Easy Cranberry Sauce
User Reviews
5
Easy Cranberry Sauce
Description
This cranberry sauce starts by cooking fresh cranberries with pure maple syrup and orange juice, providing natural sweetness and citrus brightness. Ground cinnamon and fresh grated ginger add warm spice notes and a subtle heat. As the cranberries cook and burst, the sauce thickens from the natural pectin and the stirred cooking process helps release pectin for a proper set.
The sauce is meant to be cooled and chilled before serving, giving it a thickened, jelly-like texture but still spoonable. It complements savory dishes commonly found in holiday meals by balancing richness with its bright, tart flavor.
For extra orange flavor, freshly grated orange zest can be added alongside the juice. The cranberry sauce can be made up to five days ahead and stored refrigerated, making it convenient for meal prep. Avoid overcooking to ensure the sauce sets properly without breaking down the pectin.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries fresh
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely grated, fresh
Instructions
- Wash the cranberries and discard any soft ones.
- In a 1 1/2 quart sauce pot, combine the cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, cinnamon, and ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- The cranberries should burst as they cook, and the sauce will thicken. Be sure to stir often, to make sure nothing sticks to the pan, and press the cranberries against the side of the pan to help them break down and thicken the sauce.
- Make sure you don't cook the cranberries any longer than 15 minutes, or pectin will start to break down and the sauce will not set as well. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a storage container with a lid.
- Store in the fridge and allow to chill for at least 6 hours before serving. You can make this sauce up to 5 days in advance, to make your holiday meal a little easier!
Notes
- If using fresh orange juice, adding orange zest provides additional citrus aroma and flavor.
- This recipe yields about 8 servings, each about 1/4 cup.
- Do not cook the cranberry sauce longer than 15 minutes to preserve natural pectin for setting.
- The sauce can be prepared up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated to ease holiday meal preparation.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 105 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 105kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 4mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 120mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 20g | 40% |
| Vitamin A | 41IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 10mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 36mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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