Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest is a classic Thanksgiving cranberry sauce with just a hint of orange, which pairs perfectly with the tartness of the cranberries.
It is made with four ingredients tossed together in a saucepan and simmered for 15-20 minutes. Thats it! Let it cool and serve!
This is a recipe that's super easy to throw together, inexpensive, and not time-consuming. It's a great side dish to bring to Thanksgiving or to a Friendsgiving, just like this Green Bean Casserole Without Cream of Mushroom Soup. Or when hosting, it's a great answer to the question, "What can I bring?". (You can even send them this link 😉).
It's also fairly foolproof. As long as you can stand near the stove for 20 minutes to occasionally stir and watch the pot, anyone can make this and have it turn out spectacularly.
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🥄Store Bought vs. Homemade
I am a fan of store-bought cranberry sauce. It is what I had every year growing up. It's tart and sweet and satisfyingly can-shaped. Even in all my efforts to buy and cook fresh, whole ingredients on a daily basis, I still have a strong affinity for the canned stuff.
At the same time, homemade cranberry sauce is a totally different thing altogether. It's fresher and more tart and in this case, gives you the freedom to adjust the level of sugar and add the subtle but super interesting and tongue twirling orange zest.
🛒 Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest.
- Cranberries: Use fresh cranberries, not dried.
- Orange Zest and Juice: Be sure to zest the orange first, then slice and juice it. If you cut it first it will be much harder to zest!
- Sugar: The recipe calls for granulated sugar (I prefer to let the taste of the cranberries shine so using simple granulated sugar is best in that case), but you can substitute brown sugar.
- Water: The cranberries, sugar, and orange zest and juice simmer in water. Much of the water evaporates while cooking the cranberry sauce down into a thicker jam.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
📝 How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest
Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest, including photos at the 5, 10, 15, and 20-minute marks to give you a visual guide to when the sauce is done.
*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Step 1. Combine the Ingredients: In a medium saucepan combine the water, cranberries, granulated sugar, orange zest, and orange juice.
Step 2. Bring to a Boil: Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat. Immediately reduce the temperature to low.
Step 3. Simmer on Low: Simmer on low for 18-20 minutes (see additional photos below) while stirring occassionally. After about 10 minutes use the back of a slotted spoon to mash the cranberries (leaving a few whole) against the side of the saucepan.
Tip: Stirring the cranberry sauce occasionally while on a low helps to prevent any cranberries at the bottom from getting overcooked.
Once the sauce has reduced and thickened in consistency after about 18-20 minutes (it will thicken more as it cools), remove it from the heat. Allow it to cool to room temperature before serving or place in the fridge until ready to serve.
The images above show the consistency of the cranberry sauce after it has simmered on low for 15 minutes and 20 minutes.
The amount of time that it will take to reduce to the right consistency will depend on your exact temperature setting and the thickness of your saucepan. It could be as little as 15 minutes or as long as 20 minutes, but more likely between 18 and 20 minutes.
🍴How to Serve and Store
To Serve: Serve in a medium bowl cold or at room temperature. It can be served as a side with turkey or chicken. Or it can be used as a topping for cheese and crackers or serve it along with a slice of cheesecake for dessert.
To Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
✏️ Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest FAQs
I would recommend using fresh cranberries rather than frozen if possible, for a brighter fresher taste. But in pinch you can use frozen cranberries.
Yes, you can certainly add cinnamon to the recipe, but I would err on the side of less since this recipe already uses orange zest and juice, or toss in a cinnamon stick for a short time while simmering.
This can be served either cold or at room temperature. It works well both ways.
Yes, this is cranberry sauce is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Make it up to 3 days in advance and store in the fridge.
If You're Interested in More Holiday Recipes, You May Love These:
If you've tried this Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- zest 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan combine the fresh cranberries, the zest of 1 orange, 1 tablespoon of orange juice (from the zested orange), the granulated sugar, and 1 cup of water.
- Bring to a boil on high heat, then immediately turn the heat to low. Simmer on low heat, while stirring occasionally to prevent any cranberries on the bottom of the pan from overcooking.
- After about 10 minutes use the back of a slotted spoon to mash some (but not all) of the cranberries against the side of the saucepan.
- Simmer for another 8-10 minutes on low while stirring. The consistency of the sauce changes considerably over the course of 20 minutes. At the 18 to 20 minute mark it will look like the color and consistency of a classic cranberry sauce, but slightly thinner. It will thicken more as it cools.
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