Orange Cranberry Sauce Recipe

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The best homemade cranberry sauce with freshly squeezed orange juice, zest and a little kiss of vanilla. 

Orange Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Cranberry Sauce

Skip the canned stuff this Thanksgiving and make this exquisite fresh cranberry orange sauce instead. Only 5 ingredients, the perfect balance between sweet and tart, this is the easiest and quickest side dish ever and can be made ahead of time.

bowl of fresh cranberries + orange for sauce

Ingredient notes

  • Cranberries – you’ll need 12 oz of fresh cranberries which are only available between Thanksgiving and Christmas just in time for the holiday season. Dry cranberries will not work in this recipe at all so please only use fresh or frozen.
  • Orange juice – freshly squeezed from a couple of juicy Valencia or Navel oranges is fine, but if you happen to find any blood oranges it’s even better.
  • Orange zest – make sure to reserve the zest from one orange before juicing. It brightens up the sauce by infusing new life into it.
  • Sugar – plain granulated sugar works just fine here, however I’ve made this with maple syrup, honey and coconut nectar and they were equally delicious.
  • Vanilla – totally optional but a little drop of it will make the sauce truly stand out in my opinion.

How to Make Orange Cranberry Sauce

  1. Add the cranberries, orange juice, zest and sugar to a sauce pan and cover with a lid.
  2. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes until all the cranberries have burst. Add vanilla if desired and allow the sauce to cool and thicken. refrigerate or freeze for later use.

fresh cranberries

Recipe Tips

  • Variations – instead of vanilla you could add about two teaspoons of finely chopped crystalized ginger  or 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
  • Serving suggestions – this sauce pairs well with the usual holiday suspects like mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and biscuits. Leftovers are delicious on your morning toast or spooned on top of a granola bowl, pancakes or to fill some crepes.
  • Storage – the sauce keeps well in the fridge up to a week and can be frozen for up to 4 months. Just thaw it out in the fridge the night before you plan using it.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Orange Cranberry Sauce Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Orange Cranberry Sauce Recipe

The best homemade cranberry sauce with fresh orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla!
Print Recipe
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:5 minutes
Total Time:5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (maple syrup or honey to taste)
  • 2 oranges juiced
  • the zest from 1 orange
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

  • Add the cranberries, sugar or maple syrup and orange juice to a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and cook on low flame for 5 minutes or until all the cranberries burst. Stir in the vanilla & orange zest and cook for one more minute.
  • Remove the sauce from heat and allow to cool + thicken. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate.

Notes

  • Variations - instead of vanilla you could add about two teaspoons of finely chopped crystalized ginger or 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. 
  • Serving suggestions - this sauce pairs well with the usual holiday suspects like mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and biscuits. Leftovers are delicious on your morning toast or spooned on top of a granola bowl, pancakes or to fill some crepes.
  • Storage - the sauce keeps well in the fridge up to a week and can be frozen for up to 4 months. Just thaw it out in the fridge the night before you plan using it. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 139g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 771mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 105g | Vitamin A: 794IU | Vitamin C: 185mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Christams, cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving
Calories: 549kcal
Author: Florentina

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18 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Just came across this- had cranberries in the fridge since Christmas! And 2 blood oranges- added a cinnamon stick. Delicioso!

  2. 5 stars
    Wondering how I could add a bit of orange marmalade to this? Maybe in place of the zest? And could I do brown instead of white sugar?

  3. Pingback: Cranberry Orange Salsa Recipe - Ciao Florentina