Cranberry Sauce

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This homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe has just 5 ingredients and takes 10 minutes to make (plus chilling time). It’s sweetened with orange juice and the perfect antidote to all the richness on your Thanksgiving menu. It’s also ideal to make ahead and/or freeze.

A bowl of cranberry sauce.


 

To me, Cranberry Sauce has one main function on your Thanksgiving plate: To cut the richness of everything else. It might be the only recipe on the table not made with butter! It’s one of the few, if only, cold recipes on the dinner menu, too.

My grandma always made her cranberry sauce with fresh orange juice, and I think it’s an idea worth sharing. The orange juice will taste sweet against the tart flavors of the cranberries, but it’s a simple contrast that doesn’t feel unexpected.

The recipe itself is just 5 ingredients (including water and salt), and it only takes about 10 minutes on the stove. You can make it a few days before so it’s ready and waiting, or make it 3 months in advance and stash it in the freezer.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for cranberry sauce.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Orange zest and juice: Zest the orange first, then juice it for the sauce. Using orange juice helps create a sweet-tart flavor that balances out the cranberries.
  • Cranberries: Use either fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe. Fresh cranberries freeze really well, so stock up when you see them. Add frozen cranberries straight to the saucepan (no thawing needed) and add 2 minutes to the simmering time.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar, orange peel, orange juice, water, and a pinch of salt to boil.
Orange juice, water, and sugar in a small pot.
  1. Stir in cranberries.
Making cranberry sauce in a small pot.
  1. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the berries start to pop, about 10 minutes. Cover and chill.
Making cranberry sauce in a small pot.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes 8 servings.
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Make ahead: Cranberry sauce is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Cool the sauce completely, then keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
  • Freezer: Cooled sauce can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
  • Other sweeteners: This recipe calls for white sugar, but you can substitute brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey (the flavor will change, but not in a bad way).
  • Cranberry sauce with apples: Add 1 cup of peeled and diced apples (about 4 ounces) and cinnamon for a delicious twist on cranberry sauce.
  • Small batch: My Cranberry Sauce for Two has been scaled down for a pair.
  • Slow cooker: When stove-top and oven space are in high demand, Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce is a no-brainer. This classic recipe uses fresh or frozen cranberries and orange juice for extra sweetness and flavor.
  • Leftovers: Extra cranberry sauce is delicious on Leftover Turkey Sandwiches or folded into my favorite Cranberry Cheesecake Galette. You can also drizzle it over ice cream for dessert (maybe add a handful of pecans?), pancakes, waffles, and crepes.
A bowl of cranberry sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are cranberries in season?

You’ll start seeing cranberries at grocery stores in November, and they should be stocked all through December. I usually stock up and vacuum-seal a few bags for the freezer because once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Where are cranberries grown?

Just five states produce all the cranberries in the United States. More than half come from Wisconsin. Massachusetts grows the second largest amount, about 30%, and the rest come from New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington.

A plate of roasted trukey, stuffing, vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy, and cranberries.
A Classic Midwestern ThanksgivingPerfect Roast TurkeyMashed Potatoes with Turkey Gravy, Classic Bread StuffingVegetable CasseroleRoasted Asparagus, and Cranberry Sauce with Apples.

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Cranberry sauce in a clear glass decorative bowl.

Cranberry Sauce

This classic Cranberry Sauce has just 5 ingredients and takes 10 minutes to make (plus chilling time).
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Servings 8 servings (¼ cup each)
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Calories 99
5 from 8 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar, orange zest, orange juice, water, and a pinch of salt to boil. Stir occasionally to dissovle the sugar.
  • Stir in cranberries. Simmer until slightly thickened and the berries begin to pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature or chill.

Notes

  1. Orange zest and juice: Zest the orange first, then juice it for the sauce.
  2. Cranberries: Use either fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe. Fresh cranberries freeze really well, so stock up when you see them. Add frozen cranberries straight to the saucepan (no thawing needed) and add 2 minutes to the simmering time.
  3. Yield: This recipe makes 8 servings (¼ cup each).
  4. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25 cupCalories: 99kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 38mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 2gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 57IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. This is the best cranberry sauce I have ever made! The only variation was using 1/4 cup cranberry juice and 1/4 cup water instead of 1/2. I took your advice and added a dash of cinnamon.
    Many thanks for another terrific recipe. Happy Thanksgiving!5 stars

  2. AWESOME recipe!! It’s taking me a lot to not eat this before Friendsgiving tomorrow. I used about 3/4 of fresh squeezed OJ (that’s all I could get out of the 2 oranges I had) and the rest water. Otherwise, just followed the recipe and I LOVE it!!5 stars

    1. Hi Olivia, I appreciate the feedback, maybe I’ll up the number of oranges to 3. I think it really depends on the oranges you get, but not everyone is as nice as you are about it. I am so glad you loved it! Happy Friendsgiving! -Meggan

    2. Making this for Christmas this time. Followed the recipe exactly for the 1/2 and 1/2 OJ/water. Also added about 1/8tsp of cinnamon. Let’s see if I can resist it again!!5 stars

  3. This looks like a delicious twist on the regular cranberry sauce and I am excited to try it! Thanks for posting!5 stars