Homemade Cranberry Sauce

5 from 53 votes

This sweet and incredibly flavorful Fresh Cranberry Sauce made with fresh orange juice and Grand Marnier is a must have Thanksgiving side dish.

Prep Time5

Cook Time12

Total Time17

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

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

Dissolve sugars: In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 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 12 ounces fresh 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 2 tablespoons 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.

Recipe makes 2-3 cups, nutritional information based on a serving size of about 3 Tablespoons.

I highly recommend doubling the recipe so you'll have leftover cranberry sauce.

You can serve your homemade cranberry sauce slightly warm, at room temperature, or even chilled. The taste will blow your mind!