Made with only five simple ingredients, this homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce is a must for your holiday menu. Bursting with flavour from the fresh juicy cranberries and orange juice, this sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
I’m here to settle the argument between using canned cranberry jelly sauce or making your own for the holidays. Yes, canned cranberry sauce is convenient but this homemade cranberry orange sauce is going to impress your guests. Even better, it comes together so quickly and easily. It only takes a few minutes longer than searching for the can opener to open a can!
More cranberry recipes to try: Instant Pot Low-Carb Cranberry Sauce and Maple Roasted Cranberry Oatmeal.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
The flavours from the cranberry and orange juice are so bright and fresh, it’s the perfect accompaniment to any holiday meal you’re planning from Garlic Butter Turkey Breast Recipe to Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken. This fresh cranberry sauce goes really well with other sides as well such as Potatoes au Gratin or my Healthier Green Bean Casserole Recipe.
Even better, if you have leftovers of this fresh cranberry orange sauce recipe, you can spread it on some bread with some sliced turkey or slice and it makes for an amazing Thanksgiving leftover sandwich! Trust me, this cranberry orange sauce recipe takes 15 minutes to cook on the stove and it’s worth the “effort.”
Ingredients to Make Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Fresh cranberries — Rinsed the cranberries with cold water before using.
- Orange juice — I love the flavour you get from some freshly squeezed orange juice. Since we need orange zest for garnish, it’s easier to just buy some oranges to juice instead of using bottled orange juice.
- Pure maple syrup — It’s important to use pure maple syrup and not use pancake syrup. Pancake syrup is not the same thing as maple syrup, which is made from the sap of maple trees.
- Vanilla extract — I recommend using real vanilla extract instead of artificial extract for the best flavour.
- Orange zest — For garnish.
Optional: you can add a pinch of salt and ginger to the sauce if you prefer. Some other recipes call for cinnamon and cloves. I like more the traditional flavor, so I didn’t add them, but it’s totally up to you.
Instructions to Make Cranberry Sauce recipe
- In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice, maple and vanilla extract and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the cranberries and orange zest. Make sure the cranberries have been washed beforehand and try to pat them dry. Stir well with a spoon.
- Bring the saucepan of sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce gets thick. You may notice a popping sound. This means that the berries start to pop. So, it’s totally normal.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and let cool down for 5 minutes to get even more the thick consistency we are looking for.
- Transfer the cranberry orange sauce to a bowl and place it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. When it’s time to serve, garnish with orange zest.
Recipe variations
There are so many ways to change up this cranberry orange sauce. If you like your cranberry sauce to be sweeter, you can add more maple syrup to the sauce. If you like it tarter, add less maple syrup. If you don’t have maple syrup, you can use honey too.
Want a thicker sauce? Add a little less orange juice or simmer it for longer. Want it to be thinner? Add more orange juice!
How to pick fresh cranberries
- Squeeze the cranberries. They should be firm when you squeeze them. Skip the soft cranberries.
- Give them a bounce on a counter, ripe cranberries will have a bounce to them!
- Check the colour of the cranberries. Fresh cranberries has a deep red colour and are shiny. Skip the ones with discoloration or brown spots on the skin.
Expert Tips
- You can totally use frozen cranberries for this recipe. I often purchase fresh cranberries way in advance of the holidays. Once I see them appear in the produce section at the grocery store, I pounce! They tend to sell out fast and I don’t want to miss out. You can simply stick them in the freezer for safe keeping, and you don’t even need to defrost them before using them to make your sauce.
- Bottled orange juice will work in this recipe, but remember, you also orange zest. Your sauce won’t be nearly as flavorful if you skip out on this ingredient, so it’s absolutely worth it to buy a fresh orange for both juicing and zesting. This is a great way to save money too! One orange is pretty inexpensive, especially when compared to a bottle of juice.
- When you zest your orange, don’t dig too far down into the skin. You just want the outer orange portion, as the white part can be bitter.
- It’s important to use pure maple syrup in this recipe, rather than pancake syrup. It offers the most incredible, mouthwatering flavor. It can cost a bit more, but you won’t regret it.
- I also highly recommend using pure vanilla extract rather than imitation. An imitation extract will certainly do the trick, but real vanilla really takes everything to the next level.
- This cranberry orange sauce recipe is very traditional and straightforward! If you’re in the mood to mix things up, feel free to add a pinch of salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves for extra fun flavor.
