Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce for Your Holiday Feast
Discover the best homemade cranberry sauce to elevate your holiday feast with fresh ingredients and delightful flavors.
Equipment
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
Cranberry Sauce Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries washed and sorted
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup orange juice fresh squeezed, from 1-2 medium oranges
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed, light or dark
- 1 teaspoon orange zest about half a medium naval orange
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 stick cinnamon or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Zest and juice the orange(s). This step is key for the best flavor, so zest the orange first and then squeeze fresh juice.
- Rinse the cranberries in a colander and discard any soft or damaged ones. Set aside ½ cup of cranberries if you like a little texture in the sauce.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining cranberries, water, orange juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon stick. Stir over medium heat until it comes to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low.
- Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cranberries will pop and burst, thickening the sauce.
- In the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, stir in the reserved cranberries, vanilla extract, orange zest, and a pinch of salt. Stir until the reserved cranberries start cracking and popping. Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon stick.
- The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Notes
Adjust the sweetness level by varying the amount of sugar. Can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 86kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 10mgPotassium: 76mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 47IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 0.3mg
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