This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Cranberry Orange Sauce! This delicious cranberry sauce recipe is infused with the festive flavors of orange and cinnamon, making it the perfect side for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners. Super easy to make, ready in 20 minutes and can be prepped ahead!
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- It’s delicious! Homemade cranberry sauce tastes SO much better than the canned stuff in my opinion. This version is elevated with the flavors of fresh orange juice, orange zest and cinnamon to add a festive touch and make it taste extra delicious.
- Super easy to make! Toss a few simple ingredients into a saucepan and let them simmer for 15 minutes – it couldn’t be easier!
- It can be made ahead of time! Knock one thing off your Thanksgiving or holiday dinner to-do list. This cranberry sauce can be prepped ahead and stored in the fridge.
- Perfect for the holidays! This is a classic side dish for Thanksgiving or holiday dinners. Serve it with turkey, gravy and all your favorite side dishes. Check out some of the delicious ways to use leftovers below too. No need for any of it to go to waste!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this Cranberry Orange Sauce recipe:
- Fresh Cranberries: Easily found at every grocery store around Thanksgiving and Christmas. You will need a 12-ounce or 340 gram bag. Can also use frozen.
- Orange: The juice and zest of one orange.
- Sweetener: Use organic cane sugar, honey or maple syrup to cut the tartness of the cranberries.
- Cinnamon Stick: This warming spice adds a festive touch and brings it all together.
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
Orange Zesting Tip
It is much easier to zest the orange before you juice it. I like to use a Microplane Zester. Make sure that you only grate off the orange part of the peel. Avoid grating the white part since it is bitter and will make your sauce bitter.
How To Make Cranberry Orange Sauce
It is super easy to make this homemade cranberry sauce recipe. Simply…
- Combine Ingredients: Place all the ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Simmer: Simmer while stirring occasionally until cranberries have burst and sauce has thickened.
- Serve: Allow to cool, remove cinnamon stick and refrigerate until serving time. Perfect make ahead recipe!
Possible Variations
This Cranberry Orange Sauce recipe can be customized in a number of ways. Feel free to make it your own!
- Add Other Spices For Flavor: Ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, etc.
- Sweeten To Taste: Like it tarter, use less sweetener! Like it sweeter, add more!
- Add Extra Fruit: Add a second fruit to the mix like some berries, pomegranate, diced apples or pears.
- Make It “Adult”: Add a splash of brandy, orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or bourbon.
Cranberry Sauce FAQ
Store for 1-2 weeks in the fridge in a covered jar or airtight container.
Absolutely and highly recommended! This sauce can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for a week. One less thing to worry about on the day of your holiday meal!
Yes – cranberry sauce freezes beautifully! Freeze for up to 6 months in small mason jars or containers and defrost in the fridge overnight before serving. To freeze cranberry sauce in glass, make sure to follow these tips for freezing food in mason jars!
Give it some time and be patient! The cranberries need to simmer for about 15 minutes to break down and thicken. The sauce will also continue to thicken as it cools.
This is a matter of personal preference. Cranberry sauce can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled from the fridge.
Ways To Use Leftovers
Here are a few delicious and easy ways to use up any leftover cranberry sauce:
- Make a delicious turkey sandwich: Mix leftover cranberry sauce with mayo and slather it on turkey sandwiches. So good!
- Top your morning oatmeal: Makes a great topping on oatmeal like my favorite steel cut oats recipe.
- Yogurt topping: Use it to make a parfait or just to top a bowl of Greek yogurt.
- Add it to your breakfast/brunch faves: Add a festive touch to some of your breakfast favorites like pancakes, French toast or waffles by using the leftover cranberry sauce as a topping or mixing some into the batter.
More Holiday Sides
Looking for more holiday sauces? Check out these 15 Sauces To Elevate Your Holiday Meals. Also see below for a few more side dish ideas perfect for Thanksgiving or holiday meals!
Let me know in the comments below if this Cranberry Orange Sauce makes it onto your holiday table!
Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 20 min
- Yield: 1.5 – 2 cups 1x
- Category: Side Dish, Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
This delicious cranberry sauce recipe is infused with the festive flavors of orange and cinnamon, making it the perfect side for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners. Super easy to make, ready in 20 minutes and can be prepped ahead!
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce / 340 gram) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 orange, zest and juice (about 1/4 cup juice)
- 1/2 cup organic cane sugar, honey or maple syrup (pick one)
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Place the cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, sweetener and cinnamon stick in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Simmer: Simmer and stir occasionally for about 15 minutes or until cranberries have burst and sauce has thickened (will continue to thicken as it cools).
- Serve: Let cool, remove cinnamon stick and refrigerate until serving time. Can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
- Storage: Store for 1-2 weeks covered in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
- Make It Ahead: This is the perfect make ahead holiday side dish. One less thing to worry about!
- Orange Zesting Tip: It is much easier to zest the orange before you juice it. Make sure to only grate off the orange part of the peel and not the white part (white part is bitter). I like to use a microplane zester.
⬇ PIN it for later! ⬇
We love this cranberry sauce. The recipe is simple, straight forward and delicious. We will definitely have it on our menu again this year.
I’m super happy to hear that!
OH my! do I miss cranberries! I’m currently living in Spain… Gonna ask my mom for this recipe for the Xmas table this year! Thanks for sharing!
That’s too bad that they are not easy to find in Spain. Hopefully you will get a taste at Christmas when visiting family!
I made this cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving last month and this was the first time we ever ran out of cranberry sauce! Usually I have so much left over but everyone really enjoyed the flavour so much they piled it on their plates.
I’m so happy to hear that it was a hit!
The orange adds the perfect touch to this cranberry sauce. It’s super easy to make and tastes so much better than canned.
I completely agree!
Okay, can I just say that this cranberry sauce tastes like the holidays?! The delicious flavor combination of cranberries and orange – YUM! You really can’t go wrong here!
I’m really happy that you enjoyed the flavor combo!
I’ve never made cranberry sauce from scratch but this recipe looks absolutely fantastic. Definitely going to give it a dry run and hopefully make it for Thanksgiving too!
It’s so easy to make from scratch – hope you love it!
I made this cranberry sauce last year and can’t wait to make it again. I added some brandy as you suggested and it was a hit! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy to hear that it will make a repeat appearance on your holiday table this year!
The zesty orange and the tart cranberry make a fantastic combination in this sauce. Perfect for the holidays.
It sure is! Enjoy!
Thanks for the marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it. I will make certain to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back down the road. I want to encourage you to ultimately continue your great job, have a nice day!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Nothing better at thanksgiving than Cranberry sauce. Delicious!
I completely agree!