Festive Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
This classic cranberry sauce is a tangy and sweet accompaniment perfect for holiday meals. Made with fresh cranberries, orange juice and zest, sugar, and a hint of cinnamon, it provides a vibrant flavor and beautiful color to complement turkey, chicken, or your favorite roasted meats.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: About 2 cups (enough to serve 6-8 people)
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries (approximately 340g)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the liquids: In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, water, fresh orange juice, and orange zest. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
- Cook the cranberries: Place the saucepan on medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add the cranberries and ground cinnamon to the saucepan. Stir the mixture gently.
- Simmer until thickened: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the cranberries simmer, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cool the sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat and let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Chill before serving: Transfer the sauce to a serving dish or storage container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to enhance flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce, you can mash the cranberries during cooking or pulse in a blender after cooling.
- The sauce will keep refrigerated for up to 1 week in a sealed container.
- You can add a pinch of nutmeg or cloves for additional warm spice notes.
- Use fresh orange juice for the best flavor; bottled juice can be less vibrant.
- If a less sweet sauce is preferred, reduce sugar to ¾ cup.
