This Fresh Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon balances tart cranberries with bright citrus, warm spice, and just enough honey for a perfectly sweet-tart finish. Made with six ingredients in about 30 minutes, it's an easy, small-batch Thanksgiving side dish that's perfect for making ahead!
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Quick Recipe Summary ✨
Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon: A sweet-tart, whole-berry sauce made with fresh or frozen cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, and a cinnamon stick.
Naturally sweetened: Honey replaces granulated sugar for a bright, clean cranberry flavor without being overly sweet.
Prep Time: 3 minutes • Cooking Time: About 10 minutesCooling Time: At least 15 minutes • Total Time: About 30 minutes (plus additional chilling, if desired).
Difficulty Level: ⭐ Easy. One saucepan, minimal prep, and no special cooking techniques needed.
Yield: About 1 cup (4 servings) • Make-ahead: 2 to 3 days • Freezer-friendly: Up to 3 months.
👉 Follow the simple stovetop instructions and troubleshooting tips below for perfectly sweet-tart cranberry sauce every time!
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Why this recipe works
- Balanced flavor: Orange brightens the tart cranberries, while honey adds sweetness without overpowering them
- Subtle spice: A cinnamon stick adds warmth without dominating the fruit
- Naturally thickened: Cranberry pectin creates a spoonable sauce without added thickeners
- Easy to customize: Adjust the sweetness or experiment with different flavorings
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 Lemon Bars. 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, but you can also 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
Homemade cranberry sauce is simply cranberries simmered in a sweetened liquid until they soften and release their natural pectin.
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.
Fresh or frozen whole cranberries work equally well here (no need to thaw frozen berries). Dried cranberries aren't a direct substitute because they've lost much of their moisture and are usually sweetened.
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: A cinnamon stick gently infuses the sauce with warm spice without overpowering the cranberries. You can substitute ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, although the flavor will be stronger and the sauce slightly less clear.
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.
- 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 cranberry sauce with orange and cinnamon
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: Cook the cranberries
Add in the cranberries to the orange syrup and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to maintain the boil and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (photo 2).
The cranberries will soften and begin to burst, and the liquid will become slightly syrupy.
Choose the texture of your cranberry sauce
Not all the cranberries need to burst - leaving some whole gives the sauce a nice chunky texture. For a smoother sauce, gently mash the cooked cranberries with a spoon or potato masher.
Step 3: Cool the cranberry sauce
Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature for about 15 minutes before chilling in the refrigerator (photo 3). Don't worry if the mixture seems a bit thin at first. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
The sauce may taste less sweet when chilled, so taste and adjust the honey after cooling, if needed.
Storage and make-ahead instructions
Storage instructions: Refrigerate cooled cranberry sauce in an airtight container for up to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Make-ahead instructions: Prepare the cranberry sauce 2 to 3 days before serving to give the flavors time to develop.
Yield Notes
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.
Troubleshooting tips
Here are some issues you might encounter when making fresh cranberry sauce:
- Sauce is too thin: Let it cool completely first - cranberry pectin naturally thickens the sauce. If needed, simmer it a few minutes longer.
- Sauce is too thick: Stir in a splash of water or orange juice to loosen it.
- Sauce is too tart: Add more honey, a teaspoon at a time, until the flavor is balanced.
- Sauce is too sweet: Add a little lemon juice to brighten the flavor and balance the sweetness.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Absolutely! Frozen cranberries work just as well as fresh, and there's no need to thaw them first. They may take an extra minute or two to cook.
Either works! Cranberry sauce can be served warm, chilled, or at room temperature. I prefer it chilled or at room temperature, when the flavors have developed and the sauce has thickened.
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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
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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 cups whole 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 cups whole 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 begin to burst, and the liquid will become slightly syrupy. Not all the berries need to burst - leaving some whole gives the sauce a nice chunky texture. The sauce will continue thickening as it cools. For a smoother sauce, gently mash the cooked cranberries with a spoon or potato masher.
- Remove from heat and remove the cinnamon stick (if using). Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, before chilling in the refrigerator. The sauce may taste less sweet when chilled, so taste and adjust the honey after cooling, if needed.
- Storage information: Refrigerate cooled cranberry sauce in an airtight container for up to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Make-ahead instructions: Prepare the cranberry sauce 2 to 3 days before serving to give the flavors time to develop.
- 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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