Description
Learn how to make the best homemade cranberry sauce for Christmas or Thanksgiving. This simple holiday staple is made with whole cranberries, fresh orange zest and juice, sugar, cinnamon, and whole cloves.
Ingredients
- 1 12-oz (340g) bag fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 navel orange juiced)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest (about 1 navel orange zested)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 to 3 whole cloves (optional)
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Wash the cranberries by rinsing them in a colander under cool water. Pick out any soft, wrinkled, or damaged cranberries.
- Put the whole cloves (if using) in a food-grade mesh sachet bag so they can be easily removed from the cranberry sauce before serving. (I use a disposable loose leaf tea bag with a drawstring). You can add the whole cloves directly to the cranberry sauce, but they can be hard to find after cooking.
- Add the fresh cranberries, water, fresh orange zest, freshly squeezed orange juice, sugar, cinnamon stick, whole cloves (if using), and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have burst. Use a spoon to press the berries against the side of the pan to reach your desired consistency. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, let simmer for only 5 to 8 minutes.
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Remove the pot from the heat and let cool to room temperature, then transfer to a bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least two hours (or until ready to use). The cranberry sauce will thicken up as it cools. Remove the cinnamon stick and whole cloves before serving.
Notes
- Leftover cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- This cranberry sauce is lightly sweetened (which I like). If you prefer a sweeter cranberry sauce, use up to 1 cup of sugar.
- If you don’t have a cinnamon stick or whole cloves, you can add a pinch of ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves to the cranberry sauce instead. A little goes a long way.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American