Cranberry Sauce Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Cranberry Sauce Recipe

This Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe is a simple, 3-ingredient classic made with fresh cranberries. Ready in 15 minutes, it's a delicious traditional must-have for Thanksgiving and holidays.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Sauce, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Robyn Stone

Equipment

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) package cranberries fresh or frozen
1 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
orange zest optional

Instructions

Bring orange juice, sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.
Add cranberries and cook over low-medium heat until they begin to pop and thickened to desired consistency, about 8-10 minutes. The cranberry sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Place a bit of the cranberry sauce onto a wooden spoon and then see how thick it is when pour it back into the saucepan. If some of the cranberry sauce sticks to the wooden spoon, then it is done.
Remove from heat, add orange zest and stir until just combined.
Top with additional orange zest for serving, if desired.

Notes

Recipe Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Storage Instructions:

Store: Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Cool completely, place into freezer-safe container(s), and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave; stir well.
Make-Ahead: Prepare up to 1 week ahead; cool, store in fridge.

How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cranberries:

Substitute 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries for the cranberries and 1 cup cranberry juice for the water called for in the recipe. Add all ingredients to the saucepan and follow the remaining recipe instructions. Remember, sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. If the sauce needs to be thickened more, make a slurry of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 cup water and slowly stir into the hot cranberry sauce if you wish.

Nutrition