes excellent leftovers!
Stay close to the stovetop while the cranberries simmer. It's very easy to burn the sugar which will ruin the cranberries. If you stir slowly but regularly the whole time, you won't have a problem.
Make this in advance because this must be chilled for at least 6 hours before being served. I like to make it 2-3 days ahead of time.
Leave a few cranberries whole for presentation if you like.
Try another version of this recipe, my cranberry sauce with orange zest.

How To Store Leftovers

Leftover cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Homemade cranberry sauce will be freshest within 3-4 days. Stir before serving.

Cranberry Sauce

Fresh cranberries are simmered with honey, orange juice, and cinnamon. They break down, absorb the sugar, and create the perfect sweet, tart side dish.

Author: Andi Anne

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Prep: 5

Cook: 12

Total: 17

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Add ¾ cup honey, ½ cup orange juice, and ¼ cup water to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently until the sugar dissolves with the liquid.
Add in the 12 oz cranberries and 1 cinnamon stick. Let this simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often or the sugar will burn. Continue stirring and cook until all the cranberries start to "pop" and break down.
Discard the cinnamon stick and let the cranberry sauce cool for 30 minutes on the counter, then transfer to the fridge to chill overnight. Stir just before serving.

Tried this recipe?If you make this, please letting me know how it was!

Notes