Description
This Homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe is a quick and easy holiday classic that delivers bright, tangy flavor with a perfect balance of natural tartness and sweetness. Made with fresh cranberries, orange zest, and warm spices, it pairs beautifully with turkey, pork, and cheese platters. Ready in under 20 minutes, this versatile sauce can be customized to your texture preference and stored for up to two weeks.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Rinse your fresh cranberries under cool water and pick out any bruised or damaged berries to ensure a clean, bright sauce.
- Combine Ingredients in Saucepan: Add the rinsed cranberries, sugar, water, orange juice, orange zest, and cinnamon stick into a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook Until Cranberries Burst: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Stir occasionally while the cranberries burst, creating that luscious, jam-like texture—about 10 minutes.
- Remove from Heat and Cool: Take the saucepan off the stove, remove the cinnamon stick, and allow the sauce to cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools to the perfect consistency.
- Serve or Store: Once cooled, transfer the sauce to a serving dish or airtight container. It’s ready to brighten your holiday spread!
Notes
- Choose fresh cranberries that are firm and plump for the best color and flavor.
- Don’t rush the simmering process; let the cranberries fully burst for perfect texture.
- Adjust sweetness gradually by starting with less sugar and adding more if needed.
- Use fresh orange juice and zest for superior flavor compared to bottled options.
- Cool the sauce completely before serving to allow it to thicken properly.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg