This is the best homemade cranberry sauce with orange juice! It is super easy to make and way surpasses the canned version in flavor. Be sure to use whole cranberries for the most delicious side dish for your Thanksgiving or holiday table!
Original post: November 2016 | Updated: November 2022
Why This Recipe Works
Cranberry sauce is a staple on every Thanksgiving table, am I right?! It is one of the first things my boys ask for when we sit down for dinner.
We’ve got steaming hot turkey and gravy, succulent asparagus and piles of fluffy mashed potatoes and my boys are asking for cranberries!
Are you one of those people who likes to plop a blob of cranberry sauce into a bowl? Or do you prefer to make fresh cranberry sauce? I think there is such a huge difference in texture and flavor and I will personally never buy the canned sweet sauce ever again.
There is nothing like homemade, friends, and it doesn’t even compare to anything you can buy at the grocery store. Make this recipe for your next holiday meal and come back and let me know how many rave reviews you get!
50+ Make-Ahead Recipes For Your Holiday Table
Do you feel overwhelmed just thinking about planning a holiday menu? Then you anticipate the exhaustion that comes after the meal has been eaten?
Within each recipe in this ebook are tips for making the recipe ahead of time to open up space for the people you’re excited to spend the holiday with. Sample menus included, along with mouth-watering photos and tried-and-tested recipes!
Recipe Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Sauce
Orange juice – Buy the variety you’ll most enjoy adding to a mimosa on Thanksgiving morning! Or consider using freshly squeezed orange juice for a super fresh side dish.
1 bag fresh cranberries – Fresh cranberries are only available during the few months leading up to the holdays but freeze really well so grab an extra bag!
Sugar – Granulated sugar is typically used for this recipe, but swap part or all for brown sugar for a yummy twist! Adjust sweetness by using more or less of this ingredient.
Cinnamon and nutmeg – Add these delicious spices to your cranberry sauce recipe!
How To Make Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice
Step 1
Pour 1 cup orange juice into a medium saucepan over high heat and add 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil on the stove top, stirring occasionally.
Add the cranberries to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer at medium-low for 10 minutes or until cranberries start to burst.
Step 2
Add 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Remove from the heat and let cool completely to room temperature. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve!
Recipe Tip: Making cranberry sauce in your Instant Pot is super easy, too!
Recipe Notes
- For added freshness, stir in 1 teaspoon of orange zest after removing the orange juice cranberry sauce from heat.
- Replace fresh cranberries with frozen cranberries, if desired.
- This side dish is 100% gluten free!
- For extra flavor, consider adding 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar or a couple vanilla beans to the mixture before boiling.
- When storing homemade cranberries, press plastic wrap directly onto its surface before refrigerating. This will prevent a film from forming on the surface and it will keep the sauce fresh.
How To Freeze Cranberry Sauce
You can absolutely freeze cranberry sauce with amazing results. Place in airtight container and store in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. When ready to defrost, let thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight.
What To Do With Leftover Cranberry Sauce
You might think that once Thanksgiving dinner has passed, your cranberry sauce should pass, too. This is not the case! There are many options for repurposing the delicious, red sweet sauce. Here are a few suggestions:
- Throw it into a Thanksgiving Leftovers Stromboli. This is a favorite in our house!
- Smear it over leftover turkey.
- Build a Thanksgiving Leftovers Grilled Cheese Sandwich! YUM!
- Use it as a sauce for your next sweet pizza, maybe with brie cheese, pear slices and honey.
- Replace it with the jelly in this Crockpot Meatballs recipe.
Can Dogs Eat Cranberry Sauce
In small quantities, cranberry sauce is perfectly safe for dogs. Be aware, however, that it can have a fairly high sugar content, which can lead to stomach issues if consumed in large quantities.
Also, if the sauce is canned, read the label! Some versions contain grapes or raisins, which are toxic to canines.
How Long Does Cranberry Sauce Last
When stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, homemade cranberry sauce will last up to 10 days.
FAQ About Cranberries
Yes, you can safely eat raw cranberries but they taste better when combined with other ingredients.
Cranberries are a tart fruit, similar to a lemon that have a wonderful flavor once you combine them with something sweet to offset it.
Cranberries are good for you; they are often called a superfood. High in antioxidants, they are also shown to help with gut health and help with urinary tract health. Did you know they also keep your mouth healthy? They help control harmful acids in your body.
Fresh cranberries are harvested in the fall in the United States. They are typically available at the grocer September through January.
Mac and Cheese Recipes for Thanksgiving – 13 Delicious Ideas!
Mac and cheese is a Thanksgiving staple! Read on for some scrumptious mac and cheese recipes for Thanksgiving that you can make this year! You’ll find a ton of options to choose from in this roundup.
Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- This is my Mom’s Mashed Potatoes recipe and it is the best potato recipe ever. Great with any main dish, any time of year. You’ll never need another mashed potato recipe again!
- Take the heat out of the kitchen by creating air fryer broccoli and cauliflower for your holiday table in minutes!
- This Classic Sweet Potato Casserole is great on your Thanksgiving table and also a perfect side dish that can be enjoyed any time of the year.
- Throw just a few ingredients in your slow cooker to create crockpot green bean casserole. Great Thanksgiving or any-time as a side dish!
- This delicious Crockpot Stuffing with Leeks and Sausage is made easier in a slow cooker! The addition of leeks and sausage makes it unique and delicious. Don’t limit this to Thanksgiving fare.
- If you really love having low carb options at your table, try this Cauliflower Stuffing recipe! It’s an easy, healthy side dish for your next holiday meal.
Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes
Homemade Sauces
- Easy Blueberry Sauce is super easy to make and goes great on pancakes, waffles or works great as a pie filling!
- Homemade Chocolate Fudge Sauce – Enjoy spoonfuls of this gooey chocolate fudge sauce perfect for summer treats!
- Apple Butter is worth the wait! Not to be confused with butter, it’s awesome to spread on everything (like butter)!
- Salted Caramel Sauce – Only 4 ingredients are needed to make this sweet and salty sauce.
- Crockpot Applesauce is fun to make and better than the store stuff! Plus it’s the perfect fall treat. Let your slow cooker do the work for you.
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 12 oz fresh cranberries rinsed
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Pour orange juice into a medium saucepan over high heat and add sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Add cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.
- Add cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve!
Notes
- For added freshness, stir in 1 teaspoon of orange zest after removing from heat.
- Replace fresh cranberries with frozen cranberries, if desired.
- This side dish is 100% gluten free!
- For extra flavor, consider adding 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar or a couple vanilla beans to the mixture before boiling.
- When storing homemade cranberries, press plastic wrap directly onto its surface before refrigerating. This will prevent a film from forming on the surface and it will keep the sauce fresh.
I made this last year for Christmas and am making it again this year for Thanksgiving for about 30 people. It really is the best. I’ve never been a fan of canned cranberry sauce. It just seems kind of gross. This really is delicious and is even better on top of ham or turkey.
Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed it and are making it again. I’ll have it at our table as well! Thank you for sharing!