This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Fresh cranberry sauce tastes amazing with every other dish on your Thanksgiving table. Make it ahead of time for less stress!
Thanksgiving dinner isn’t complete without fresh cranberry sauce smothered on your Turkey, Dinner Rolls, and Best Mashed Potatoes.
We Love It!
I just love holidays. There’s nothing better than food and family and fresh cranberry sauce is a staple. Here’s why we love it:
- Quick. Ready in under 20 minutes!
- Simple. It requires few ingredients.
- Easily made ahead. It stores well in the fridge for several days.
- Flavor. Homemade cranberry sauce tastes so much better than canned sauce!
Ingredients
- fresh cranberries – Wash and remove any old or bruised berries. Let dry. Or use an equal amount of frozen cranberries without needing to thaw them first.
- 1 orange – Zest first using a zester, the small side of a cheese grater, or a small paring knife. Then juice the orange.
- sugar
- brown sugar
- water
- cinnamon sticks
- ground allspice
- ground nutmeg
How to Make Cranberry Sauce
- BERRIES. Combine cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium pot over medium heat.
- BOIL. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and mix in the cinnamon stick, allspice, and nutmeg. Simmer for 5-7 minutes (some of the cranberries will burst and some will remain whole).
- COOL. Stir in the orange juice and zest. Cool before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Sauce tartness. The tartness increases the longer the cranberry sauce cooks. Some people love the tangy taste while others don’t. There are a few ways to counteract the tart flavor, but not eliminate it:
- Add more sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
- Stir in a pinch of baking soda.
- Allow it to chill in the fridge for a few days so the flavors meld together more and dampen that tang.
- Thicken the sauce. It will thicken as it cools. The easiest way to remedy a runny sauce is to allow it to simmer longer before chilling.
- Or add cornstarch to thicken the sauce: In a separate bowl mix together 1-2 teaspoons of cold water with an equal amount of cornstarch. Once smooth, add it to the simmering sauce.
- Leftovers. Use it to make leftover Turkey Sandwiches.
Make a Complete Meal
Cranberry orange sauce tastes amazing with pretty much every other Thanksgiving dish out there.
Serve it on the side of your Roast Turkey, Potato Rolls, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and Green Bean Casserole.
Storing Info
- Make ahead of time. Make fresh cranberry sauce up to one week ahead of time and keep it in your fridge in an airtight container. Perfection!!
- FREEZE. To prevent freezer burn, make sure it is kept in an airtight freezer-safe container. Use it within two months for the best results. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before ready to serve.
For More Thanksgiving Recipes:
Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Fresh cranberry sauce tastes amazing with every other dish on your Thanksgiving table. Make it ahead of time for less stress!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh cranberries washed & dried
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 cinnamon sticks
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 orange zested & juices
Instructions
- Combine cranberries, sugars, and water in a medium pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and mix in the cinnamon stick, allspice, and nutmeg. Simmer for 5-7 minutes (some of the cranberries will burst and some will remain whole).
- Stir in the orange juice and zest. Cool before serving.
Video
Notes
Make ahead of time. Make fresh cranberry sauce up to one week ahead of time and keep it in your fridge in an airtight container.
FREEZE. To prevent freezer burn, make sure it is kept in an airtight freezer-safe container. Use it within two months for the best results. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before ready to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 1128kcal, Carbohydrates: 291g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 27mg, Potassium: 334mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 283g, Vitamin A: 295IU, Vitamin C: 69.7mg, Calcium: 148mg, Iron: 0.8mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!
Love, love, love this recipe. I have made this the last few years. Everyone always asked me for the recipe. Even my daughter, who is a very picky eater, loves this.
I love to hear that!! Thank you for sharing!
What I love about this cranberry sauce recipe is that it is so quick, simple and super convenient. Plus, it always turned out to be so rich and savory, even the picky kids loved it.
Made this Cranberry Sauce ahead of time and it was a huge success! It definitely tastes so much better than canned sauce, I’ll always be doing homemade and using this recipe.
So much better than the stuff from a can! I love the flavor from the orange zest, so fresh!
Delicious! Homemade cranberry sauce is so good!
Oh my is all I can say. So good. All the spices really give this Cranberry sauce a kick. My family was raving about it.
Fresh homemade cranberry sauce is my favorite! We loved this recipe and it’s so easy!
DELISH. Love this cranberry sauce!!
This sauce was out of this world. It was just sour enough that I still liked it but made it sour.