With its vibrant red hue and sweet-tart flavor, a bowl of homemade cranberry sauce is a must-have on the Thanksgiving table. It's extremely easy to make from scratch, and you can prepare it beforehand. A versatile condiment that's good for more than just the holiday season. Use it in sandwiches, cheese platters, to top pancakes and desserts like ice cream and cheesecake.
A holiday staple
This is our best cranberry sauce recipe, a must at any holiday table.
The berries pop open and release their juices, which combine with the oranges to create a sweet and sour sauce.
Serve it along with the turkey and gravy and other Thanksgiving side dishes like a Brussels sprouts dish, green bean casserole and candied yams.
- Easy and healthier: making this sauce from scratch is surprisingly simple and more satisfying than using the store-bought canned stuff usually loaded with preservatives. Plus, it lets you control the sweetness to suit your taste.
- Versatile: this sauce isn't just for turkey day. It can make your breakfast better as a toast spread, for waffles or pancakes, or to stir into yogurt. For dessert, use it as a topping for cheesecake or ice cream. It's also a great condiment for chicken, pork and turkey sandwiches or a charcuterie cheese board. Get creative; it can accompany many dishes.
So, on Thanksgiving day, don't open a can of cranberry sauce, make your own and impress family and guests!
It's not just a side dish, it's a Thanksgiving staple, a nostalgic trip down memory lane combining the tartness of the cranberries with orange flavors. A classic combination.
Can I make cranberry orange sauce in advance?
Yes, cranberry orange sauce can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for several days. It can also be frozen for longer storage. Reheat it gently when you're ready to serve.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Cranberries: fresh or frozen.
- Orange juice: fresh is always recommended, but you can use frozen concentrate or bottled.
- Fresh orange zest: or strips of orange peel.
- Salt: I like using kosher salt, but regular table salt works just fine.
- Cinnamon sticks and/or vanilla beans are optional, and you can use one or both. A pinch of ground cinnamon and/or drops of vanilla extract also work.
Variations & substitutions
- Sweetener: use honey or pure maple syrup instead of sugar.
- Savory sauce: balance the sweetness with a touch of minced garlic or shallots for a more savory and complex flavor profile.
- Apple cranberry sauce: mix in diced apples for a fruity blend and a slightly different texture. The apples will add a natural sweetness.
- Nuts: stir in chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans for crunch and extra richness.
- Liqueur: for an adult twist, add a splash of orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier or Cointreau, while cooking. The alcohol cooks off, leaving a subtle, sophisticated flavor.
Adjust to your taste
This sauce can be a little chunky or smooth, sourer or sweeter, depending on how you make it and whether you use some ingredients.
Sweeter, mellow sauce: we like infusing the cranberry mixture with a cinnamon stick and sometimes a vanilla bean. They soften and sweeten the tart flavors and make the sauce more palatable. But you can omit them if you're after a more sour mixture.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Cranberries are not bursting: if they remain unburst, they can be quite tart. You can gently mash them with a spoon or potato masher to release their juices or simmer the sauce a bit longer until they soften.
- Sauce is too tart or too sweet: add a little more sugar or sweetener if it's too tart and cook it a few more minutes. If it's too sweet, balance it by adding a touch of lemon juice or more cranberries.
- Too much liquid: if the sauce is too thin, simmer it longer to evaporate the excess moisture. Alternatively, you can mix in a small amount of cornstarch mixed with a little water (cornstarch slurry) to thicken it.
- Texture issues: if your sauce is too chunky and you prefer a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to puree it to your desired consistency. Conversely, if it's too smooth and you want some texture, stir in chopped nuts or dried cranberries.
- Make it in advance and store it in the refrigerator for several days in an airtight container or jar. It can also be frozen for longer storage. Reheat it gently when you're ready to serve.
Storage
Always ensure that your storage containers are airtight to prevent the sauce from absorbing any unwanted odors from the refrigerator or freezer.
- Refrigeration: if you plan to use the sauce within a few days, let it cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container (preferably glass, like mason jars) and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: for longer storage, freeze it. Allow it to cool completely, then place it in a freezer-safe container or a resealable freezer bag. Squeeze out any excess air to prevent freezer burn. Label the container with the date for reference. It keeps for a month.
- Thawing: transfer it to the refrigerator and let it thaw slowly overnight. Alternatively, gently reheat it from frozen on the stovetop over low heat while stirring frequently to avoid scorching.
More cranberry recipes:
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Cranberry Orange Sauce (easy)
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- pinch of salt
For a sweeter flavored sauce:
- 1 small cinnamon stick or pinch of ground cinnamon, optional
- 1 small vanilla bean, optional
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional, instead of the vanilla bean
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine 12 ounces cranberries, ½ cup orange juice, ½ teaspoon orange zest, ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup white granulated sugarpinch of salt and ¾ cup water.
- Add 1 small cinnamon stick or pinch of ground cinnamon and/or 1 small vanilla bean if using. If using ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract, add it at the end.
- Stir and cook over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Lower to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and jammy and cranberries are burst. This takes about 10 minutes.
- Don’t be tempted to cook it much longer as the cranberry sauce with thicken as it cools.
- Remove from heat and add flavorings (ground cinnamon and/or vanilla extract) if using.
- Let cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container (glass or mason jars are great) in the refrigerator.
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