Easy Cranberry Sauce
This Easy Cranberry Sauce is a Thanksgiving staple for a reason. It’s an easy recipe that can be made in advance, and the taste is amazing!
This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
When it comes to cooking for Thanksgiving, we usually end up with an hour-by-hour schedule of what needs to happen. “Night before – chop veggies for both stuffings.” (Yes, we make 2 different stuffings – the ones we each grew up with.) “9am – start slow cooker mashed potatoes.” “11am – Put stuffing into oven.” “1pm – David starts frying turkey.” The list is much longer than this, but you get the picture. I’m sure you can probably relate, right?
The key to Thanksgiving is doing as much prepwork as possible in advance. And if you can make the entire recipe in advance? That’s a win in my book! Enter this Easy Cranberry Sauce. This homemade cranberry sauce is by far the easiest recipe in our Thanksgiving lineup.
This cranberry sauce could easily be cooked in the morning and ready for the big meal. After all, it only takes about 15 minutes total. However, it can also be cooked a day or two before…and it even tastes better after chilling in the fridge overnight. That leaves more time on Thanksgiving morning to watch the parade or football!
Easy Cranberry Sauce
3 ingredients. That’s it. This Easy Cranberry Sauce recipe only calls for 3 ingredients – 4 if you want to sprinkle a bit of orange zest (or lemon zest) on top. (The zest adds flavor as well as a festive look.) 3 ingredients. 15 minutes from start to finish. Count me in!
Now if the canned cranberry sauce is a requirement at your Thanksgiving table, I absolutely understand. I never liked the canned stuff as a kid – the weird sucking noise it made as it slid out of the can sounded like something from Ghostbusters. But I’m not knocking the canned version at all. Thanksgiving is all about your favorite comfort foods – and a lot of times that means what we remember from childhood.
What is Cranberry Sauce made out of?
- Granulated sugar – adds sweetness to balance the tartness of the cranberries. For an added depth of fall flavor, try replacing a couple tablespoons of sugar with an equal amount of maple syrup! Similarly, brown sugar can be used as a replacement to the white sugar here, too.
- Orange juice – the citrus flavor pairs quite well with cranberries.
- Fresh cranberries – obviously. You can use frozen, but grab a bag of fresh cranberries when possible!
- Spices – I don’t typically add any spices, but a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg would certainly add a delicious taste to this sauce.
I don’t have any orange juice. What can I use instead?
No orange juice? No problem. We’ve made this recipe with apple juice before, and it works well. I personally like the citrus flavor from the orange juice, though. I suspect other juices would work well, too – maybe even cranberry juice (or cranapple?) for extra cranberry flavor!?
Does Cranberry Sauce get thicker as it cools?
Absolutely! I can’t speak for all cranberry sauces, but this version definitely thickens up as it cools. Just transfer it from the pot into a bowl, cover it and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. With 1 cup of liquid, the texture is perfect. It’s not thick and gloopy, but it also doesn’t run all over your plate.
Does Cranberry Sauce need cornstarch?
Nope. Well at least not this version. Cranberries are naturally rich in pectin. As the cranberries burst in the pot, that pectin is released which naturally thickens the sauce. If you like really thick cranberry sauce, you could add a bit of cornstarch – but it’s not necessary.
How can I store leftover Cranberry Sauce?
Just place any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to a week. Alternatively, you can freeze leftovers in a ziptop bag for up to 3 months. (Note: canned cranberry sauce doesn’t freeze well.) A spoonful of this sauce on top of leftover turkey sandwiches is quite delicious – just for the record!
While I didn’t grow up eating cranberry sauce, it has now become a staple for our Thanksgiving menu. It’s easy, delicious and it can be made it advance. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do here in our house!
Did you make a batch of this Easy Cranberry Sauce at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Easy Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup orange juice
- 3 cups fresh cranberries
- {optional} orange zest
Instructions
- Using a medium saucepan, add sugar and orange juice; stir until well combined.
- Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Add cranberries and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken noticeable. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. (Note: The berries will pop or burst while heating – that's normal!)
- {Optional} Sprinkle fresh orange zest on top before serving.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Looking for more tasty Thanksgiving side dishes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had cranberry sauce before perfect for snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Cranberry sauce is a common side dish here for American Thanksgiving. I don’t know if you can get cranberries over there, but if you can – definitely try this recipe!!
Gorgeous sauce! I love cranberries and orange together.
Thanks, Mimi! This sauce is SO easy, and the orange elevates it to a whole new level.
I just love the combination of orange and cranberry! While Thanksgiving is over for the year around here, this cranberry sauce would be perfect for the upcoming holiday season. Such a beautifully vibrant colour too!
This sauce really is good for the holiday season…and it’s SO easy to make, too. I can think of about 10 different ways to use it…scratch that, 20. 🙂
I don’t judge people who buy cranberry sauce (we used to do the same), but nothing can beat the homemade version. Ridiculously easy to make, superior in flavour, and highly customized (I like to add some honey or a splash of alcohol because why not). Great job, my friend!
I’m with ya, Ben. When it comes to food, I always say “you do you.” But when a recipe is THIS easy to make at home and it tastes SO much better? It’s hard not to make the homemade version! I like your idea of a splash of alcohol – maybe bourbon?
fresh cranberries are not a thing here but we do occasionally get frozen ones (only at Christmas) so I do make cranberry relish now and then for the festive season. Orange is a fabulous addition, so i always add juice and zest. Love that tangy taste.
Frozen cranberries totally work for this recipe! In fact, when fresh cranberries are around, I always buy an extra couple bags and keep ’em in the freezer. This recipe is SO good and SO easy. Definitely give it a try if you find cranberries this year. (Ron pointed out in another post recently that wild lingonberries are a good substitute for cranberries…not sure if lingonberries show up down there!)
Love this easy cranberry sauce recipe, David. It’s simple to prepare and I can imagine it has incredible flavour. Although we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in the UK it’s a must-have for anyone looking to add a burst of deliciousness to their Christmas table!
Even though Thanksgiving isn’t a UK holiday, you can still make cranberry sauce! Well, if you can get cranberries that is. Ron suggested in a previous post that lingonberries are a good substitute for cranberries. If you get a chance to make it, this sauce is fantastic!!
Love a good homemade cranberry sauce — we once brought cranberry sauce to a potluck (with meatballs) and one guy was so shocked when we told him it was homemade since he said he’s only ever had sauce from a can… lol!
I hear ya, Michelle! Cranberry sauce seems to be so much more common from the can – but it’s probably one of the easiest recipes of all time! This version with the added orange flavor is SO good! 🙂
I’m sure many will appreciate having a homemade cranberry sauce that’s quick to make and offers a fresh, flavorful alternative to the canned version
Homemade cranberry sauce is so easy to make and so much better than the canned version!
Homemade cranberry sauce is the only way to go in my book! This one is simple and perfect, David.
Thanks so much, Marissa! One bite of homemade cranberry sauce, and you’ll never go back to the canned version. 🙂