This Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce is a delicious holiday classic made with fresh cranberries, orange juice, and warm cinnamon. The perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors makes it a wonderful addition to any Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Best of all, this simple cranberry sauce can be prepared ahead of time with minimal effort.
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Quick Look at the Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 2½ cups
- Difficulty: Easy - A simple, one-pan stovetop recipe requiring minimal preparation.
- Flavor: A delicious balance of sweet and tart cranberry flavors, complemented by bright citrus notes and warm cinnamon.
- Best For: Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday dinners, and leftover turkey sandwiches or sliders.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare 2-3 days in advance for best results.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- Freezer Friendly: Yes! Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Why You'll Love This Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Quick and Easy to Prepare: This homemade cranberry sauce comes together with minimal preparation and simple stovetop cooking, making it an effortless addition to your holiday menu.
- Better Than Canned Cranberry Sauce: Homemade cranberry sauce has a fresher taste and a more appealing texture than many store-bought versions.
- Made with Fresh Ingredients: Fresh cranberries and freshly squeezed Cara Cara orange juice give this sauce a bright, vibrant flavor that canned varieties simply can't match.
- Perfect for Leftovers: Beyond the holiday dinner table, this cranberry sauce is delicious on leftover turkey sandwiches, sliders, and other holiday-inspired dishes.
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
Steps to Make Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Fill a large bowl with cool water and add the fresh cranberries. Gently swirl them around to remove dirt and debris. Most cranberries will float because they contain natural air pockets.
- Discard any cranberries that are soft, mushy, moldy, or badly shriveled, regardless of whether they float or sink.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the good cranberries from the water and transfer them to a colander to drain. Discard any cranberries that may have sunk to the bottom of the bowl.
- Place all of the drained cranberries in a medium saucepan. Add the water, freshly squeezed orange juice, dark brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Stir to combine.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue simmering for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries begin to pop and burst and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Stir in the orange zest and Kosher salt. Continue cooking for an additional three minutes, stirring to distribute the zest evenly throughout the sauce.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the cranberry sauce to cool slightly. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
With just a few simple ingredients and minimal preparation, this Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce is sure to become a holiday favorite. Its perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors makes it a delicious accompaniment to roasted turkey and traditional holiday sides. Make it ahead of time for a stress-free addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Frozen cranberries work just as well as fresh cranberries in homemade cranberry sauce. There's no need to thaw them before cooking, although you may need to increase the cooking time slightly.
You can, but I don't recommend it. Freshly squeezed orange juice provides a brighter, fresher flavor. Some bottled orange juices contain added sugar. Because this recipe also calls for orange zest, I recommend using the juice from the oranges you've already zested.
Yes. Light brown sugar can be substituted in equal amounts for dark brown sugar. However, dark brown sugar contains more molasses, giving the sauce a slightly richer flavor.
Store the cooled cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Cranberry sauce naturally thickens as it cools because cranberries contain pectin. If the sauce seems thin when you remove it from the heat, allow it to cool before deciding whether it needs additional cooking. If it's still too thin, return it to the saucepan and simmer briefly until it reaches your desired consistency.
Absolutely! This Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce is an excellent make-ahead holiday side dish. Prepare it two to three days before serving and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.
Pudge Factor's Kitchen Tips
- Prepare the Oranges: Wash and dry the oranges. Finely grate enough zest from one orange to measure 1 teaspoon, being careful to avoid the bitter white pith. Cut the oranges in half and squeeze enough juice to measure ½ cup. Strain the juice through a small colander into a measuring cup. I used three oranges to get ½ cup of juice.
- Use the Water Method for Sorting: Look for cranberries that are plump and firm, with colors ranging from light red to deep burgundy. Place the cranberries in a large bowl of cool water and gently swirl to clean them. Remove any cranberries that are soft, mushy, moldy, or severely shriveled. Then use a slotted spoon to transfer the good ones to a colander to drain.
- Use a Deep Enough Saucepan: Cranberries can pop and splatter as they cook, so choose a saucepan with enough room to contain the bubbling mixture. Make sure to stir occasionally while cooking to help dissolve the sugar and prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Don't Overcook the Sauce: Cranberry sauce continues to thicken as it cools, so remove it from the heat once most of the cranberries have burst and the mixture has begun to thicken. Cranberries contain natural pectin, which causes the sauce to thicken significantly as it cools.
Other Great Holiday Side Dishes
- Quick and Easy Homemade Gravy (Ready in 10 Minutes)
- Easy Crispy English Roasted Potatoes
- Easy Butter Swim Biscuits
- Green Bean Stuffing Casserole
- Easy Stuffing Bundt: The Ultimate Show-Stopping Holiday Side Dish
- Brown Sugar and Honey Glazed Baby Carrots
- Cranberry Apple Sausage Stuffing
- Oven-Roasted Large Melting Potatoes
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Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
- 2-quart saucepan
- Zester
- Juicer
- Large Bowl
- colander
- slotted spoon
- Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
- 12 oz Fresh Cranberries1
- ½ cup Water
- ½ cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice2
- ¾ cup Dark Brown Sugar3
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Orange Zest2
- 2 pinches Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with cool water and add the fresh cranberries. Gently swirl them around to remove dirt and debris. Most cranberries will float because they contain natural air pockets. Discard any cranberries that are soft, mushy, moldy, or badly shriveled, regardless of whether they float or sink. Using a slotted spoon, remove the good cranberries from the water and transfer them to a colander to drain. Discard any cranberries that may have sunk to the bottom of the bowl.
- Place all of the drained cranberries in a medium saucepan. Add the water, freshly squeezed orange juice, dark brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Stir to combine. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue simmering for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries begin to pop and burst and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Stir in the orange zest and Kosher salt. Continue cooking for another three minutes, stirring to distribute the zest evenly throughout the sauce.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the cranberry sauce to cool slightly. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- Yield: 2½ cups
Tips/Notes
- Choose fresh, firm cranberries. Look for cranberries that are plump and firm, with colors ranging from light red to deep burgundy. Avoid cranberries that are soft, mushy, moldy, or severely shriveled. You can also use frozen if you are unable to find fresh.
- I recommend using Cara Cara oranges if you can find them. Wash and dry the oranges. Finely grate enough zest from one orange to measure 1 teaspoon, being careful to avoid the bitter white pith. Cut the oranges in half and squeeze enough juice to measure ½ cup. Strain the juice through a small colander into a measuring cup. I used three oranges to get ½ cup of juice.
- Light brown sugar can be substituted in equal amounts for dark brown sugar. However, dark brown sugar contains more molasses, giving the sauce a slightly richer flavor.
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