Cranberry Orange Sauce
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Cranberry Orange Sauce is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving or Holiday table. This recipe for homemade cranberry sauce is easy to make and takes just a few ingredients.
Cranberry sauce is a beautiful combination of tangy, tart and sweet, it pairs perfectly with turkey, ham or even with a slice of cake.
Why We Love Homemade Cranberry Sauce
I don’t know why it began that cranberries became a side dish on the Thanksgiving table, but I am loving it. Cranberry sauce is delicious on top of warm, moist turkey, it just pairs beautifully.
Even beyond the ever popular turkey and cranberry combination, cranberries are also amazing paired with ham and even pork tenderloin. Simply serve this cranberry sauce on the side and allow your guests to add as much as their heart desires.
In addition to topping meats, this sauce is perfect for topping a baked brie or use it in other dessert recipes like this Cranberry Cake.
Ingredients
This orange cranberry sauce takes just 8 simple ingredients to put together. You will need the follow to make cranberry sauce:
⭐️ Full ingredient measurements and recipe instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Tips for Making Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Use Fresh Cranberries– fresh cranberries will add the best flavor, but frozen can be used if fresh cannot be found
- Cook the Cranberries– start the recipe by boiling together the water, sugar, orange juice, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, ginger and orange zest. Cook until the sugar is dissolved into the liquid and the cranberries begin to pop
- Control the Temperature– cook the cranberries over medium heat and stir frequently to prevent the sugar from burning on the bottom of the pan
- Chunky or Smooth– cook the sauce for less time of you want more whole berries in the sauce, if you want it more like jelly, cook longer and blend before chilling
Making Ahead and Storing Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry orange sauce is great for making ahead of when you will be using it. Chill and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up two weeks. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
This cranberry sauce can also be frozen in an air tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator at least 24 hours before you will be consuming.
Other Thanksgiving Favorite Recipes:
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Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup orange juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ½ cup water
- 12 ounces cranberries fresh or frozen
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Combine sugar, orange juice, water, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, ginger and orange zest in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Continue to cook and stir for 10 minutes until cranberries begin to pop. Remove from heat to leave some of the cranberries whole, if desired. Cook longer for less whole berries.
- Spoon out the cinnamon sticks and cloves and discard.
- Sauce will thicken as it cools.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are just an estimate
- Pour warm sauce into a warm jar, the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools
- If you want less whole berries in the sauce, you can mash them with a fork or masher or blend in a blender or inversion blender.
- Store in the refrigerator
