Cranberry sauce is so easy to make that you don’t need to buy it in the can – ever! Truly, you can make this amazing cranberry sauce with orange zest in 20 minutes with just a few ingredients!
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Best Cranberry Sauce
For years I suffered Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving with the cranberry sauce that comes in the can. You know what I’m talking about — you pour is out of the can and slice it!
Disgusting.
I never liked cranberry sauce as a kid. Go figure.
Several years ago my Mom made homemade cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving and we both wondered why on earth we never made it from scratch before!
It’s really simple to make and tastes so fresh and amazing. This recipe also SMELLS wonderful with the use of orange zest.
I especially like stirring the cranberries in the sugar water, watching the beautiful reds come to life while hearing the cranberries pop as they crack open.
It’s such a satisfying recipe to make!
Ingredients
- fresh cranberries
- water
- sugar
- orange
How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Bring 3/4 cup of water and the juice of one orange (or 1/4 cup or orange juice) to a boil in a medium sauce pan.
Add cranberries and orange zest (about 2 teaspoons) and return to a boil.
Reduce heat and boil gently for about 10 minutes, until the cranberries burst and the sauce starts to thicken.
Pour sauce into a bowl, cover and let rest at room temperature.
Cover and chill until ready to serve.
What Do You Eat Cranberry Sauce With?
As my Mom and I were making the cranberry sauce this year, my daughter asked, “What do you eat with cranberry sauce?”
Good question.
We explained it’s like a Thanksgiving condiment. Many people eat cranberry sauce with a bit of turkey, or with a bite of stuffing. Other eat it with their mashed potatoes.
Still others put is on a sandwich the next day with a mixture of all the fixings for the perfect post holiday leftover.
I’ve got a tip for you too, add some of this homemade cranberry sauce to the inside of refrigerator croissant rolls before you bake them!
Want More Holiday Sides?
- Jiffy corn casserole
- Funeral potatoes
- 18+ Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Green bean casserole
- Sweet potato casserole
Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
- zester
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- juice of one orange plus zest
Instructions
- Bring 3/4 cup of water and the juice of one orange (or 1/4 cup or orange juice) to a boil in a medium sauce pan.
- Zest one orange and add to the sauce (approximately 2 teaspoons)
- Add cranberries and return to a boil.
- Reduce heat and boil gently for about 10 minutes, until the cranberries burst and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Pour sauce into a bowl, cover and let rest at room temperature.
- Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Em says
I used 3/4 cup of sugar…too tart, how can I make it less tart?
Alicia says
The recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar so that it reduces the tartness of the cranberries.