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The holiday season is upon us, and that means it’s time to start planning those festive meals that bring friends and family together. While some may opt for the convenience of canned cranberry sauce, there’s truly nothing like the vibrant burst of flavor you get from crafting your own.
Once you make it, you’ll understand the magic behind this deliciously easy homemade cranberry sauce and why it deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving dinner table. You’ll never buy the canned stuff again!
The leftover sauce is amazing and can also be used in all kinds of other recipes like Cranberry Brie Bites or my Cranberry Martinis. Other favorite cranberry recipes include my fresh cranberry gelatin mold, cranberry cobbler, and a cranberry fizz!
Why This Recipe Is So Great
- Fresh Ingredients, Fresh Flavor: Unlike their canned counterparts, fresh cranberries bring a burst of tartness that perfectly balances the sweetness of the sauce. The addition of orange zest and fresh orange juice elevates the flavor profile of the sauce, providing a bright, citrusy undertone that complements the tartness of the cranberries. The aroma alone as it simmers on the stove will transport you to a cozy winter kitchen.
- Perfectly Balanced Sweetness: Balancing the tartness of the cranberries is a combination of granulated sugar and golden brown sugar. This not only sweetens the sauce but also adds depth and richness. Grand Marnier added at the end is the secret weapon. This orange-flavored liqueur not only enhances the citrusy notes but also introduces a subtle complexity that sets this recipe apart.
- Easy to Make: Crafting this easy homemade fresh cranberry sauce requires nothing more than a medium saucepan and a few simple steps. Simmering the simple ingredients together over medium-high heat allows the flavors to meld, resulting in a sauce that boasts the perfect texture and consistency. It is the perfect addition to any holiday meal.
Ingredients needed:
Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.
- Equal amounts of granulated sugar and golden brown sugar
- Freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Fresh cranberries
- Grand Marnier – this is an orange liqueur added for flavor and the alcohol gets burned off
How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Detailed step by step instructions are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.
Step 1: Dissolve the sugars in orange juice
In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, you’ll combine the sugars with the orange juice, zest, and pumpkin pie spice. This is what heaven smells like.
add orange juice, zest, and spices
Step 2: Cook the cranberries
This is the fun part. Add the fresh cranberries. As they cook, they will pop, and as they pop, the mixture will turn into a wonderful deep red sauce.
Step 3: Finish with Grand Marnier
Once the fresh cranberry orange sauce is just about done, you will lower the heat and stir in the orange liqueur. Allow the sauce to simmer for a bit and the alcohol will burn off.
The sauce will gel and thicken as it cools to room temperature and even more so once refrigerated.
Recipe Tip
Make the cranberry sauce the day before you’re planning on serving it. Not only will this create one less thing you have to cook on the big day, but it will give the sauce more time for the flavors to meld.
FAQs
Absolutely! Frozen cranberries work well too. Just be sure to thaw them before using.
Certainly! While Grand Marnier adds a unique touch because of it’s orange flavor, you can experiment with other orange-flavored liqueurs, replace it with pure vanilla extract, or omit it entirely.
I prefer to keep my leftover cranberry sauce refrigerated in an airtight container. It will last for quite a long time if stored properly.
Absolutely! In fact, making it ahead allows the flavors to meld, enhancing the overall taste.
Not at all! The combination of sugars is carefully balanced, providing sweetness without overpowering the natural tartness of the cranberries.
Absolutely! It’s versatile enough to be used with a variety of dishes, from leftover turkey sandwiches to desserts like cranberry orange bread or as a topping for ice cream.
No worries! You can easily substitute it with cinnamon for that warm, comforting flavor.
While a food processor isn’t necessary for this recipe, you can use it if you prefer a smoother consistency. Just pulse it a few times.
Yes, you can freeze it for future use. Just thaw it in the refrigerator before serving.
Thanksgiving Recipes
Chances are, if you’re making the best homemade cranberry sauce recipe, you’re about to enjoy Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Here are my other favorite recipes I make every year.
