This cranberry orange sauce is a combination of tangy, sweet, fresh, and delicious. Serve it warm or cold. Perfect for holiday gatherings!
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Cranberry sauce is a cherished holiday staple, bringing vibrant color and nostalgic tradition to the table. Our recipe balances the sweetness of fresh orange with the tartness of cranberries, creating a delightful burst of flavor that surpasses canned varieties.
It serves as a refreshing complement to rich holiday dishes, adding both visual bright colors and tangy flavors. If you love cranberry orange together, then you'll also love our Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread and Cranberry Orange Bagels!
Crafting this sauce is effortless, making it accessible to all cooks. Prepare it in advance and refrigerate until serving time for added convenience.
Pair it with our Juicy Oven Roasted Dry Brined Turkey and other Thanksgiving classics like No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake and Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Carrots for a memorable holiday feast.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Delicious hot or cold. This cranberry sauce tastes great warm or chilled, though serving it warm alongside turkey or ham is especially comforting.
- Leftovers are useful. Extra cranberry sauce pairs well with sandwiches, casseroles, or even as a cheesecake filling.
- Minimal ingredients. Made with just four simple ingredients, including fresh cranberries and orange, this recipe is easy, classic, and full of flavor.
🛒 Ingredients
Whole Orange- For added freshness, you'll need an orange. This will give us some zest and some juice.
Cranberries- Use fresh cranberries (frozen ones are okay too!) If you have more cranberries, try making some Cranberry Pecan Shortbread Cookies and Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake!
Brown Sugar- Sweeten up the cranberry sauce and give it a nice depth of flavor with some brown sugar.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Buy cranberries in season: Fresh cranberries are cheapest around fall and holidays. Stock up and freeze extras for later use.
Use the whole orange: Zest and juice from one orange gives maximum flavor without buying extra ingredients.
Homemade beats canned: Making cranberry sauce from scratch is often cheaper than specialty canned versions and avoids preservatives.
🥄 Instructions for Cranberry Orange Sauce
Step 1: Zest about 2 teaspoons of orange zest off of your fresh orange and then squeeze out ¼ cup of fresh orange juice.
Step 2: Over medium heat, combine your orange zest, juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a saucepan until dissolved.
Step 3: Add in the fresh cranberries and bring to a boil.
Step 4: Reduce the heat and let them simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.
Step 5: Let cool completely and serve warm or chill for 3 hours before serving.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Choose Your Texture. Cranberry sauce can be left chunky with whole berries or mashed for a smoother consistency.
- Mash as Needed. Use a fork or potato masher to control the texture. Light mashing leaves more whole berries, while mashing more creates a smoother sauce.
- Natural Thickening. Cranberries naturally thicken as they cook. If the sauce is too thin, continue simmering and mash a few berries to help it thicken.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Store cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or microwave in short intervals, stirring between each, until warmed through.
Make Ahead: This sauce is ideal for making ahead. Prepare it up to 2 weeks in advance and keep it refrigerated until ready to serve.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve Cranberry Orange Sauce alongside roasted turkey, chicken, or pork. It also pairs well with biscuits, pancakes, oatmeal, or as a topping for yogurt and desserts.
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❓ Cranberry Orange Sauce FAQs
Cranberry sauce is a sweetened and cooked mixture of cranberries served whole or smashed. Cranberry relish is a fresh (usually uncooked) mixture of cranberries and ingredients that have been pulverized in a blender or food processor and are more tart in flavor.
Absolutely! I like the molasses in brown sugar and how it rounds out the tartness from the berries, but white sugar works great too!
Homemade cranberry sauce can actually be held in the fridge for up to 2 weeks! Just keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge and use it whenever the mood strikes.
This is also good news if you plan on making this cranberry orange sauce recipe in advance of a dinner party.
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🐝 If you tried this Cranberry Orange Sauce, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole fresh cranberries - ($2.24)
- ¼ cup brown sugar - ($0.11)
- 2 teaspoons orange zest - ($0.88)
- ¼ cup orange juice - ($0.02)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon - ($0.01)
Instructions
- Prep the citrus. Zest the orange and squeeze the juice.
- Dissolve the sugar. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Cook the cranberries. Add the cranberries and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the cranberries burst.
- Cool and serve. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Serve warm, or refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Notes
- Texture. Mash the cranberries lightly for a chunkier sauce or more thoroughly for a smoother texture.
- Thickening. Cranberries naturally thicken as they cook and as the sauce cools. Continue simmering and mash a few berries if needed.
- Sweeteners. Brown sugar adds depth, but white sugar can be used if preferred.
- Storage. Store cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Nutritional Information
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