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!
2tablespoons(30grams)orange juice, see Recipe Notes
½teaspoon(½teaspoon)orange zest, finely grated, see Recipe Notes
½(½)cinnamon stick, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon cinnamon, to taste
1¾cup(175grams)cranberries, fresh or frozen, about 6 ounces
Instructions
In a small saucepan, 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.
Add the 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.
Recipe Notes
Use a microplane grater to zest the orange, then use a citrus juicer to get 2 tablespoons of juice. If that's not an option, you can use ready-made orange juice and omit the orange zest.Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. Chilling dulls the sweetness, so don’t worry if the sauce isn’t overly sweet. You can still adjust it as desired.Variations:
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
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).