Description
Learn how to make easy cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving with just 5 ingredients and 30 minutes! This holiday staple is fresh and customizable. This recipe yields about 2.5 cups of cranberry sauce, enough to serve as a condiment for 8-10 people; scale up as needed. I like to make this 1-2 days in advance of serving to make it easy.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries, fresh or frozen (rinse if fresh)
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup sugar* (or substitute with brown sugar or honey, if you like)
- 1-2 teaspoons orange zest (from a fresh navel orange)
- 1 cinnamon stick (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
Optional add-ins: ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts; extra orange zest or swap water for orange juice; Raisins, currants, or blueberries; A pinch of nutmeg or allspice
Instructions
Make-Ahead Tip:
Make this at least a day before Thanksgiving so it has time to thicken and set. If you’re short on time, give it at least an hour before serving.
Instructions
- Prep the Cranberries: Rinse fresh cranberries and remove any bruised ones. Frozen cranberries are even easier—no rinsing or sorting needed.
- Make the Syrup: In a medium saucepan, bring 1¼ cups water and 1 cup sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce to a simmer.
- Cook the Cranberries: Add the cranberries, orange zest, and cinnamon stick. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until some berries burst and the sauce begins to thicken. (Optional: gently mash with a potato masher for more texture.) It will look watery but it will continue to thicken as it cools to room temperature.
- Add Optional Add-Ins: Customize based on what your family likes (see below).
- Cool & Store: Remove from heat, discard the cinnamon stick, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Keeps up to 7 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
Note: For a naturally sweetened option, you can use honey instead of sugar, but I personally use white sugar for this holiday classic since I only have it once or twice a year.