Description
This homemade cranberry sauce recipe is a simple and delicious way to elevate your holiday meals. Made with fresh cranberries, a blend of sugars, water, and orange juice, it offers a perfect balance of tart and sweet flavors. The sauce is cooked on the stovetop until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens slightly, then chilled to develop its rich taste and texture. Ideal for Thanksgiving or any festive occasion, it can be prepared ahead of time and served chilled or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅔ cup orange juice
- 12 oz cranberries (rinsed and picked through – bad/bruised cranberries removed)
Instructions
- Combine Sugars and Liquids: In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, light brown sugar, water, and orange juice. Stir occasionally until the sugars dissolve completely, then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add Cranberries and Boil: Add the rinsed cranberries to the boiling mixture and return it to a boil. This helps to evenly cook the berries and infuse the flavors.
- Simmer and Cook: Reduce the heat to low to simmer the cranberry mixture. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until most or all of the berries have burst and the sauce has thickened slightly. Be careful of splattering during this step. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Cool the Sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat and transfer the cranberry sauce to a bowl. Allow it to cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
- Refrigerate: Once cooled, cover the bowl and refrigerate the sauce for at least 2 hours before serving. Chilling helps the sauce set to the perfect consistency and allows the flavors to meld.
Notes
- This easy cranberry sauce uses fresh cranberries and a simple mix of sugars and orange juice for a balanced sweet-tart flavor.
- Cooking times can be adjusted if you prefer a thicker or chunkier texture; longer cooking results in a thicker sauce.
- Be cautious of splatter during simmering as the mixture bubbles and cranberries burst.
- The sauce can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 159 kcal
- Sugar: 37 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
