Cranberry Sauce
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Ditch the can and impress your guests with this easy homemade cranberry sauce recipe—ready to brighten your holiday table in just 15 minutes!
I’ll admit, the jiggly, can-shaped cranberry sauce has a certain nostalgic charm, but homemade cranberry sauce is truly in a league of its own—and it’s so easy to make! Simply boil fresh (or frozen) cranberries with sugar, water, orange juice and zest, and in just 15 minutes, you’ll have a sauce bursting with bright, sweet flavors. The best part? You can make the sauce ahead of time and relax knowing it’ll stay perfectly fresh in the fridge for up to 10 days or in the freezer for two months. Serve it up alongside your favorite Thanksgiving turkey (I’m a fan of a dry-brined turkey) and turkey gravy, then give your post-feast turkey sandwiches a gourmet twist by mixing the leftover sauce with mayo for an irresistibly delicious spread.
“I usually use the recipe on the Ocean Spray bag. This is so much better! I can’t wait for my family to try it! I love the taste of the orange in it.”
About Fresh Cranberries
As soon as the leaves start turning, fresh cranberries start popping up in stores, usually from mid-September through the end of the year. They’re harvested in a unique way—the bogs they grow in are flooded, and the cranberries float up to the surface, making them easy to scoop up. And cranberries aren’t just for sauces! They can brighten up desserts and baked goods, like Nantucket cranberry pie, cranberry orange bread, or apple cranberry crumble. You can even use them to make cranberry chutney. Find them fresh in the produce section during the fall, and grab a few extra bags to freeze so you can enjoy them year-round.
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by zesting one of the oranges. A rasp grater is the best tool but any grater with small holes will work—just be sure to leave the white pith behind as it’s quite bitter. Always zest the orange before squeezing the juice out, as it’s near impossible to do afterward.
Combine the orange juice, water and sugar in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
Add the cranberries, orange zest and salt.
Boil gently for about 10 minutes.
Most of the cranberries should burst open, creating a thick sauce. You may need to mash them a bit with a spoon. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
How to Store Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce should be cooled completely before storing. Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 10 days.
How To Freeze Cranberry Sauce
Fresh cranberry sauce freezes beautifully, so you can make it a month or two ahead of time to get a jump start on your holiday cooking. Allow the sauce to cool completely and then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let the cranberry sauce thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Video Tutorial
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Cranberry Sauce
Ditch the can and impress your guests with this easy homemade cranberry sauce recipe—ready to brighten your holiday table in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup fresh orange juice, from two oranges
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 (12 oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries (do not use dried)
- Zest of one orange, about 2 teaspoons
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan over high heat, bring the water, orange juice, and sugar to a boil. Add the cranberries, orange zest, and salt and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and boil gently for 10 to 12 minutes, until most of cranberries have burst open. (You may need to mash them a bit with a spoon.)
- Transfer sauce to a serving bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: Cranberry sauce will keep for 10 days in a covered container in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: about 1/3 cup
- Calories: 126
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Sugar: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Sodium: 43 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I just made this in preparation for Thanksgiving (as I do every year). I like to rough chop the cranberries in the food processor and add a cinnamon stick while cooking. I love this year-round! I also use it to dress meat dishes (such as baked chicken thighs topped with sauce) and I smear it in between layers for a yummy grilled cheese sandwich. The possibilities are endless! Thanks Jenn!
I wanted to make a different cranberry sauce to try this Thanksgiving. This one is fantastic! I usually use the recipe on the Ocean Spray bag. This is so much better! I doubled it and used a touch less sugar, as I always do. I can’t wait for my family to try it! I love the taste of the orange in it.
Making this for the second year in a row. Perfect sauce! Thank you!
It is a staple for T giving turkey and Christmas filet. This recipe was printed on the plastic bag containing “Moody Cranberries” found in the midcoast of Maine at specialty grocery stores. It is superb–made it for about 15 years now.
I have made and enjoyed this recipe many times! Making ahead now for upcoming Thanksgiving. Thanks Jenn. I have discovered years ago that adding a small amount of allspice takes this to new limits. Seems a perfect complimentary flavor to cranberries and orange. I find allspice a very underused spice.
Oh, so good! No more canned cranberry sauce for me. This is easy and delicious. My guests will love it.
This is the best cranberry dish I have ever made! Thanks for the easy and delicious recipe.
Wonderful recipe! Another version: I add some diced apple and a small bit of allspice or cardomom. Everyone loves some version of this easy delicious recipe.
As always, a delicious recipe! This Thanksgiving I plan to double it as everyone loves it.
Delicious flavor! It was just WAY too sweet for us, it drowned out the cranberries. Will definitely try the recipe again, with a third of sugar less. 🙂
I just made this for Thanksgiving dinner. Just the right amount of orange juice and zest. Thanks for a simple way to elevate cranberry sauce
It’s delicious!
I saw in the other comments that maple syrup could be used in place of sugar, but for diabetics would Sweet N Low or Splenda work?
I think that would work and I’d go with Splenda. Please LMK how it turns out with it!