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Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Elevate your holiday meal with this fresh, vibrant, tangy Cranberry Sauce that impresses every time! This ruby-red stunner is ready in less than 20 minutes, can be prepared beforehand, and is easy to double or triple for a crowd. Best of all, it's layered with a splash of orange juice, vanilla, and pinches of warming spices that make it the BEST Cranberry Sauce ever!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 9 servings (2 1/4 cups)
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 12 ounce bag cranberries, divided
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or increase ground cinnamon to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp EACH sea salt, ground cinnamon
  • pinch -1/8 tsp EACH ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground ginger
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
ADD LAST
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine: Reserve ½ cup of the cranberries to add at the end of cooking. Add the rest of the cranberries to a medium saucepan with sugars, cinnamon stick, spices, water, and orange juice.
  2. Simmer: Cook over medium heat until the sauce boils, then reduce to medium-low. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until most of the berries have burst and the mixture has thickened. You can control the consistency by how long you simmer the sauce. The longer you simmer, the thicker it will be, noting it will also thicken upon standing.
  3. Add Reserved Cranberries: Remove from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the 1/2 cup reserved cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla.
  4. Cool and Adjust: Transfer the sauce to a bowl and cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. Adjust to taste by adding powdered sugar for sweetness or orange zest for tanginess. If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in water a tablespoon at a time.
  5. Refrigerate: Time permitting, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Then, allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Notes

  • To Use Frozen Cranberries: Frozen cranberries can be added directly to the saucepan without thawing.  They may take slightly longer to cook as they release more liquid when thawed. I suggest reducing the water to 1/2 cup and simmering until the berries burst and the sauce thickens.