This homemade Cinnamon Cranberry Orange Sauce is bursting with fresh juicy cranberries and is perfect served with Roast Turkey. You will be surprised how easy this is (with just 4 ingredients) and it’s way better than canned or storebought sauce.
Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
You’ll love this spin on Classic Cranberry Sauce infused with cinnamon and orange flavors. You can’t beat homemade because it has a real cranberry texture. The cranberries burst and release their juices as they heat, which turns into a jelly-like sauce as it cools. This one is bursting with bites of sweet, tangy cranberries.
This is one of the easiest side dishes you’ll make but Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without it. Make this once and you’ll quickly realize canned cranberry sauce is no match for the real thing.
How Long Does Cranberry Sauce Last?
You can make cranberry-orange sauce ahead and take a little pressure off the biggest cooking day of the year! Homemade orange-cranberry sauce will keep well covered and refrigerated for 10-14 days.
Can I Freeze Cranberry Sauce?
Cranberry Sauce freezes really well. Transfer it to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag, remove excess air and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Ingredients for Orange Cranberry Sauce
The sauce is infused with orange and cinnamon and sweetened with honey. The honey gives this sauce a boost of flavor and makes it healthier than using sugar. This recipe has all-natural, unprocessed ingredients.
Can I use Frozen Cranberries?
Yes! We love keeping a bag of fresh-frozen cranberries in the freezer for when the cranberry sauce craving strikes. Did you know fresh cranberries can be frozen in their original bag or a freezer-safe bag for 10 to 12 months?
You can use fresh or frozen cranberries to make orange cranberry sauce. Frozen will take slightly longer to reach a simmer but the flavor and consistency will be the same in the finished sauce.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Sauce
This recipe is EASY and comes together quickly. It takes just 10 minutes for the sauce to form.
- In a medium saucepan, combine honey, water, orange juice, zest, and 1 cinnamon stick. Bring it to a simmer.
- Add fresh (or frozen) cranberries then simmer at a low boil 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until cranberries start to burst.
- Add more honey to taste then remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick.
Pro Zesting Tip: Zest the orange before juicing it (it’s much easier!). When zesting, be sure you only remove the orange peel and not the white portion underneath which can make your sauce taste bitter. Don’t go crazy with the zest. Using more than a teaspoon can overwhelm the sauce. If you only have store-bought orange juice, you can omit the zest and it will still work well.
How to Serve Orange Cranberry Sauce
If you have never tried homemade, you are in for a deliciously easy treat! As the sauce cools, it thickens and becomes spreadable – perfect for the Thanksgiving Turkey, with Pork Tenderloin, chicken, ham, and on Dinner Rolls. That combination of sweet and savory is irresistible. You could even use it as a topping for Cheesecake. The possibilities are endless!
Cranberry Sauce Can be served hot or cold right out of the refrigerator. We usually serve it cold or at room temperature.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Try these top-rated holiday sides to make this your best holiday menu yet! If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving menu ideas, check out all of our Thanksgiving recipes here.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes – with bacon and garlic
- Scalloped Sweet Potatoes – a twist on the classic
- Mashed Potato Casserole – loaded and so cheesy
- Green Bean Casserole – completely from scratch
- Quiche Lorraine – delicious hot or cold
Q: Do YOU have a special cranberry sauce you make every year? I’d love to hear about it. If you haven’t started that tradition, I invite you to try this recipe and hope it becomes a new favorite for you and your loved ones. Have a beautiful and memorable Thanksgiving!
Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
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In a medium saucepan, combine 2/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 tsp orange zest and 1 cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve honey.
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Add 12 oz cranberries and bring to a boil. Once boiling, adjust heat to keep at a low boil and cook 10 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cranberries will burst and sauce will begin to thicken. A minute or so before turning off the heat, taste for sweetness and add more honey to taste for a sweeter sauce. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken when it cools.
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Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick and cool cranberry sauce to room temperature then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note
Zest the orange before juicing it (it’s much easier!). Be sure you only zest the orange peel and not the white portion which can make the sauce bitter. Don’t use more than 1 tsp or it overwhelms the sauce.