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Cooked Cranberry Sauce Recipe

ByMichelle
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The Best Cranberry and Orange Sauce

Every year around the holidays, I make this simple homemade cranberry sauce, and honestly—it’s one of those recipes that makes you wonder why anyone buys the canned stuff. It’s fresh, tangy, and just the right amount of sweet. Plus, it makes your kitchen smell amazing while it’s cooking!

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This recipe only takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time, and it’s perfect to make a day or two ahead. The flavor actually gets better as it sits in the fridge.

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ½ cup water
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked through
  • Pinch of salt
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Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, orange juice, and water over medium heat. Give it a good stir to mix everything together.
  2. Add the cranberries and a pinch of salt.
  3. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often.
  4. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have popped. I like to leave a few whole for a little texture.
  5. Remove from the heat and let it cool for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve—it’ll thicken up beautifully as it chills.
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That’s it! You’ve got bright, homemade cranberry sauce that’s miles better than anything in a can. It’s delicious with turkey, spread on leftover sandwiches, or even spooned over yogurt or pancakes the next morning.

Trust me—once you make it from scratch, you’ll never go back.

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Cranberry Sauce

Servings 6

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ½ cup water
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries rinsed and picked through

Instructions

  • Combine the sugar, orange juice, and water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until well mixed.
  • Add the cranberries and a pinch of salt.
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently.
  • Cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have popped. (I like to leave a few whole for texture.)
  • Remove from heat and let cool for at least 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

This recipe cooks down to about 2 cups of sauce.

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