Homemade Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce is SO much better than the canned kind and can be ready in just 20 minutes! Fresh or frozen whole cranberries are cooked with orange juice and natural sugars to create a perfectly sweet and tart compote. Pair this relish with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner for a burst of flavor!
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As a kid I always turned up my nose at the gelatinous glob of maroon jiggle. Who wants to eat the canned stuff that looks like a science experiment?! Don’t ask me why it’s a Thanksgiving staple…
(Most kids go for the Sweet Potato Casserole, Cornbread Dressing, or Green Bean Casserole…)
As an adult, I learned to LOVE fresh homemade cranberry sauce. It is incredible!
You can also try out this Fresh Orange Cranberry Relish! (What’s the difference, you ask? While this sauce recipe is cooked and contains orange juice, the relish is not cooked and contains whole oranges, but not juice. But both are perfect for any holiday meal and make a very happy Thanksgiving.)
Ingredients
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.
- Cranberries. Either fresh or frozen are good options. Frozen cranberries do not need to be thawed before cooking. Avoid dried cranberries as they will not work in this recipe.
- Oranges. Fresh-squeezed navel orange juice and zest are the best, but blood and mandarin oranges may be substituted. Zest the orange with a Microplane grater. If store-bought orange juice is used, make sure to select fresh orange juice and not from concentrate.
- Sweetener. Mix in honey if you are not vegan and maple syrup or agave nectar if you are.
- Salt. You only need a pinch to bring out the natural sweetness.
How to Make Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce
Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
- Make the base. Pour the orange juice, water, and sweetener into a medium-sized saucepan, stainless steel or non-stick, and bring to a boil.
- Add remaining ingredients and thicken. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the raw cranberries, orange zest, and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 10-12 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. It is VERY important to keep the saucepan uncovered until the texture thickens. Turn off the heat once the cranberries start to burst. Mash the berries with the back of a spoon until your desired consistency is reached. The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits and cools to room temperature.
Meal Prep and Storage
- Prep-Ahead: Make the entire recipe up to 4-5 days in advance.
- Storage: Bring the leftover cranberry sauce to room temperature then seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: Leftover sauce can be stored in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 2 months. Note that the texture may become a bit watery once defrosted.
- Reheating: Return to a saucepan over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until warm.
FAQs
Cranberry sauce is often gluten-free, but not always. Be sure to double-check the label if buying canned cranberry sauce as some may have hidden thickening agents that contain gluten.
This sauce will last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze traditional cranberry sauce safely for up to 2 months.
To get that bitterness out of cranberry sauce, add in a sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, or even orange juice. A little sweetener and citrus are the perfect balance to the cranberry flavor without too much added sugar.
Other Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
Of course, roast turkey at Thanksgiving dinner isn’t complete without the cranberry sauce. But you can create the perfect holiday spread with these delicious recipes.
Green Bean Casserole Recipe, Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans, and Southern Cornbread Dressing are classic sides everyone loves.
Or, keep it light with a Chopped Kale Salad, Cauliflower au Gratin, or Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad.
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Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
- ⅓ cup orange juice fresh
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅔ cup honey or maple syrup*
- 12 oz. cranberries fresh or previously frozen*
- 2 teaspoons orange zest finely chopped*
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make the Base. Add orange juice, water, and honey to a medium saucepan and bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add cranberries, orange zest, and salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.⅓ cup orange juice, ⅓ cup water, ⅔ cup honey, 12 oz. cranberries, 2 teaspoons orange zest, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Let the Sauce Thicken. Once cranberries begin to pop, turn off heat and mash remaining cranberries to your desired consistency. Let sit at room temperature until chilled and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
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Notes
- Cranberries: Fresh and frozen cranberries work equally as well in this recipe. Do NOT get dried cranberries.
- Sweetener: Feel free to use maple syrup, or agave nectar to make this recipe vegan.
- Tools: You can use a microplane grater instead of chopping the orange zest.
- Prep-Ahead: Make the entire recipe up to 4-5 days in advance.
- Storage: Bring the leftover cranberry sauce to room temperature then seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have used frozen orange juice concentrate in my cranberry relish. Is there a reason why that is not ok?
You definitely can! It just won’t have the same amount of fresh flavor.