Cranberry Orange Sauce

This vibrant Cranberry Orange Sauce with cinnamon is full of flavor and texture and ready in just 15-minutes!

Homemade cranberry sauce is really simple to make and outshines the canned version any day!

This sauce is a great make-ahead side dish, which gives you more time to cook your mashed potatoes and holiday turkey

Also often called Cranberry Relish, we think this sauce is a must for the holiday season. It has an ideal balance of tart and sweet. The leftovers are perfect for turkey sandwiches!

Can you make Cranberry Sauce ahead of time?

YES! And you should!

• You can make this delicious side dish up to 5 days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or up to 2 months ahead of time sealed and stored in the freezer
• I like to make a double batch and use half at Thanksgiving and freeze the other half for Christmas dinner.

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Ingredients for homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

This easy peasy sauce has just 4 simple ingredients!

• Cranberries ~ You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe. Fresh cranberries are normally only available during November and December, so any other time just grab a bag of high quality frozen cranberries
• Oranges ~ You will use the juice and the zest
• Sugar ~ Or use brown sugar or maple syrup if you prefer
• Cinnamon ~ Just a pinch is needed, but it adds so much flavor!

How to make Cranberry Orange Sauce

This sauce comes together quickly so have everything ready to go when you start cooking

• Begin by zesting 1 Tablespoon of orange zest. The easiest way to do this is with a hand-held rasp grater (we like this Microplaner and use it for so many things) or a regular box grater.
• Be sure to use just the orange peel and not the white pith because the pith is bitter. It’s important to zest the orange before you juice it because it’s almost impossible to zest if you’ve already juiced the orange
• Cut the oranges and squeeze enough juice to equal 1/2 cup
• In a medium saucepan, add sugar, orange juice, water, and cranberries
• Bring to a boil, stirring to ensure the sugar has dissolved completely
• Add orange zest and reduce heat to medium. Stir often to make sure the sauce doesn’t burn
• Once the cranberries have started to burst the sauce should begin to thicken
• When the sauce is thickened turn off the heat and sprinkle in the cinnamon
• Stir to combine and remove from the heat to let the sauce cool
• If you want a smoother sauce mash the cranberries until you have the consistency desired
• We like to sprinkle a little extra orange zest on top just before serving

How to store Cranberry Sauce

Refrigerated: This recipe can be made ahead and kept tightly sealed in the refrigerator for up to 5 days

Frozen: Cranberry sauce is easily frozen for up to 2-months. After cooking allow the sauce to cool down to room temperature (this takes about 2 hours) and store it in a tightly sealed container. When ready to use put the container in the refrigerator to thaw, stir well, and serve.

Cranberry Sauce frequently asked questions:

• How much Cranberry Sauce to serve, per person? For the holidays, we suggest about 1/4 cup per person. If your family really loves cranberry sauce or wants leftovers (we always do!), be sure to double that amount per person. This recipe can easily be doubled.
• Is Cranberry Sauce gluten-free? Ours is, but not all recipes are, so be sure to check the ingredient list carefully. Ours is also vegan.
• Can you overcook fresh Cranberry Sauce? Yes! The sugars will begin to caramelize and burn so cook the sauce just until the cranberries burst and stir while the sauce is cooking and thickening
• What’s the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry relish? While the two are often used interchangeably, relish is technically an uncooked cranberry sauce that has been blended and is more tart, whereas cranberry sauce is always cooked and is usually sweetened

Recipe Variation Ideas

• Make a double batch because everyone loves leftover sauce
• Substitute the sugar with brown sugar or maple syrup for a more caramelized taste, or add more sugar if you like a sweeter sauce
• Add other warm spices in place of the cinnamon, such as ginger or cloves
• Use frozen cranberries in place of the fresh cranberries (keep in mind the cooking time might be a bit longer with frozen cranberries)
• Having an adults only event? Try adding a splash of Grand Marnier orange liqueur!
• Cook longer for a thicker sauce and less for a looser sauce
• Use store bought orange juice if needed, but make sure it’s the type with no added fillers

Other ways to pair cranberries:

• This sauce is great with turkey, of course, but also delicious basted or drizzled on chicken, Cornish game hens, duck, and pork
• Spread it on your morning toast or scones
• Delicious when spread on our fluffy Baking Powder Biscuits
• Swirl it into yogurt or smoothies for a big boost of flavor
• Serve alongside our easy bake-in-the-box Baked Brie
• Blend with cream cheese to make a sandwich spread
• Perfect to add sweetness and flavor to a bowl of oatmeal