This cranberry sauce will take your holiday meal up a notch! Fresh cranberries simmered with orange, cinnamon, and sugar—perfect with turkey or chicken.
Why I Love This Recipe
I’ve been making this cranberry sauce for a few years now, and it’s always a hit! I’ve served it at our own Thanksgiving dinner and brought it to family gatherings, too. It’s one of those dishes that feels fancy but is actually super easy to whip up. Plus, I always get compliments when I bring it—so you know it’s a winner!
Let’s be real: homemade cranberry sauce takes your holiday dinner to the next level. Once you try this, you’ll never go back to the canned stuff again.
It’s so simple to make, too. All you need is a saucepan and four basic ingredients. That’s it! You’ll be amazed at how fresh and zesty the flavors are. If you’ve never made cranberry sauce from scratch before, trust me—this recipe will convert you. It’s got that perfect balance of tart and sweet, with just the right hint of orange.
Recipe Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- ½ cup maple syrup - or honey
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice - approx. 2 oranges
- ½ cup orange zest - zest from 2 oranges
Recipe Instructions
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
PREP THE ORANGES
Wash and scrub the 2 navel oranges. Use a cheese grater to zest the entire peel (you’ll get about ½ cup of zest - use all of it). Next, slice the oranges in half and squeeze out the juice (you should get about ½ cup of juice). Set both the zest and juice aside.
STEP 1: Mix Ingredients
In a medium saucepan, stir together the 12 oz fresh cranberries, ½ cup maple syrup, ½ cup orange juice, ½ cup orange zest, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
STEP 2: Let Simmer
Once it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the cranberries start to pop and break down, and the sauce thickens. You can help the cranberries along by gently squishing them as you stir. Use a potato masher, mallet or wood spoon for this (or just let them break down naturally on their own)
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Stir frequently to prevent the sugar from burning, especially since there’s sweetener in the saucepan.
STEP 3: Let Cool
Once the sauce thickens and the cranberries have broken down, remove the pot from heat. Let it cool for at least 1 hour at room temperature.
STEP 4: Refrigerate
Once it's cooled completely, you can transfer the cranberry sauce to an airtight glass container and store it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight for the best flavor.
This cranberry sauce is best served cold! Scoop it into a pretty bowl with a spoon and let everyone add some onto their plate—it’s the perfect combo of sweet and tart.
It’s especially delicious with roasted turkey or chicken. And if you have leftovers? Slap it on a turkey sandwich, throw it on top of a turkey pot pie, or mix it into our turkey leftover casserole. So good!
Recipe Tips
- Make Ahead Tip: Make the sauce 2-4 days in advance to save time on Thanksgiving Day. It stores well in the fridge and tastes even better after sitting overnight.
- Texture Tip: For a mix of smooth and chunky sauce, leave a few cranberries whole and break down the rest.
- Stir Often: Keep an eye on the stove while the sauce simmers. Stirring frequently prevents the sugar from burning.
- Make a Double Batch: This recipe is so popular in our house, I usually make extra for leftovers. A single batch is often gone by the end of Thanksgiving dinner!
- Use a Nonstick Pan: A nonstick pan helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup easier.
- Garnish with Zest: Save a little extra orange zest for a fresh pop of flavor on top right before serving.
Common Questions
You could use canned cranberries, but trust me, it won’t even come close to the real thing. For the best flavor and texture, always go with fresh cranberries. Nothing beats the taste of homemade cranberry sauce!
Cranberry sauce is usually served cold, so it’s best to make this ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours before serving. I like to make mine 2 or 3 days before Thanksgiving (or Christmas) because it stores so well and gives me more time to focus on other dishes the closer we get to the big day.
If you have leftover cranberry sauce you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
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Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- ½ cup maple syrup - or honey
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice - approx. 2 oranges
- ½ cup orange zest - zest from 2 oranges
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the 12 oz fresh cranberries, ½ cup maple syrup, ½ cup orange juice, ½ cup orange zest, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Once it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the cranberries start to pop and break down, and the sauce thickens. You can help the cranberries along by gently squishing them as you stir. Use a potato masher, mallet or wood spoon for this (or just let them break down naturally on their own)
- IMPORTANT NOTE: Stir frequently to prevent the sugar from burning, especially since there’s sweetener in the saucepan.
- Once the sauce thickens and the cranberries have broken down, remove the pot from heat. Let it cool for at least 1 hour at room temperature.
- Once it’s cooled completely, you can transfer the cranberry sauce to an airtight glass container and store it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight for the best flavor.
Nutrition Info
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.
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