This fresh and delicious simple cranberry sauce is a holiday staple in most households and this recipe lets you make it from scratch in just a few simple steps.
The holiday season is just about here and that means it's time to start planning for holiday dinners and parties. Cranberry sauce is a holiday tradition in many households. Homemade cranberry sauce is simple to make that once you try it you'll never want to use canned or premade again.
This simple cranberry sauce is perfect as a holiday side. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and only uses a few ingredients. It works well as a make-ahead dish to make your Thanksgiving prep just a little easier too.
Contents:
Notes from the Kitchen
Unlike most of my recipes, this is not really a small batch recipe. I thought about making this a small batch but then you're left with a third of a bag of cranberries. So instead, I figured it was just easier to make it a bigger batch and am giving you some ideas for using any leftovers if it makes more than you need for your holiday dinner!
If you end up with any extra, it is fantastic for breakfast in this Quinoa Breakfast Parfait and is great with warm brie for an easy holiday appetizer like these Cranberry Brie Tarts. You also really can't go wrong with a turkey and cranberry sandwich!
One tip for success when making this recipe - keep a close eye on the cranberries as they are cooking. They will start to pop quickly so you want to be sure you remove from the heat just before they reach your desired consistency. The sauce will thicken up as it cools.
Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Fresh cranberries: Look for bagged fresh cranberries in the produce section at your local grocery store
- Sugar: You need granulated sugar as that is what dissolves the best.
- Orange juice and zest: You'll need one orange for this recipe. Be sure to zest the orange before you juice it.
- Sea salt
How to make this recipe
Making homemade cranberry sauce is super simple - it really only involves 2 steps.
Step 1 | Dissolve the sugar. You're essentially making a form of simple syrup as the base for cooking the cranberries.
Step 2 | Cook the cranberries. Then the chicken is pan-seared to seal in the juices.
That's it! If you prefer to serve it at room temperature or chilled, let it cool until reaches the desired temperature.
Make Ahead Tip
You can make cranberry sauce up to 3 days before you plan to serve it. I always make my cranberry sauce at least one day in advance because I feel like the flavors have more time to develop as they sit in the fridge. You can also freeze this cranberry sauce and then thaw it for use at a later time.
Do you serve cranberry sauce hot or cold?
I personally prefer it cold or at room temperature but it's good warm too! So the choice is yours - there is no right or wrong answer to this one!
More Thanksgiving recipes
If you are looking for other Thanksgiving side dishes check out these reader favorites:
- Cornbread Stuffing. This stuffing puts a delicious twist on the traditional by adding crispy pancetta and tangy sun-dried tomatoes.
- Fluffy Mashed Potatoes. These mashed potatoes get an upgrade from the addition of cream cheese and some crispy onions.
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Orange Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 (12 ounce) bag fresh cranberries
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Dissolve the sugar. Add sugar, water and orange juice to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until small bubbles begin to form at the edges of the pan.
- Cook the cranberries. Reduce the heat to medium and add the cranberries and salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. The cranberries will begin to pop as they cook. Continue cooking until the desired consistency is reached.
- Cool and serve. Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest. Let cool before serving.
Notes
This post was originally published in November 2019. It was updated in November 2024 with some new information and photos. No changes were made to the original recipe.
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