I didn’t understand the appeal of cranberry sauce for the longest time. The tart-yet-bland cans of bright red jelly just didn’t seem worthy of taking up space in a Thanksgiving spread. It wasn’t until I started making homemade cranberry sauce that I realized how delicious this seasonal condiment could be. And considering it’s one of the easiest Thanksgiving dishes to make from scratch, it has since become a favorite holiday tradition.
This orange cinnamon cranberry sauce is loaded with warming, seasonal flavors that perfectly complement the rest of the traditional holiday spread while also standing out in its own right.
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Making Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
The first time I made homemade cranberry sauce, I was honestly blown away both by how easy it is and how delicious cranberry sauce could actually be. For anyone who has made cranberry sauce from scratch, that probably sounds like a “no duh” moment but it was a delightful realization for me.
At its most basic, cranberry sauce is just fresh cranberries, sugar, and usually a bit of orange juice that’s heated over medium heat until the cranberries burst, the sugar dissolves, and everything breaks down into a deliciously sweet-tart sauce.
I’ve made several different variations using different sugars and adding different herbs and spices to increase the flavor and, honestly, they all turn out pretty great. That being said, this orange cinnamon cranberry sauce recipe has become my go-to. The one I make over and over. The one that always turns out exactly like I want it to.
Adding The Flavor
Most cranberry sauce recipes are made with orange juice. Orange and cranberry are one of those iconic flavor combinations that can’t be beat. But orange juice itself doesn’t bring enough of that bright, vibrant orange flavor for me. So I like to add in the orange zest, too. It really brings out that aromatic orange flavor that can sometimes be overpowered by the cranberries.
Cinnamon, for me, is another no-brainer. This classic warming spice balances out the brightness of the orange and the tartness of the cranberries perfectly. Cinnamon is also a sweet enough spice that it won’t dominate the sauce like some other spices can (I’m looking at you, cloves).
Cinnamon is also one of my favorite spices to use all winter long. It helps stimulate circulation, helping to warm you up from the inside out. It’s also a great aromatic herb that gently helps stimulate cold, stagnant digestion that results in gas, bloating, indigestion, and cramping. Try it as a delicious after-dinner tea to help support digestion.
Tips, Storage, and Leftovers
- Another reason I love cranberry sauce is that it can easily be made several days in advance. In fact, the flavors only get better after it’s been chilling in the fridge.
- I like my cranberry sauce a bit less chunky, so I tend to use a potato masher to make sure that all the cranberries have burst and broken down. If you like yours a bit chunkier, you can skip that step and leave a few cranberries whole. I will admit, it does make for a prettier presentation.
- You can thicken up your sauce a bit by letting it cook down longer.
- If your sauce is a bit too thick for your liking, particularly after taking it out of the fridge, you can add a splash of orange juice to loosen it up a bit.
- Cranberry sauce stores well in the fridge for up to 10 days thanks to the acidity and the sugar. Even better, it freezes beautifully for up to six months.
- Leftover cranberry sauce is one of my favorite leftovers to end up with because it’s so versatile. It’s delicious on yogurt or pancakes for breakfast. On ice cream for dessert. It’s also incredibly mixed into baked goods like muffins, quick breads, or scones. Or, of course, as a spread on your turkey sandwich.
Suffice it to say, that homemade cranberry sauce is no longer an underappreciated or overlooked Thanksgiving side dish in my house.
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Orange Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup pure maple syrup or cane sugar to taste
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Zest from 1 orange
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup or sugar, cinnamon stick, and orange zest. Give it a good stir, then cover it and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes until the cranberries have burst and the sauce has started to thicken. Use a potato masher to mash any un-burst cranberries, if desired.
- Remove from heat. Remove and discard cinnamon stick. Taste and adjust sweetness, if needed. Let cool to room temp before serving or storing.
- Store cranberry sauce in the fridge for up to 10 days. Or freeze for up to 6 months.
