Description
Easy homemade cranberry sauce with orange zest — sweet-tart, make-ahead, and freezer-friendly. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 3 Tablespoons orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, heat the water and sugar over high heat until the sugar dissolves and begins to boil, about 5 minutes.
- Decrease the heat to low and add the cranberries, orange juice, and orange zest. Simmer for 15 minutes until cranberries burst.
- Remove from heat and cool completely in the pot. Once at room temperature, transfer to a bowl and chill for 30 minutes.
- Scoop into a serving bowl and garnish before serving.
Notes
- This cranberry sauce can be made up to 10 days ahead. Store in a sealed container in the fridge. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months — thaw overnight in the fridge.
- If sauce looks thin while warm, don’t worry — it thickens as it cools. For a smoother texture, blend or press through a sieve after cooking.
- Try leftovers on toast, swirled into yogurt, or brushed over roast chicken for an easy glaze.
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 41 g
- Sodium: < 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 0 g