Description
This homemade cranberry sauce with orange zest is sweet, tart, and zesty. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any holiday meal, it’s easy to make and tastes better than store-bought versions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the cranberries under cold water and pick out any squishy ones. Zest and juice your orange—you’ll need about 1 tbsp of zest and ½ cup of juice. Set everything aside.
- Toss the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, orange zest, and cinnamon stick into a medium saucepan. Stir everything together to combine.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. You’ll start to hear the cranberries pop—that’s a good thing! Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries break down and the sauce thickens.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce cool for at least 15 minutes. It will thicken more as it cools. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.
Notes
[‘Don’t skip the orange zest—it gives the sauce its signature flavor.’, ‘Taste the sauce as it cooks and adjust the sweetness by adding sugar a tablespoon at a time.’, ‘Don’t overcook the sauce to avoid it becoming too thick and jammy.’, ‘Let the sauce cool to thicken further before serving.’, ‘Make ahead and store in the fridge for up to a week for better flavor.’]
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tbsp
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 12
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
Keywords: cranberry sauce, orange zest, Thanksgiving, holiday recipe, easy cranberry sauce, homemade cranberry sauce