Description
Ditch the can for good! This homemade cranberry orange sauce is unbelievably easy, smells like the holidays, and tastes a million times better. Ready in minutes!
Ingredients
Scale
- The Main Stars:
- 12 ounces (1 bag) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large orange
- Flavor Builders:
- 1 cup water
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- Optional (But Recommended!):
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Instructions
- Combine Water, Sugar & Zest: First things first, grab a medium saucepan. Pour in the water and sugar. This is the part where I pretend I’m a scientist making a potion. Zest your orange right over the pot to catch all those amazing fragrant oils. Give it a quick stir to help the sugar start dissolving. Don’t turn the heat on just yet. I like to let it sit for a minute while I rinse the cranberries. It just feels right, you know?
- Bring to a Simmer: Okay, now turn the heat to medium. You want to bring that sugary, zesty water to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. This is where the magic starts to happen. Your kitchen will begin to smell incredible. This is also where I tend to get distracted, so stay close! You’re just looking for the sugar to be completely dissolved and for little bubbles to start appearing. No need for a rolling boil. We’re not making candy here. Well, not this time anyway.
- Add the Cranberries & Juice: Time for the stars of the show! Dump in your rinsed cranberries and the juice from that zested orange. Stir everything together. The liquid will look a little thin and you’ll think, “This can’t be right.” Have faith! The cranberries are about to do all the heavy lifting. Give it a good stir to make sure all the little berries are coated in that sweet, citrusy liquid. They’ll be bobbing around like little red jewels.
- Simmer and Pop: Keep the heat on medium and let the mixture come back to a simmer. Soon, you’ll hear it. A soft ‘pop,’ then another, then a whole chorus of them! This is my favorite part. It means the cranberries are bursting and releasing their natural pectin, which is what will thicken our sauce. Let it simmer and pop for about 10-12 minutes, stirring every now and then. The sauce will start to thicken up right before your eyes. So cool!
- Add the Cinnamon Stick: Once most of the berries have popped and the sauce has started to thicken, drop in your cinnamon stick. I like to add it here, towards the end of the cooking time, so the flavor is present but not overwhelming. Just tuck it into the sauce and let it hang out for the last couple of minutes of simmering. It will release a beautiful, subtle warmth that perfectly complements the fruit. It’s the secret holiday hug in your sauce.
- Cool Completely: This is maybe the most important step! Remove the saucepan from the heat. The sauce will look thinner in the pot than it will be when it’s cool. Don’t be tempted to keep cooking it, or you’ll get cranberry glue. Let it cool in the pot for a bit, then transfer it to a bowl or jar. It will thicken up significantly as it comes to room temperature. Seriously, trust the cooling process. Then pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. The flavors get even better overnight!