Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Fresh cranberries simmered with sugar, orange juice and zest into a glossy, jewel-red sauce — tart, sweet, and miles better than anything from a can. Fifteen minutes on the stove, and it tastes even better made days ahead.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 110 kcal
Sauce
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries rinsed and picked over
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 pinch kosher salt
To serve (optional)
- Extra orange zest for garnish
- A few fresh cranberries for garnish
Combine the liquids: in a medium saucepan, stir together the water, orange juice, sugar, and salt over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Add the cranberries: stir in the cranberries and orange zest. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.
Simmer until the berries burst: cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have popped and the sauce has thickened enough to coat a spoon. It will look loose in the pan — it sets as it cools.
Cool and chill: remove from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then transfer to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up to 2 weeks, before serving.
Serve: spoon into a small serving bowl, garnish with extra orange zest and a few fresh cranberries if you like, and serve chilled or at room temperature.
The sauce thickens a lot as it cools — pull it off the heat while it still looks a little loose, or it will set too firm in the fridge. A splash of water loosens an over-set sauce.
Taste before you sweeten more: cranberries vary in tartness, and orange juice adds its own sweetness. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time if your batch tastes sharp.
Make it up to 2 weeks ahead: the flavor actually improves after a day or two in the fridge, which makes this the easiest make-ahead dish on the Thanksgiving table.
Frozen cranberries work without thawing — just simmer 2 to 3 minutes longer until they burst.
Leftover sauce is gold: spoon it over turkey sandwiches, swirl it into yogurt, spread it on toast, or warm it as a glaze for roast pork.