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White bowl of glossy homemade cranberry orange sauce with whole and burst cranberries and strips of orange zest, a silver spoon in the bowl, a small stainless steel saucepan and an orange half behind

Cranberry Orange Sauce

A thick homemade cranberry sauce simmered in orange juice instead of water and finished with fresh orange zest.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Cooling and Chilling 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 47 minutes
Servings: 8 servings (1/4 cup)
Course: Condiment, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 110
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries 340 g, about 3 cups
  • 1 cup orange juice 240 ml, preferably freshly squeezed
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 g; use 1/2 cup for a tarter sauce
  • 1 tbsp finely grated orange zest
  • 1 pinch salt

Method
 

  1. Bring the orange juice and sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Rinse the cranberries, discard any soft ones, and add them to the pan with the salt.
  3. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest.
  5. Cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until thick.

Notes

Storage: keep covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. The sauce freezes well in an airtight container; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Make-ahead: make it several days before serving; it needs time in the fridge to set anyway.
Substitutions: frozen cranberries straight from the freezer; 1/2 cup sugar for a tarter sauce; for a chunkier texture, add a quarter of the berries after the rest have burst.
Nutrition is an estimate, not a laboratory analysis.