- Thanksgiving Turkey made with Apple Cider Turkey Brine and Dry Rub
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sausage Stuffing
- Mashed Potatoes
- Turkey Gravy
- Green Bean Casserole
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup golden brown sugar
- zest from one orange
- 3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (equivalent to the juice from about 2 large Valencia oranges)
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or substitute with cinnamon
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier
Instructions
- Dissolve sugars: In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup golden brown sugar, 3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice with the zest from one orange, and 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Stir well to dissolve the sugars. This has to be what heaven smells like.
- Cook cranberries: Still cooking over medium heat, stir in the cranberries. Cook, while stirring frequently, until the cranberries pop and the mixture turns into a sauce. This should take about 10 minutes and there will likely still be some cranberries that haven't popped.
- Add Grand Marnier: Turn heat to low and add Grand Marnier. Stir well and cook for another minute or so.
- Serve: Remove from heat. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in November 2014 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. My Cranberry Orange Sauce recipe has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times and is a reader favorite. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!
This will be my first year making cranberry sauce, I’m planning on making it a day before. Do you have any recommendations on how to heat it up or can I serve it cool? Thanks & happy thanksgiving!
We always serve it at room temperature!
So if you serve it room temperature do you keep it refrigerated?
Yes – I’ll keep it refrigerated but then set it out early enough so that it can come to room temp.
Thinking about using this sauce this year! I have a younger nephew who loves cranberry sauce. How long should I cook the orange liqueur so it burns off the alcohol completely?
Hi Kelsey, I recommend just tasting as it cooks down. You’ll know when it has cooked enough to burn off all the booze. Enjoy!
Hi! I’m hoping to make this for my family dinner this year. We always fix the same dishes every year, so I’m switching it up a little (with permission, of course!). This is kind of a dumb question, but should I cover the cranberries while they cook? When they pop, do they hop out of the pan, or will they be fine uncovered? Thanks!
Hi Shelby, Not a stupid question! I don’t cover the sauce because it won’t thicken and gel the same if you trap the moisture in. Just make sure your pot is big enough so that the popping cranberries don’t escape. If I make a small batch, a small saucepan works. But if I double or triple it so that I can use the leftovers in other recipes, I’ll bring out the big pot. I usually set the heat just high enough so that they burst but not jump out of the pan. Make sense?
I’m sorry not making fun of the question but I seriously lol’d visualizing cranberries hoping out of the pot and chasing them all over the kitchen!🤣🤣🤣
They can get scary! 🙂
Hello,
Can I use Cointreau instead of Grand Manier?
Absolutely – totally up to preference.
Hello! Can you use frozen cranberries?
hi Tabitha, You sure can! Krissy
Working a cranberry bog is on my bucket list too!! ❤I have already milked a cow and a goat lol I was looking for a recipe for my first Thanksgiving making everything from scratch (I make about 90% from scratch including pies) but wanted EVERYTHING this year to be homemade. This sounds divine! Can I omit the Grand Marnier or does it add something to it? Thank you again for posting it! Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Heather! You can totally omit the Grand Marnier. I just adds flavor and doesn’t change the texture. Thanks! krissy
When making your Cranberry Vodka do you use all the cranberry sauce from this recipe or part of it? Looking forward to making and drinking it!
Just part of it! A little goes a long way. -Krissy
Do I have to use Grand Marnier?
Hi Shalee, you don’t have to use Grand Marnier – it doesn’t effect how the sauce turns out or sets, it just adds that extra yum factor. Krissy
We don’t have easy access to pumpkin pie spice mix in the uk. Is there an alternative ingredient you’d suggest?
Hi Imogen, Pumpkin pie spice is basically a blend that consists of 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. I should create a post for it since I use it so much and take the fact that I can just buy the blend here for granted. Thanks, Krissy
I would love to try a homemade sauce. Do you think it would freeze well so that i could make it ahead off time?
Absolutely! I actually double or triple the batch and freeze the rest because I use it in other recipes (which will be posted on the blog soon). 🙂 -Krissy