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    The Heirloom Pantry » Recipes » Sides

    Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

    Published: Nov 11, 2018 · Modified: Nov 19, 2023 by Kathleen Higashiyama · The following content may contain paid links. When you click and shop the links, we receive a commission.

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    Cranberry sauce with orange juice and cinnamon Pinterest pin.

    Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice is a quick sauce that adds delicious cranberry flavor to your holiday meal. Make in just 15 minutes with 5 ingredients. Enjoy with your holiday dinner and use the leftovers as a spread for Thanksgiving sandwiches!

    Cranberry sauce with orange zest and cinnamon sticks in a white serving bowl.

    While cranberry sauce is not necessarily the star of the Thanksgiving spread, it definitely plays an important role. Not only does it add a festive color to the plate, but it also adds sweetness to a very savory meal.

    This homemade cranberry sauce with orange is also easy to make, so there's no need to purchase pre-made or canned cranberry sauce with additives. This homemade citrusy cranberry sauce will brighten up your Thanksgiving meal!

    Jump to:
    • About Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Instructions
    • What to serve with Cranberry Sauce
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Storage
    • Top Tip
    • Related Recipes
    • Did You Like This Recipe?
    • 📖 Recipe

    About Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

    • Taste - Its sweet and tart flavor pairs perfectly with the Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing, making for an umami-packed bite.
    • Texture - The sauce is thick but spreadable with chunks of tender cranberries.
    • Effort - This easy sauce has just a few steps. Just dissolve the sugar, cook the cranberries, let it cool, then enjoy!
    • Time - It takes under 20 minutes to make this delicious sauce.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for homemade cranberry sauce, cranberries, sugar, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and water.
    • Fresh Cranberries - The perfect berry for Thanksgiving sauce because they are the perfect balance of tart and sweet.
    • Sugar - Adds the signature sweetness of the cranberries and gives the cranberry sauce its signature sweet taste.
    • Fresh Orange Juice - Provides the hint of orange flavor to the sauce and dissipates any bitterness from the cranberries.
    • Orange Peel - Adds an extra kick of orange flavor.
    • Cinnamon sticks - Cinnamon adds a warm, fall flavor to the sweet and tart flavors in the cranberry sauce.

    Substitutions

    • Lemon zest or peel - Replace orange peel with lemon zest or peel if you want the cranberry sauce to be more citrusy and tart.
    • Water - Replace orange juice with equal cups water if you want the orange flavor to be more mild.
    • Brown Sugar - Replace ½ cup sugar with ½ cup brown sugar to add the rich, caramel signature flavor of brown sugar to the sauce.
    • Tangerine juice - Use tangerine juice instead of orange juice for a tangy delicious twist.

    Variations

    • Reduced Sugar - use less sugar than called for and reduce the sauce longer so the mixture becomes saucy.
    • Cinnamon Sticks - If you want to add more cinnamon to the dish, add one more cinnamon stick before you begin cooking the orange cranberry sauce.
    • Pumpkin spice - Use a teaspoon of homemade pumpkin spice or homemade chai spice mix for a warm and aromatic flavor.

    Instructions

    Steps to make cranberry sauce with orange juice and cinnamon sticks, heat orange juice, sugar, and water; add cranberries and cinnamon sticks; cook until softened and saucy.
    • Dissolve sugar on low heat - Add sugar, orange juice, and water to a saucepan on medium heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally.
    • Cook cranberries - Add the cranberries and cinnamon sticks to the sauce pan and stir the ingredients until coated with the sugar mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. The cranberries will burst and will form a sauce. 
    • Remove sauce from heat to thicken - Remove cranberry sauce from heat and stir, allowing the sauce to thicken. The sauce will thicken as it cools down.
    • Refrigerate then serve - Once the cranberry sauce cools, refrigerate then place in a serving bowl when ready. Garnish with cinnamon sticks, an orange peel, or orange zest.

    What to serve with Cranberry Sauce

    If you want to make this orange cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving or just a family meal, check out these classic Thanksgiving recipes: Rolled Turkey Roulade, Turkey Au Jus Gravy, Maple Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta, and Herb and Mushroom Dressing.

    If you want a California Thanksgiving meal check out these recipes: Dutch Oven Whole Roasted Chicken, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Oven Baked Kabocha, Sautéed Green Beans, and Sautéed Crimini Mushrooms.

    Recipe FAQs

    Is cranberry juice and orange good together?

