Orange Cranberry Sauce

4.81 from 26 votes
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Orange cranberry sauce recipe with cinnamon and honey! This sweet and tangy condiment must be on your holiday menu.

Orange cranberry sauce recipe with cinnamon and honey! Sweet and tangy flavors that you must have on your holiday menu.

Recipe Science

  • Orange zest contributes essential oils, providing a concentrated citrus aroma and lingering flavor.
  • Orange juice adds citric acid, enhancing sweetness and acidity. Paired with honey, they balance the cranberries’ tartness.
  • The heat causes the cranberries to burst, releasing their natural pectin. This pectin combines with sugar and acid to form a gel, giving the sauce its perfect jammy texture!

Why It Works

Put away those can openers! This year, you’re making homemade orange cranberry sauce from scratch. In just under 30 minutes, you’ll transform these tart ruby-red berries into a sauce bursting with vibrant flavor to pair with your Thanksgiving turkey. The zing of fresh oranges perfectly balances the natural tartness of the cranberries. Trust me, once you taste this, you’ll never go back!

A classic cranberry sauce recipe is a must for Thanksgiving, but with a few simple ingredient swaps, you can make a citrusy version for variety. Cooking the berries in a sweet orange sauce softens them just enough to create a beautiful, jam-like texture while preserving their bright, festive color. It’s a quick, satisfying way to elevate your holiday meal, and your guests will notice the difference!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Fresh cranberries inside a white colander.
  • Cranberries: For the recipe, you will need 12 ounces of fresh cranberries, typically available between October and December. If using frozen cranberries, do not defrost; just add a few minutes to the cooking time.
  • Sweetener: Honey adds a natural sweetness with subtle floral and caramel notes, complementing the tart cranberries and citrus. Additionally, honey helps improve the sauce’s texture, creating a slightly more viscous and luxurious consistency. Maple syrup is a good substitute, especially for a vegan version.
  • Citrus: Zesting the orange with a microplane creates fine shreds to add to the sauce. The zest provides concentrated, fragrant oils that enhance the flavor and aroma. The fresh orange juice adds a sweet-tart acidity that rounds out the sharpness of the cranberries, creating a more complex and vibrant sauce.
  • Spice: A cinnamon stick adds warm, woody spice notes to orange cranberry sauce, enhancing its flavor complexity. As it slowly infuses during cooking, it complements the cranberries’ tartness and the orange’s citrusy brightness, creating a balanced, aromatic depth that elevates the sauce.

See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).

Ingredient Substitutions

This cranberry orange sauce recipe is easy to customize! Try these delicious ideas:

  • Flavoring: Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to increase the sweet aromas.
  • Spices: In addition to the cinnamon stick, try adding juniper berries or star anise for intense, sweet aromatics.
  • Ginger: Ginger complements the orange flavor. Add 1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger or ¼ teaspoon dried.
  • Sweeteners: Maple syrup or agave works well. Alternatively, add granulated sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sugar. To account for less moisture in the sauce, add ¼ cup of water.
  • Cinnamon Stick Swap: Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon at the end of cooking.

How to Make Orange Cranberry Sauce

Step 1: Combine the Ingredients

Combine the cranberries, honey, freshly squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and a cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan. Honey adds a natural sweetness and provides a smooth texture.

The orange juice and zest bring a bright citrus flavor that complements the tartness of the berries, while the cinnamon stick infuses warm spice notes, creating a perfectly balanced holiday sauce. Stir everything together to ensure the flavors meld as the mixture simmers.

Stove top pan cooking cranberries, orange shavings with a cinnamon stick.

Step 2: Simmer the Sauce

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, allowing the cranberries to break down and release their juices. Once it reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently.

Spoon picking up a scoop of homemade orange cranberry sauce from a pan.

During this time, the cranberries will pop, and the sauce will gradually thicken, taking on a jam-like consistency. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and help the flavors meld. This process should take about 15 minutes.

Ingredient Chemistry: When making fresh homemade cranberry sauce, the magic happens as the cranberries burst from the heat, releasing their natural pectin into the sauce mixture. This pectin binds with sugar and acid to create a gel-like structure, thickening the sauce into a deliciously jammy consistency.

Photo looking down on a clear jar of homemade cranberry orange sauce.

Step 3: To Serve

Remove the cinnamon stick to avoid any overpowering spice. You can serve the sauce warm or at room temperature in a serving bowl for a cozy, fresh-off-the-stove feel, or let it cool to allow the flavors to meld even more.

Either way, this vibrant, jammy cranberry sauce will be the perfect side dish to your holiday table. Leftover cranberry sauce is great to spread on turkey sandwiches the next day!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does orange cranberry sauce last?

Once cooled, the fresh cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. It’s perfect to make the sauce ahead of time during the busy holidays.

Can I freeze cranberry sauce?

Cranberry sauce can be stored in the freezer for 3 months. Just remember to thaw it in the fridge before serving!

Serve This With

If you tried this Orange Cranberry Sauce, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Orange cranberry sauce recipe with cinnamon and honey! Sweet and tangy flavors that you must have on your holiday menu.
4.81 from 26 votes
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Course Side
Cuisine American

Ingredients 
 

  • 12 ounces cranberries, washed
  • ½ cup honey, or maple syrup
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions 

  • Combine the Ingredients – In a medium pan, add the cranberries, honey, orange juice, zest, and cinnamon stick. Stir to combine.
  • Simmer the Sauce – Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and the mixture thickens to a jam consistency, about 12 to 15 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more sweetener if desired.
  • To Serve – Discard the cinnamon stick. Serve warm or cool the sauce before serving.

Notes

  • Recipe Yield: About 1 ½ cups
  • Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
  • Sweetener: Granulated sugar or brown sugar can be used instead of honey. Add an extra ¼ cup of water to the recipe.
  • Make it Vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.
  • Cinnamon Stick Swap: Stir in ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon after simmering the sauce.
  • Storing: Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; defrost before use.

Nutrition Facts

Serves: 16 servings
Calories 40kcal (2%)Carbohydrates 10g (3%)Protein 0.1gSodium 0.5mgPotassium 19mg (1%)Fiber 0.4g (2%)Sugar 9g (10%)Vitamin C 4.1mg (5%)Calcium 10mg (1%)

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.

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Jessica Gavin

I'm a culinary school graduate, cookbook author, and a mom who loves croissants! My passion is creating recipes and sharing the science behind cooking to help you gain confidence in the kitchen.

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4.81 from 26 votes (26 ratings without comment)

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10 Comments Leave a comment or review

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Tara- Typically a little more sweetness like sugar, honey or maple syrup can help balance out the bitterness.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Cyndy- You can use them 1:1. Granulated sugar gives a stronger upfront sugar taste, and honey has a little more of a caramel flavor.

  1. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

    I’ve never made my own cranberry sauce before, thanks for the great idea and delicious recipe – definitely something I will be trying!