You are going to love how easy it is to make this classic Thanksgiving recipe. With only six ingredients and less than 30 minutes, you can whip up this perfectly sweet and tart sauce.
Nothing says holiday like a beautiful, garnet-colored, cranberry sauce. It adds so much to the holiday meal. The tart, acidic cranberries cut through the fat of the other dishes, like gravy. This sauce brings a fresh and bright flavor to all of the heavier dishes. Its a must-have in my house.
WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE THIS CLASSIC THANKSGIVING RECIPE?
This recipe is foolproof! If you can boil water, you can make homemade cranberry sauce. You need sugar, orange juice, water, cranberries, cinnamon, and orange zest. Pretty simple, huh?
Want to jazz it up a bit? You can adapt this recipe so easily.
- Add a finely minced jalapeno pepper to the cranberries while cooking for a spicy, sweet heat in the sauce.
- Raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries will bring additional sweetness.
- You can add crunch by stirring in chopped nuts after cooling the sauce to room temperature.
- Warm spices, such as nutmeg, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Apple Pie Spice can be used instead of plain cinnamon.
EQUIPMENT USED TO MAKE HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE:
- Calypso Basics by Reston Lloyd Powder Coated Enameled Colander, 5 Quart, Turquoise – this is nice and big. Great for pasta, fruits, vegetables. And yes, it is turquoise.
- Cuisinart FCT193-18 French Classic Tri-Ply Stainless 3-Quart Saucepot with Cover – This pot is one that goes from the stovetop, or the oven, right into the dishwasher.
- StarPack Basics Silicone Mixing Spoon – I own a bunch of these – in turquoise, of course.
- Pyrex Prepware 2-Cup Measuring Cup – use this in the microwave and put it in the dishwasher.
- Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons-6 Piece – I love the long, rectangle design. They even fit into small spice jars.
- Nordic Ware Covered Bowl Set, 8-pc, Coastal Colors – Stackable, throw them into the dishwasher. I use these bowls almost every day.
- Denmark White Porcelain Chip Resistant Scratch Resistant Commercial Grade Serveware, 3 Piece Serving Bowl Set – classic white serving bowls that are wonderful for holidays and every day.
- Idomy 8-Piece Stainless Steel Buffet Serving Spoon, Large Serving Spoon
Looking for more classic Thanksgiving recipes?
- Marmalade Rum Glazed Carrots
- French Lemon Meringue Pie
- Butter And Vodka Pie Crust
- Savory Butternut Squash Casserole
- Mom’s Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Sauteed Haricots Verts
- Rustic Apple Galette
HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE
This classic Thanksgiving recipe is surprisingly easy to make. Forget about the jelled stuff in the can, this homemade cranberry sauce is the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes + chilling time
- Yield: Serves 8
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Orange juice
½ cup Water
4 cups (about 12-ounces) Fresh or frozen cranberries
¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Finely grated orange zest
Instructions
If using fresh cranberries, rinse them well under cold, running water. Pick out any bruised berries.
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, orange juice, and water. Bring to a boil, stirring often to dissolve the sugar.
Add the cranberries, cinnamon, and orange zest. Return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until most of the cranberries have burst.
Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool completely. Once it is room temperature, transfer the sauce to a covered bowl to chill in the refrigerator.
Serve cool or cold.
Notes
The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance.
Keywords: classic Thanksgiving recipe, cranberry sauce, homemade cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving side dish recipes, orange cranberry sauce