- When your sauce is simmering on the stovetop, don’t be too alarmed if you hear a popping noise. Sometimes fresh cranberries burst when they’re cooking!
- You can serve your sauce hot or chilled. This is really convenient on a holiday when you’re trying to coordinate everything. If you need to make your sauce ahead of time you can simply place it in the refrigerator and pull it out when it’s time to dish up.
How to Store Cranberry Orange Sauce
- To store: Allow cranberry sauce to cool and place it in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Cranberry sauce is super freezer-friendly. Place cooled sauce in a freezer-safe food storage container or Ziploc bag and store frozen for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight (if frozen) and then reheat using the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop. You can also simply give you sauce a good stir, place it in a dish and serve it chilled!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have leftover cranberry sauce, you can freeze it for later. Transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, simply thaw it in the fridge. You can simmer the sauce again to heat it up or enjoy it chilled.
Always zest an orange before juicing. Simply use a grater or microplane to zest the orange. If you do not have one, use a vegetable peeler and finely cut the orange peel. Be sure to only zest the outer orange layer, as the white layer underneath tastes bitter.
You can definitely make this recipe ahead of time. Cook the sauce as directed. After your cranberry orange sauce has cooled, store it in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to serve, reheat on the stove if you’d like for it to be warmed up or serve it chilled.
You sure can! If you don’t have access to fresh cranberries, you can use frozen cranberries to make cranberry sauce. Add them directly from frozen into the saucepan and cook as directed. You might have to add a couple of minutes to offset the frozen cranberries but it shouldn’t be much of a difference.
More recipes for your holiday menu
This cranberry orange sauce recipe is perfect for a Thanksgiving meal or Christmas dinner and goes well with ham, turkey, gravy and all the delicious recipes we enjoy during the Holidays. See below some of my favorites:
- Pork Chops with Apples and Onions: Pork chops and apples make the perfect celebration of fall flavors. It’s so quick and easy to make.
- Brussels Sprouts Casserole Recipe: This side dish is so easy to make and each bite is filled with Brussels sprouts and cheesy goodness!
- Creamy Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Made with simple wholesome ingredients, this mashed sweet potatoes recipe is rich and creamy without being a heavy side dish.
- Gluten-free Cornbread: Soft, fluffy and far from dry. Everybody will love this recipe!
- Easy Roasted Turkey Breast: This turkey breast is cooked in the oven and in a fraction of the time of a whole turkey.
Cranberry Orange Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pound fresh cranberries rinsed with cold water
- Orange zest for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice, maple and vanilla extract and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Then, add cranberries and orange zest. Mix all well. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce gets thick. You may notice a popping sound. This is just the cranberries popping and it’s totally normal.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and let cool down for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a bowl and place it in the refrigerator. When it’s time to serve, garnish with orange zest.
Tips
- Frozen cranberries can be used. No need to thaw them first.
- You can use fresh or bottled orange juice but since you need orange zest, you can easily juice it afterward.
- When zesting, don’t dig too far down into the white part of the skin. It can be bitter.
- Make sure you’re using real maple syrup and not pancake syrup.
- If possible, use pure vanilla extra rather than imitation.
- You can add salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, or ginger to this recipe if you want to mix things up.
- Cranberry sauce can be served hot or chilled!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Pauline McNee says
I would need to use frozen cranberries but i t looks such a delicious sauce.
Olivia Ribas says
Yes you can use frozen cranberries.
Meredith says
It is so much better than the canned ridged sauce. My husband actually agreed to
try this for thanksgiving dinner. Ty
Olivia Ribas says
That’s awesome! You’ll love it!
Tracy Mattison says
Absolutely the best 💯
Olivia Ribas says
Awesome!!
Erica says
Hi, Olivia. This looks amazing and I’m going to try it this year. Do you know about how many oranges I’ll need for one cup of juice? I know they vary, but just a ballpark? Thanks!
Olivia Ribas says
On average, you would need approximately 3 to 4 medium-sized oranges to produce 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of fresh orange juice. However, the number of oranges required can vary depending on the size and juiciness of the oranges, as well as the efficiency of your juicing method.
Anonymous says
This may be a naive or dumb question, but how do you eat this, or what do you eat this with? Is it a topping or a side? We normally don’t eat this for Thanksgiving, but it sounds delicious!
Olivia Ribas says
Sure thing! Cranberry orange sauce can be both a topping and a side. It goes great with turkey or ham as a side dish and works well as a topping for sandwiches, meats, or even desserts like cheesecake or ice cream. It’s versatile and delicious!