Scented with orange and sweetened with maple, this cranberry sauce recipe is a delicious version of the Thanksgiving classic. Great for making ahead!

Meet my best cranberry sauce recipe! This homemade cranberry sauce is easy to make with 5 simple ingredients. It’s thick, tart, and jammy, and maple syrup and orange zest give it wonderful depth of flavor. It’s the perfect addition to a Thanksgiving table, but it’s so delicious that I’d happily eat it at any time of year.

If you’ve never tried homemade cranberry sauce before, I hope you’ll make this recipe. I grew up eating the kind from the can, so you can trust me when I tell you that this fresh cranberry sauce is SO much better. Since I started making it, cranberry sauce has become one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. I hope you love it too!

Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

You just need 5 ingredients to make this cranberry sauce recipe:

• Cranberries – Fresh or frozen cranberries work well here. If you’re using frozen berries, there’s no need to thaw them before you start to cook.
• Maple syrup – It sweetens this recipe naturally and adds rich depth of flavor.
• Water – It helps the cranberries soften into a glossy sauce.
• Orange zest – Who doesn’t love cranberry and orange together?! The zest gives this sauce a mild orange flavor. If you’d like it to be stronger, feel free to add more zest or replace the water with fresh orange juice.
• Salt – Just a pinch! It makes all the flavors pop.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Cranberry Sauce

If you’re making homemade cranberry sauce for the first time, you won’t believe how easy it is!

• Combine the cranberries, maple syrup, water, orange zest, and salt in a medium saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir often to prevent the syrup from burning!
• As the cranberries begin to burst, reduce the heat to low.
• Cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes or so, until the cranberry juices thicken. Tip: The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, so I like to take it off the heat slightly before it reaches my desired consistency.
• Remove from the heat, and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

That’s it! You’ll have fresh cranberry sauce ready in less than 20 minutes.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Store Cranberry Sauce

Store homemade cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, freeze it! Allow the sauce to cool completely after cooking. Then, transfer it to an airtight container, leaving at least an inch at the top for expansion. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow frozen sauce to thaw overnight in the fridge.

Can you make cranberry sauce ahead of time?

Yes! This recipe is the first thing I prep for Thanksgiving every year. You can make it a few days or even a few months ahead. See above for storage instructions.

Recipe Tips

• Cranberry sauce thickens as it sits, so take it off the heat slightly before it reaches your desired consistency. By the time it cools, it’ll have the perfect texture!
• It’s not just for Thanksgiving. Try using it as a topping for pancakes, waffles, or overnight oats, or swirl it into yogurt with granola. My husband Jack loves to put in on turkey sandwiches. It’s a great addition to a cheese board too!
• Make it your own. There are so many fun ways to change up this sauce! Replace the water with fresh orange juice for a stronger orange flavor, or for a sweeter sauce, add other fresh fruits. I love this sauce with a peeled and diced apple or pear cooked in.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Looking for more side dishes to round out your holiday menu? These recipes are some of my favorites:

• Best Stuffing
• Green Bean Casserole
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Best Mashed Potatoes
• Mushroom Gravy
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Or any of these 50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes!

Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh cranberries, or use frozen
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the cranberries, maple syrup, water, orange zest, and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring often so that the maple syrup doesn't burn.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the cranberries burst and their juices thicken, 15 to 20 minutes, keeping in mind that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Taste and add more sweetener or orange zest, if desired.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rbvVnpinnJyaurC60meaqKVfmL%2BiusGeqauxXaiutq%2FEaA%3D%3D