Cranberry Orange Sauce (easy)
With its vibrant red hue and sweet-tart flavor, a bowl of fresh cranberry sauce is a must-have on the Thanksgiving dinner table. This homemade recipe is extremely easy to make from scratch, and you can prepare it in advance. A versatile condiment that's good for more than just the holiday meal, like leftover turkey sandwiches, cheese platters and desserts like cheesecake.
Servings 2 cups
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.
Notes
Orange juice concentrate: though we favor fresh orange juice, you can use concentrate or bottled juice if that's all you have available.
Storage: if you plan to use the sauce within a few days, transfer the cooled sauce to an airtight container (preferably glass, like mason jars) and store it in the fridge for up to a week. For longer storage, place 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. To thaw, 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.
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.