Description
This Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe delivers a perfectly balanced sweet and tangy flavor with fresh orange juice and zest, brown sugar, and a hint of vanilla. It’s simple to make on the stovetop and results in a thick, textured sauce with tender bursting cranberries, perfect for holiday meals or as a delicious condiment year-round.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 12 ounce bag cranberries, rinsed
- 3/4 cup (150g) water
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh orange juice (about 1/2 large orange)
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Orange: Zest one large orange first and set the zest aside. Then cut the orange and squeeze to obtain 1/4 cup (60ml) of fresh orange juice.
- Set Aside Cranberries: Rinse the cranberries thoroughly and set aside 1/2 cup of whole cranberries for adding later to enhance texture.
- Cook Cranberries: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining cranberries, water, orange juice, and brown sugar. Stir occasionally as the mixture heats to a simmer.
- Simmer & Thicken: Once simmering, reduce heat to low-medium. Continue cooking while stirring occasionally until the liquid reduces, cranberries burst, and the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.
- Finish Sauce: Remove from heat and gently stir in the reserved 1/2 cup cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Allow the sauce to continue thickening as it cools.
- Serve & Store: Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can prepare this cranberry sauce up to 3 days in advance, refrigerate in an airtight container, and warm gently before serving.
- To freeze, cool completely, freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw in the refrigerator before warming.
- A 12 ounce bag of cranberries usually yields about 3 to 4 cups. Both fresh and frozen cranberries work well without needing to thaw completely.
- Brown sugar quantity can be adjusted between 3/4 cup for moderate sweetness or up to 1 cup for a sweeter sauce.
- Recommended tools include a zester, citrus juicer, saucepan, and wooden spoon for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup (about 60g)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 1mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 0.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
