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Homemade Cranberry sauce with orange juice served in a ceramic bowl, garnished with fresh orange curls and cinnamon sticks.

Cranberry sauce with orange juice: How to Make It Perfect

By Nancy
Tired of bland sides? Cranberry sauce with orange juice delivers tart-sweet perfection in minutes. Discover how to make it at home.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 120 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • Fresh cranberries
  • Orange juice
  • Sugar
  • Orange zest
  • Cinnamon stick

Instructions
 

Step 1: Prepare the Cranberries

  • Rinse the cranberries under cold water and discard any soft or underripe berries
    Fresh red cranberries being thoroughly rinsed with running water in a stainless steel bowl on a marble surface.

Step 2: Mix the Ingredients and Cook the Sauce

  • In a saucepan over medium-to-high heat, whisk together the sugar, orange juice, and cinnamon. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves.
    Let the mixture come to a gentle boil, then add the cranberries and stir well until they’re coated with the orange juice. Let the mixture simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
    Homemade cranberry sauce simmered with orange juice and whole cinnamon sticks in a white Dutch oven, stirred with a wooden spoon.

Step 3: Mash the Cranberries and Turn Them into Sauce

  • When the cranberries start to burst, it’s time to mash or blend the sauce however you like. If you prefer a chunky texture, mash it gently with a potato masher; if you prefer it smooth, mash it vigorously
    Mashing warm cranberry sauce simmered with orange juice using a stainless steel potato masher in a white Dutch oven.

Step 4: Cooling and Thickening

  • Let it simmer for another 3 minutes, then remove the mixture from the heat. Leave the pot uncovered to cool and thicken for 20 minutes. It will seem runny at first, but don’t worry—it will thicken as it cools.
    Thick homemade Cranberry sauce cooked with fresh orange juice and orange zest inside a white Dutch oven.

Notes

Nutritional Information

  • Calories: 120
  • Carbohydrates: 31g
  • Sugar: 27g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Vitamin C: 15% of daily value
Note: The nutritional values provided are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, quantities, and brands used.
Keyword Cranberry sauce with orange juice