    Yes! Cranberry and orange is a surprisingly tasty combination. The tartness of the cranberries and sweetness of the orange juice create a uniquely rich and bright flavor.

    What is the advantage of making homemade cranberry sauce?

    Besides a richer and fresher flavor, this homemade cranberry sauce is healthier than most store-bought cranberry sauce.

    How do you make cranberry sauce thicker?

    If you are concerned about the thickness of your sauce, try adding a little more sugar or add a little pectin (naturally thickener already found in cranberries).

    How do you know when cranberry sauce is done?

    After you cook the cranberries and stir it, it will thicken into a thick and jammy sauce. Don't forget it will also get thicker as it cools!

    Can you eat cranberry sauce cold?

    Yes, leftover cranberry sauce tastes delicious cold in a thanksgiving leftover sandwich or with vanilla bean ice cream.

    Storage

    Store leftover cranberry sauce with orange juice in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the sauce for up to 2 months. Enjoy leftover cranberry sauce cold or reheat it in a pan on the stove or microwave it in a microwave safe container until warm.

    Top Tip

    To garnish cranberry sauce, take strip of orange peel and wrap it around chopstick or skewer. Let it sit and form a curl while you prepare the cranberry sauce. Once cranberry sauce is ready to serve, garnish the sauce with the curled peel.

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    Did You Like This Recipe?

    Love this fresh cranberry sauce recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card & leave a comment below. Thanks in advance!

    Sign up for THP's newsletter and keep in touch on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube. If you make this recipe, tag #theheirloompantry so we can see your homemade sauce!

    📖 Recipe

    Cranberry sauce with cinnamon sticks and orange zest in a white bowl.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

    Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice is a quick sauce that adds delicious cranberry flavor to your holiday meal. Make in just 15 minutes with 5 ingredients. Enjoy with your holiday dinner and use the leftovers as a spread for Thanksgiving sandwiches!
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time20 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 160kcal
    Author: Kathleen Higashiyama

    Equipment

    • 1 measuring cup
    • 1 orange juicer
    • 1 Skillet
    • 1 wooden spoon
    • 1 serving bowl

    Ingredients 

    Cranberry Sauce with Orange

    • 3 cups Fresh cranberries or 1 12oz bag of fresh cranberries
    • 1 cup Sugar
    • ¾ cup Water
    • ¼ cup Fresh orange juice
    • 2 Cinnamon sticks or ½ teaspoon cinnamon

    For serving

    • Strip of orange peel optional
    • Orange zest optional
    • Cinnamon sticks optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Dissolve sugar on low heat - Add sugar, orange juice, and water to a saucepan on medium heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally.
      1 cup Sugar, ¼ cup Fresh orange juice, ¾ cup Water
    • Cook cranberries - Add the cranberries and cinnamon sticks to the sauce pan and stir the ingredients until coated with the sugar mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. The cranberries will burst and will form a sauce.
      3 cups Fresh cranberries, 2 Cinnamon sticks
    • Remove sauce from heat to thicken - Remove cranberry sauce from heat and stir, allowing the sauce to thicken. The sauce will thicken as it cools down.
    • Refrigerate then serve - Once the cranberry sauce cools, refrigerate then place in a serving bowl when ready. Garnish with cinnamon sticks, an orange peel, or orange zest.
      2 Cinnamon sticks, Strip of orange peel, Orange zest

    Notes

    Storage
    Store leftover cranberry sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the sauce for up to 2 months. Enjoy leftover cranberry sauce cold or reheat it in a pan on the stove or microwave it in a microwave safe container until warm.
    Top Tip
    To garnish cranberry sauce, take strip of orange peel and wrap it around chopstick or skewer. Let it sit and form a curl while you prepare the cranberry sauce. Once cranberry sauce is ready to serve, garnish the sauce with the curled peel.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theheirloompantry or tag #theheirloompantry!

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    About the Author

    Kat Higashiyama and Alec Totto are recipe developers, food photographers, and the authors behind The Heirloom Pantry. Since 2017, they have shared recipes inspired by their Japanese and Italian heritage and California and Hawaii roots. They reside in San Jose with their two dogs, Peeps and Paisley. Read More…

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    5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Alec and Kat with Paisley and Peeps on the beach

    We're Kat and Alec, the culinary duo behind The Heirloom Pantry, where family recipes from our Italian and Japanese heritage meet fresh California ingredients and Hawaiian sunshine. Our chef-tested dishes help you conquer weeknights and wow guests with effortless entertaining. Join us on this delicious journey – let's cook up confidence, together!

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