Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe, made with fresh cranberries, orange juice, and fragrant fall spices. This is a must-have classic side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. It's so easy to make and can be ready in less than 20 minutes!
Skip the canned stuff and make this fresh, homemade version of cranberry relish at home! This homemade cranberry sauce is so delicious. It has the right balance of sweet and tart flavors.
This cranberry sauce is perfectly seasoned with aromatic spices. The combination of warm spices really makes this cranberry sauce shine.
These spices enhance the flavor and add depth to the sauce without overpowering it. The spices make the sauce smell and taste good too!
Serve with homemade cranberry sauce with this Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast.
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Ingredients
To make this stove-top cranberry chutney, you will need the following ingredients:
- Cranberry. You can use fresh or frozen cranberry.
- Orange. You can make your own fresh or use boxed orange juice.
- Orange zest. Orange peels are not only healthy but also add a nice citrus kick to the sauce.
- White sugar
- All-spice powder. It tastes like a combination of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. If you don't have this in your pantry, feel free to skip it.
- Nutmeg powder
- Ground Cinnamon or use a cinnamon stick.
- Vanilla extract. It adds aroma and enhances the flavors of the sauce.
- Kosher salt
How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
The preparation and cooking process is pretty simple. This cranberry sauce is easy to put together and done in one pot.
Step 1. Prepare the cranberries
Only use shiny and plump cranberries. Place them in a colander and rinse well. Discard any soft and bruised cranberries.
Step 2. Boil water, sugar, and orange juice
On medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Stirring occasionally.
Step 3. Add cranberries and spices
Add cranberries and spices, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until most of the cranberries have burst.
Please note that the cranberry sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
How to Store Leftover Cranberry Sauce
Making too much cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving? Don't worry, you can fridge or freeze the sauce in easy steps!
- Let the sauce cool down.
- Pour the sauce into a Ziploc and press out as much air as possible.
- Freeze the bag flat on a sheet pan for a few hours.
- After that, you can store the flat bag upright in the freezer.
- Properly stored, the cranberry sauce will up to 2 weeks in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Check Out More Delicious Holiday Side Dish Recipes
- Easy Dinner Rolls with Herb Butter
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Yellow Squash with Parmesan Cheese and Herbs
- Roasted Baby Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Apple
- Hasselback Butternut Squash
- Cauliflower Stuffing
- Butternut Squash Gratin
I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly recipes and follow me on Pinterest.
๐ Recipe
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
- a large sauce pan
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground all-spice
- a pinch of ground nutmeg
- a pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the cranberries in a colander and rinse well.
- In a large sauce pan, combine water, sugar, and orange juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add cranberries and the remaining ingredients, continue cooking for 10 minutes or until most of the cranberries have burst. Stirring occasionally.
Jesse says
This homemade cranberry sauce is SO much better than store bought. Love this recipe!
Cathleen says
My mom used to make homemade cranberry sauce all of the time, but whenever I ask for the recipe she says she just wings it and has no real recipe. So I am going to have to try this out to see if I can recreate hers. Thanks for the recipe!!
Rika says
Hi Cathleen,
She sounds just like my mom! ๐
Dannii says
You can't beat homemade cranberry sauce. It really is worth the effort.
Rika says
Thanks, Dannii!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I am thinking this would be rather wonderful with sausages! I am off to plan!
Rika says
With sausage? It sounds perfect for me too!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
Homemade cranberry sauce is so delicious and this one is so easy to do too!
Rika says
Thanks, Amanda! I am glad that you enjoyed it!