Description

This Easy Cranberry Sauce recipe offers a simple and delicious way to add a tangy, sweet touch to your holiday meals. Made with fresh or frozen cranberries, sugar, and water, and enhanced with optional orange zest and juice, this sauce is perfect for Thanksgiving or any festive occasion. It requires minimal prep and cooks in just 15 minutes, yielding about 2 cups to serve 6-8 people.

Ingredients

1 bag (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/2 tsp orange zest (optional)
1 tbsp fresh orange juice (optional)

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Instructions

Combine ingredients: In a medium saucepan, mix together the cranberries, sugar, and water to prepare for cooking.
Boil mixture: Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the cranberry mixture to a rolling boil.
Simmer the sauce: Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes while stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens.
Add orange flavor: Stir in the orange zest and fresh orange juice if you choose to include these for a citrusy twist.
Cool the sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the cranberry sauce to cool to room temperature; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
Refrigerate before serving: Transfer the cooled sauce into a serving dish, then refrigerate until ready to serve to enhance the flavors and consistency.

Notes

Using frozen cranberries is perfectly fine and can be used directly without thawing.
Adjust sugar quantity to your taste preference for sweetness or tartness.
Orange zest and juice add a lovely citrus aroma but can be omitted if desired.
The sauce thickens more as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems a bit thin while cooking.
Store cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.