Fresh cranberries and orange juice partner to bring brightness to this honey-sweetened cranberry sauce, while a cinnamon stick brings the zing. With only six ingredients, homemade cranberry sauce is quick and easy to make, and so much better than what you get from a can!
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Why this recipe works
- Fresh cranberries and orange juice are a great flavor combination
- Cinnamon adds a subtle zing to the sauce
- You can sweeten the orange cranberry sauce to your liking
- Use substitutes to highlight your favorite flavors
Fresh cranberries are not available often enough, in my opinion. That's why when they are in stores, I grab a couple extra bags to keep in the freezer.
I never know when I'll get the urge to make something that features their sweet-tart goodness, like Glazed Orange Cranberry Bread or Cranberry BBQ Sauce. And I substitute them for the dried cranberries in Glazed Orange Cranberry Scones.
Goodness, it seems I really like oranges and cranberries together.
(Yes, and glazing things, too!)
So it makes sense that I'd use fresh cranberries and oranges together in my fresh cranberry sauce recipe. No jellied cranberries from a can here!
The orange juice and zest bring bright citrus notes to this homemade cranberry sauce, and the honey and cinnamon add a rich undertone to the body. This supersedes anything from a can.
Bright clean flavor without being cloying. Win!
It's amazing how many ways to eat Cranberry Sauce. There's Thanksgiving dinner, of course. Or, elevate a weeknight turkey dinner by serving it alongside air fryer turkey thighs, crock pot mashed potatoes, creamed corn casserole, and air fryer Brussels sprouts. Or include it on a festive holiday-themed charcuterie table.
You can mix it into yogurt and granola, or serve it as a topping for Cream Scones or Orange Vanilla Pound Cake.
Orange Cranberry Sauce won't last too long. Perhaps make a double batch?
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this fresh cranberry sauce recipe:
Ingredient Notes
Cranberry sauce (aka cranberry relish) is just cranberries cooked in a sweetened liquid. You need the sweetener because otherwise it's way too tart to eat.
Fresh cranberries: Fresh cranberries are usually found in the produce aisle of the supermarket in the Fall, or sometimes in the freezer section with the frozen fruits. My homemade orange cranberry sauce recipe uses half a 12-ounce bag of cranberries, so you can use the other half to make that Glazed Orange Cranberry Bread I mentioned earlier. Perfect for a crisp Fall afternoon snack!
If you want more, simply double the recipe and use the whole bag of cranberries. Believe me, I understand!
Orange juice and zest: Making cranberry sauce with fresh orange juice and orange zest complements the flavor of the fresh cranberries without competing with them. Here the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its...er...ingredients.
Sweetener: You can use sugar, but I find the resulting product to be too candy-like - I prefer bright, clean flavors. Sweetened with honey and spiced with a hint of cinnamon, this homemade cranberry sauce recipe delivers just that. And it's dairy-free and gluten-free to boot.
Flavorings: Cinnamon is wonderful in fresh cranberry sauce. You can use a cinnamon stick, or use ¼ to ½ teaspoon powdered cinnamon.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Cranberry sauce flavor variations
Even though I'm using oranges and cinnamon sticks, you might want to use other flavorings. Here are some suggestions:
- Substitute some fresh sliced ginger for the cinnamon for a cranberry orange ginger sauce.
- To make the vegan cranberry sauce, substitute in your favorite vegan sweetener like maple syrup or agave syrup for the honey, or use this dandelion honey recipe.
- Stir in a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon of Fiori di Sicilia (an orange vanilla extract) to add richness
- Add a spicy note with ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, and a pinch of dried cloves in addition to the cinnamon stick and orange juice and zest
- Add a sprig of fresh herbs, like rosemary or sage instead of cinnamon
- For an additional kick, add a tablespoon or two of bourbon or red wine to the cooled sauce for an adults-only version!
You can also make this homemade cranberry sauce without orange juice if you prefer. Just increase the water by 2 tablespoons (and maybe include another flavoring idea from above).
How to make fresh cranberry sauce
Step 1: Make orange and cinnamon honey syrup
Stir together the honey, water, orange juice, orange zest, and cinnamon stick (or powdered cinnamon, if using). Bring to a simmer over Medium-High heat (photo 1).
Step 2: Soften the cranberries
Add in the fresh cranberries to the orange syrup (photo 2).
The cranberries will soften and start to burst, and the sauce will thicken slightly (not all the berries will have burst).
Remove from heat and remove the cinnamon stick (if using). Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator.
Step 3: Cool the cranberry sauce
That's the whole process! The hardest part is waiting for it to cool.
Oh, and don't worry if the mixture seems a bit thin at first. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. Also, chilling dulls the sweetness, so don't worry if the sauce isn't overly sweet. You can still adjust it as desired.
Storage instructions
Storage instructions: Fresh cranberry sauce will keep in the refrigerator 2 to 3 weeks, although it may not last that long!
This recipe makes about 1 cup, and it doubles easily, especially if you want to use an entire 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Well, yes. If your cranberry sauce is too thick in the pan, it will be even thicker after it cools. When you cook cranberries (or any berries), they burst, releasing pectin, a natural thickener. If you take it off the stove before all the berries have burst, you should be ok.
Don't worry if you've overcooked your sauce, just thin it out with a bit of water or orange juice to loosen it up.
If your sauce just doesn't seem to be thickening after most of the berries have burst, you might have to help it along. Mix together 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water to form a slurry, then stir it into the simmering sauce. Note, this method will give the sauce a more milky coloring, so be forewarned.
Absolutely, and you don't even need to defrost them first.
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I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L'chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
More recipes featuring fruit to try
Recipe
Fresh Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons orange juice, see Recipe Notes
- ½ teaspoon orange zest, finely grated, see Recipe Notes
- ½ cinnamon stick, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, to taste
- 1¾ cup cranberries, fresh or frozen, about 6 ounces
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, stir together ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons orange juice, ½ teaspoon orange zest, and ½ cinnamon stick (or ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, to taste, if using). Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Add 1¾ cup cranberries and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to maintain the boil and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cranberries will soften and start to burst, and the sauce will thicken slightly (not all the berries will have burst).
- Remove from heat and remove the cinnamon stick (if using). Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator. Adjust the sweetness with additional honey, if desired.
- Storage instructions: Fresh cranberry sauce will keep in the refrigerator 2 to 3 weeks, although it may not last that long!
- This recipe makes about 1 cup, and it doubles easily, especially if you want to use an entire 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries.
Notes
- Use some fresh sliced ginger instead of the cinnamon sticks
- Add a spicy note with ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, and a pinch of dried cloves in addition to the cinnamon stick and orange juice and zest
- Stir in a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (an orange vanilla extract) to add richness
- Substitute maple syrup or agave syrup for the honey
- Add a sprig of fresh herbs, like rosemary or sage instead of cinnamon
- For an additional kick, add a tablespoon or two of bourbon or red wine to the cooled sauce for an adults-only version!
- If you prefer to make this homemade cranberry sauce without orange juice, just increase the water by 2 tablespoons (and maybe include another flavoring idea from above).
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