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homemade cranberry sauce with orange juice, showing its jewel-toned, ruby-red color and chunky texture. It is served in a small white bowl with a gold spoon.

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 and pick out any soft ones. This step matters more than you’d think.

Step 2: Combine Base Ingredients

  • In a saucepan, add cranberries, orange juice, and sugar. Stir gently, don’t rush.

Step 3: Simmer the Sauce

  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. You’ll hear the cranberries pop believe it or not, it’s oddly satisfying.

Step 4: Add Zest and Spice

  • toss in the orange zest and cinnamon. Here’s the surprise: it turns the sauce into something that smells like holidays in every sense of the word.

Step 5: Cool and Set

  • Remove from heat and let it thicken as it cools. Don’t panic if it looks too thin it firms up once chilled.

Notes

Nutritional Information

(per serving, approx.)
  • Calories: 120
  • Carbohydrates: 31g
  • Sugar: 27g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Vitamin C: 15% of daily value
Keyword cranberry sauce, orange juice, Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday side, easy recipe, festive, make-ahead, citrus cranberry sauce