Cranberry Orange Sauce
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Skip the canned cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving and make it right at home – it is embarrassingly easy to make with just 3 ingredients!
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Cranberry sauce is a Thanksgiving staple, and it has to be one of the easiest dishes to make. It can be made ahead of time, and does not require any oven real estate, which let’s be honest, is a win in and of itself.
Ingredients
Orange
Use freshly squeezed whenever possible. And another bonus of using fresh oranges? All the fresh orange zest! We recommend using a microplane when zesting, working carefully to avoid the bitter white pith.
Sugar
Brown sugar can be substituted.
Cranberries
Fresh cranberries is ideal here but frozen cranberries can also be used. Frozen cranberries will take longer to cook through and simmer.
Optional
Cinnamon stick, ginger, lemon zest (in place of orange zest) or vanilla extract can also be added to your liking.
Serve with your lovely Thanksgiving turkey as needed, and save the leftovers for toast, yogurt, overnight oats, and french toast – we can use it for all of the things.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries. Fresh or frozen (unthawed) cranberries can be used here. When using fresh, use plump cranberries that are bright red in color and firm to the touch. Avoid using dried cranberries.
- Make ahead of time. Cranberry sauce is one of those holiday side dishes you can make ahead of time and store in the fridge up to 1 week in advance.
- Serve hot or cold. This really depends on personal preference, but cranberry sauce can be served hot, cold or at room temperature.
- Save the leftovers. Leftover cranberry sauce can be frozen up to 3 months. You can also use the leftovers for breakfast (topping off pancakes, waffles or french toast), sandwiches and desserts (cheesecakes, coffee cakes, banana bread or streusel bars).
Cranberry Orange Sauce: Frequently Asked Questions
Some like it hot, some like it cold, but we personally find that cranberry sauce is best served at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Yes! Cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Cranberry sauce can be frozen up to 3 months. Let cool completely; portion into plastic freezer bags in individual servings, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Lay the bags flat in a single layer in the freezer (this will help them freeze quickly). To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
This is one of our favorite holiday Instant Pot recipes!
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- ½ cup sugar, or more, to taste
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
Equipment
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, orange juice, orange zest and sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.
- Stir in cranberries and bring to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Let cool completely before serving.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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All the Christmas guests loved it.
Excellent and so easy! I’ve made it for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love leftovers to mix with yogurt and granola. Yummy breakfast!
Oops! Just saw that the bag is 12 ounces. Sorry!
Not everyone lives where you can buy cranberries by the bag. Pounds? Cups? Grams?
I agree with everyone this is excellent I added a little extra orange rind because my oranges were small but they’re very sweet and come for my organic tree. It was delightful!
This cranberry sauce is delicious and deserves a place at your Thanksgiving table. it reminds me of the sauce my Mother made for so many years. Thank you.
Great. Added chopped jalapeño
I make this every year and everyone ALWAYS raves about how good it is. This cranberry sauce is flawless
Good, light just the right amount of sugar. I really like cranberry sauce and I have it throughout the year, and I never get tired if it!
P.S.
Shouldn’t water be part of the ingredient list. I almost missed putting it in.
No need for water. The OJ replaces the water that is in most recipes.
I’ve been making this recipe for many years and always double it. With the leftovers I make an amazing cranberry loaf and freeze that!
I also make this every year and have for several years. Everything else pales in comparison. I make a double batch and it never lasts long.
Hi Kathleen
Would you share your cranberry loaf recipe? Thanks!
This was by far the most-welcome, well received cranberry sauce I ever set on the holiday table. Absolutely every guest complimented me on its flavor, a few even on the bright appearance. I admit to adding just a smidge, pinch or dash of cinnamon. Just enough that it could not be identified, yet added a mysterious warmth. I highly recommend and will make this a new tradition to our holiday menu!
Use it every year!! Delicious!!
Easy, perfectly delicious. Great pure flavors. Our fave dish on a very good Thanksgiving table this year! Thank you!
Made this today, on Thanksgiving, and was not disappointed. So quick and easy and best of all, delicious. The only change I made was to reduce the amount of water and increased a little more orange juice. It was my first attempt at cranberry sauce and I loved the addition of the orange juice and zest. I’ll be making this again, holiday or not, it’s just that good.
This is AWESOME. I get alot of request for this dish. I use this on everything to begal to oatmeal. Thank you for the recipe.
The recipe is really easy and amazingly delicious. I simmer it longer for a thicker sauce. I made this recipe and brought it to Thanksgiving dinner at the home of good friends. It tasted so good that our evening’s chef (the husband of the household) questioned me closely about the recipe. When I returned as a guest for Christmas dinner, my friend chef proudly presented his twist on the recipe. Now that’s an endorsement.
This cranberry sauce is the best I would recommend to all my freinds
Delicious and sometimes I mix it with orange marmalade just for a change up. So good on croissants, scones, and just plain toast!
This cranberry sauce is awesome! Whenever we have turkey or ham at a family gathering (Thanksgiving & Christmas) I am always asked to bring this! My brother-in-law eats it on it’s own…..finished the last of a large bowl! Am making it for Christmas tomorrow! Merry Christmas to you & yours!C
I love this recipe. I’ve been using it for the past 3 Thanksgivings and occasionally for Christmas too. I love cranberries and didn’t want canned so I looked up a recipe and found this one. It’s simple and delicious. I get lots of compliments on the sauce. Even from those who said they didn’t like cranberry sauce lol.Thank you!