Homemade Cranberry Sauce

People often focus on the Turkey when Thanksgiving rolls around. For me, though, it’s all about the supporting sides. This cranberry sauce is one I can’t live without. Made with fresh cranberries, it strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tart with a little extra somethin’ something (thanks, cinnamon, vanilla, and OJ!).

It might be tempting to take the easy way out and crack open a can of store-bought cranberry sauce, and that’s fine if that’s your thing, but I highly encourage you to give this 20-minute recipe a try this year. I promise you it’ll change the way you think about this holiday must-have.

Behind This Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Once you take your first bite, you’ll know that this really is the best cranberry sauce recipe ever. Here’s what sets it apart:

• This sauce goes so far beyond the traditional sweet ‘n tart of your typical cranberry sauce. The warmth of the cinnamon and vanilla next to the bright citrus notes of the orange juice and zest is the perfect way to elevate this beloved classic.
• I know some people love those ridges on their canned cranberry sauce, but for me, the real, fresh cranberry flavor makes all the difference. It’s totally worth the quick 20 minutes it takes to make.
• Cranberry sauce will keep in the fridge for a full 10 days. That means it’s a lifesaver around the holidays when you’re juggling 10 recipes and hosting at the same time. Get it out of the way early to take some stress off your plate.

Tips From My Kitchen

Before you get started, have a quick look at these tips and tricks:

• Discard spoiled berries. When you buy a bag of cranberries, there will almost certainly be a few bad berries in there. Pick them out before you start cooking.
• Do not cut the sugar. While it may be tempting to make this sauce “healthier” by cutting out some sugar, don’t do that. The berries are quite tart, and they need that sugar to make them palatable.
• Keep things moving. The sugar in the fruit (and the added sugar) makes this sauce easy to burn. So keep the heat to medium, and stir somewhat frequently.
• Let it chill. The sauce will thicken as it sits in the fridge. Be patient and let it chill for at least an hour before serving. Otherwise, your sauce will be sort of runny.

Variations & Substitutions

There’s a lot you can do with this cranberry sauce recipe to make it your own. Here are a few fun twists:

• Spice it up. If you’d like to go a little heavier on those warming seasonal spices, add some nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and/or ginger to the sauce along with the cinnamon stick.
• Brown sugar. Feel free to swap some or all of the granulated sugar for light or dark brown sugar. Brown sugar has an almost molasses-y flavor to it that can give this cranberry sauce a little something extra.
• Make it a little boozy. You can add a hearty splash of rum (or Grand Marnier or Cointreau to play on the orange flavor) to the cranberry sauce toward the end of its time on the stove.
• Apple-cranberry sauce. Swap the OJ out for apple juice and add some diced, peeled apples to the sauce. Granny Smith would be my first pick.

Ingredients You’ll Need & Why

You’ll only need a handful of ingredients to make this easy holiday side. Here’s your shopping list (see the recipe card for precise measurements):

• Fresh cranberries – Frozen cranberries work just as well.
• Granulated sugar – Don’t try to cut out any of the sugar. Cranberries are very bitter, and you need plenty of sugar to counter that.
• Orange juice – I am a big fan of that little citrus kick. You can replace the OJ with water in a pinch, though.
• Water – Opt for filtered water. Tap water can contribute a funky taste.
• Vanilla extract – Just a smidge to add some depth.
• Cinnamon stick – Ground cinnamon works too. I love the subtle hint of warming spice in this holiday side. You could add a little nutmeg, too, if you’d like.
• Salt – To cut the sweetness a bit.
• Orange peel – Or orange zest. You’ll use it in the sauce and as a garnish.

How to Make Cranberry Sauce With Fresh Cranberries

Fire up the stove. Here’s a basic overview of how to make cranberry sauce from scratch. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

• Wash the cranberries. Rinse the cranberries thoroughly, discarding any spoiled pieces.

• Load up the pot. Add the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and orange peel (all but one piece) to a large pot.
• Cook. Cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10–15 minutes, until most of the cranberries have burst.
• Cool. Remove the sauce from the heat and cool to room temperature.
• Chill. Cover the sauce with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until cold.
• Serve. Serve cold, garnished with a piece of orange peel and a cinnamon stick.

What to Serve With Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is a classic Thanksgiving (and Christmas) side dish. So don’t let your holiday feast go without it. I love serving it alongside roasted turkey (my Garlic Butter Turkey is fabulous), Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Scalloped Potatoes (or Sweet Potato Casserole), and Cornbread Dressing. Sometimes I’ll throw in some Honey Butter Cornbread, too.

I’ll go over a few more fun ways to use this tart, sweet sauce in the section below titled “Ways to Use Leftover Cranberry Sauce” as well, just in case you decide to make a double batch (or if you’re craving cranberry sauce but don’t have a holiday meal coming up).

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

• Refrigerator: Once cool, you can store cranberry sauce in the fridge (covered) for up to 10 days. This makes it a fabulous make-ahead recipe if you’re feeling stressed about the Thanksgiving kitchen rush.
• Freezer: Seal fully cooled leftover cranberry sauce in a freezer-safe airtight container. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge.
• To reheat: Cranberry sauce is great cold, at room temperature, or warm. If you’d like to reheat yours, do so on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. I’d add a splash of water to loosen things up. You can also microwave leftover cranberry sauce in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through.

Ways to Use Leftover Cranberry Sauce

The classic way to use leftover cranberry sauce is in a Thanksgiving leftovers turkey sandwich. I like to load mine up with Roasted Turkey, Cornbread Stuffing, turkey gravy, Dijon mustard, and some brie cheese.

You can also use leftover cranberry sauce as a glaze for chicken or pork or as a topping for baked brie. I’ve been known to use mine on cheeseboards, smothered on Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, and/or dolloped over a Dutch Baby Pancake. It’s also great in this Baked Brie Cranberry Puff Pastry Recipe, and I wouldn’t say no to adding some to a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

More Holiday Side Dishes

If you’re here, my guess is that you’re at some point in the process of building your holiday menu. I don’t know about you, but this year, I’ll be whipping up some Southern Baked Mac and Cheese, my famous Cornbread Dressing, and this Creamed Spinach Bake. I’m still deciding between these Mashed Potatoes and my Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin, and I’ll probably throw in this outrageous Honey Butter Cornbread, but the jury’s still out. Let me know what you’re serving!