Cranberry Sauce with Orange (Printable)

Tangy-sweet cranberry blend with fresh orange juice, perfect for holiday sides or spreads.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
02 - 1 medium orange, zested and juiced (about 1/2 cup juice)

→ Sweetener

03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Liquid

04 - 1/4 cup water

→ Optional Additions

05 - 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
06 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Rinse cranberries, discarding any that are soft or bruised.
02 - In a medium saucepan, mix cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and water.
03 - Heat over medium, stirring until sugar fully dissolves.
04 - Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally until cranberries burst and sauce thickens.
05 - If desired, stir in ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
06 - Remove from heat and allow sauce to cool to room temperature, thickening further as it cools.
07 - Transfer to a serving bowl or an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes nothing like the canned version—bright, alive, and impossibly easy to make in just 20 minutes.
  • The orange juice transforms tart cranberries into something that tastes like fall and feels luxurious, yet requires almost no effort.
  • You'll have leftovers that work as a spread, a yogurt topping, or a gift wrapped in a pretty jar.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step—the sauce thickens by about half as it cools, and that's when it becomes silky and perfect.
  • If you prefer a smoother sauce, use the back of a wooden spoon to gently crush some of the berries as they cook, but resist the urge to mash it all into a puree unless that's what you want.
03 -
  • If your sauce ends up too thin, simmer it for a few more minutes uncovered; if it's too thick, stir in a splash of water or orange juice.
  • A pinch of salt at the very end is like a secret handshake—it makes everything taste more like itself, more intentional, more alive.

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