Description
Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce is a burst of holiday magic in a bowl. With its vibrant ruby color, sweet-tart flavor, and citrusy zing, this sauce elevates everything from turkey dinners to simple toast. It tastes fresher than store-bought, is incredibly easy to make, and requires just a handful of real ingredients.
Ingredients
12 oz cranberries
0.5 cup fresh orange juice
0.5 cup water
0.75 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cranberries, fresh orange juice, water, and granulated sugar. Stir gently to dissolve the sugar.
2. Add orange zest and cinnamon stick to the saucepan. This enhances the citrus aroma and warmth.
3. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes. Stir occasionally as the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens.
4. Remove from heat once thickened. Let it cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
Notes
The sauce will thicken more as it cools—don’t overcook.
You can substitute the cinnamon stick with ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
For extra citrus punch, add an extra teaspoon of orange zest.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 0.25 cup
- Calories: 88
- Sugar: 17
- Sodium: 1
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: cranberry orange sauce, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving recipe