This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Quick & good homemade Cranberry Sauce with orange and cinnamon and real cranberries! 15-minute recipe with bright flavor that enhances any dish. Amazing cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Simple and Easy Recipe – 15 minutes from start to finish, so much easier than you’d expect!
- Bright, Bold Flavors – Tart cranberry, zesty orange flavors, warm cinnamon and brown sugar taste spectacular together.
- Enhances any Holiday Dish – Thanksgiving cranberry sauce is also great for Christmas and more, just like sweet potato casserole with pecan topping and easy mashed potatoes.
Truly Amazing Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce
If you ever put canned sauce side-by-side with today’s Homemade Cranberry Sauce with orange, you’d be blown away by the stark difference. Homemade is a million times better than store-bought, hands down—and prettier. Today, I’m sharing the BEST ever Thanksgiving cranberry sauce. It’s SO tasty! Perfectly balanced sweet and tart flavor with notes of orange and a hint of cinnamon—the best sauce to brighten any side dish.
With glossy, ruby-red fresh whole cranberries, cozy brown sugar and cane sugar, two kinds of orange (orange juice and orange zest), plus a real cinnamon stick, this classic holiday side bursts with bold flavor, elevating everything from turkey and salmon to Brussels sprouts, sandwiches, and steak! You’ll love serving this Thanksgiving cranberry sauce for the classic holiday, plus Christmas and more.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce With Orange Ingredients
- Cranberries: use fresh whole cranberries or frozen whole cranberries
- Orange Juice: use fresh-squeezed or store-bought
- Orange Zest: we’ll be using the zest of one orange, which is equal to 2 teaspoons
- Cinnamon: instead of ground cinnamon, we’ll be using a whole cinnamon stick
- Sugar: we’ll be using mostly cane sugar and a bit of brown sugar to add a warm, molasses-tinted sweetness
How to Make Cranberry Sauce Recipe
It takes just 3 simple steps to learn how to cook cranberries sauce—this quick and seriously good recipe will be your family’s fave for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
- In a medium saucepan, stir together sugars, orange juice, and water. Stir and cook until simmering.
- Add cranberries, orange zest, and cinnamon stick. Stir occasionally, watching out for splatter, cooking until most of the cranberries have burst.
- Remove cinnamon stick and pour into a bowl to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Cover and chill in the fridge. Enjoy the best cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving!
Recipe Notes
Wondering if you can use frozen cranberries, add ground cinnamon or whether fresh orange juice or store-bought is better? Here are my notes on making whole cranberry cranberry sauce the yummiest!
- To add ground cinnamon: use ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon in place of cinnamon stick
- To use frozen cranberries: use as normal; do not thaw.
- Fresh-squeezed or store-bought orange juice is fine; just bear in mind that the flavor of the juice will heighten while storing the sauce. Fresh squeezed can taste better over time.
- For chunkier sauce: Set aside about a quarter or a third of the fresh whole cranberries before cooking. Once popped, stir in these remaining berries.
Can You Make Cranberry Sauce Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make cranberry sauce ahead of time—3 days in advance if storing in the fridge.
Can Whole Cranberry Cranberry Sauce Freeze?
Yes, you can freeze cranberry sauce for 1-2 months in the freezer (thaw overnight in the fridge before serving).
Ways to Use Cranberry Sauce with Cinnamon and Orange
Wondering what to make with cranberry sauce? Here are some of my family’s faves.
- On Meat: this is such a yummy cranberry sauce for salmon, meatballs, pan seared chicken breast, steak, and more.
- Potatoes: quick and easy mashed potatoes, air fryer roasted potatoes
- With Thanksgiving & Christmas Sides: green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, Yukon gold mashed potatoes, and turkey gravy
- Cranberry Sandwich Sauce: spread this on your fave sandwich bread, add meats, cheese, and enjoy!
For more delicious recipe ideas like yummy cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. If you’ve tried this recipe, take a pic and tag us on Instagram using #beamingbaker. We can’t wait to see it! Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
More Thanksgiving & Christmas Recipes
You’ll also love: blistered green beans recipe.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup water
- 12 oz cranberries, rinsed and picked through – bad berries removed
- 2 teaspoons orange zest, reserve a sprinkle for serving
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Combine sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until sugar is dissolved and mixture simmers.
- Add cranberries, orange zest, and cinnamon stick. Stirring occasionally, cook until most or all of the berries have popped, about 10 minutes (watch out for splatter), depending on preference. Longer cook time equals thicker sauce, but bear in mind sauce will thicken after cooling.
- Remove cinnamon stick. Transfer cranberry sauce to a bowl to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving or refrigerating. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve topped with orange zest.
- ★ Last Step: If you made this recipe, leave a comment and review. It truly helps our small business keep running and it helps readers like you!
Notes
- For chunkier sauce: Set aside 3 oz cranberries before cooking. Once popped, stir in these remaining berries.
- Storing Instructions: Cool cranberry sauce completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezing Instructions: Store cooled cranberry sauce in a freezer-friendly container for 1-2 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.
- To add ground cinnamon: Use ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon in place of cinnamon stick
- To use frozen cranberries: Use as normal; do not thaw. Cooking time will increase by a few minutes.
- Orange juice: Fresh-squeezed or store-bought orange juice is fine.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
