Homemade Fresh Cranberry Sauce with Maple, Orange and Ginger
If you are looking for a stellar homemade fresh cranberry sauce recipe, then you’ve come to the right place. This bright and flavorful cranberry sauce strikes the perfect balance between tart and sweet. It is also quick and easy to make, and pairs incredibly well with a variety of meals!
Cranberry sauce isn’t just for turkey or Thanksgiving. We love to make and enjoy this fresh cranberry sauce recipe for many months while cranberries are in season, enjoying it over plain yogurt for breakfast too! This post will cover other delicious ways to enjoy cranberry sauce, as well as tips on how to preserve it in the freezer. You can also make this recipe using frozen whole cranberries.
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Health Benefits of Cranberries
In addition to being dang tasty, cranberries are so good for your health that they’re considered a superfood! In fact, research has linked the nutrients and high antioxidant levels in cranberries to a lower risk for both urinary tract infections (UTI) and cardiovascular disease, the prevention of certain types of cancer, decreased blood pressure, and a stronger immune system. Even more reason to enjoy fresh cranberry sauce beyond just the holidays.
Ingredients
- One 12-ounce of bag fresh cranberries or frozen whole cranberries
- 1/4 cup of maple syrup. No maple? Double the sugar below.
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar or coconut sugar. It’s okay to substitute with white sugar if that is all you have, but we prefer using brown.
- 1/8 tsp ginger powder or 1 tsp of fresh grated ginger
- One organic, ripe, medium-large orange. You’re going to use both the juice and zest. Going organic is always awesome, but especially important if you’re using the rind of the citrus.
- Water. Enough to make 1 cup of liquid total, including orange juice (for example: 2/3 cup of water and 1/3 cup fresh orange juice)
- 1/8 tsp of cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
- Optional: a pinch of allspice or cloves
YEILD: This recipe makes about 3 to 4 cups of fresh cranberry sauce. We usually double this recipe (what you’ll see in the photos) and is highly recommended for large gatherings or if you want leftovers, which you can also freeze and enjoy later.
Instructions
- Wash the fresh cranberries. Discard and compost any smashed or bruised ones.
- Wash and zest the orange first, and then juice it. It is much easier that way.
- Add the fresh-squeezed orange juice to a liquid measuring cup, and then top it off with water until you reach one cup of liquid total.
- Combine all of the called-for ingredients in a saucepan on the stove.
- Bring the pot to a low boil, allow to boil for just a couple of minutes, and then reduce to medium-low heat to simmer. The cranberries will begin to pop and combine.
- Continue cooking on a medium-low heat without a lid for about 20 minutes, until at least half of the cranberries have popped and reduced. We prefer our cranberry sauce a bit chunky! Note that the cranberry sauce will seem runny while it is still on the stove, but don’t worry! It thickens significantly as it cools. For an even thicker, smoother, jam-like cranberry sauce, continue to simmer and reduce the mixture for 5-10 minutes longer. Allow more of the cranberries to pop and “melt”.
- Remove from heat, allow to cool, serve and enjoy! Use your fresh cranberry sauce within 10-14 days when stored in the refrigerator, or freeze leftovers to enjoy for months to come.
Ways to Use Fresh Cranberry Sauce
While the traditional uses for fresh cranberry sauce are more than welcome, I also encourage you to think outside the box! We love to add cranberry sauce to plain yogurt with granola, in oatmeal, on toasted homemade sourdough bread like jam, with grilled cheese sandwiches, or in the place of chutney on a holiday cheese board.
Or, try mixing a spoonful of homemade cranberry sauce with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar to create a wonderful homemade salad dressing! I know many people enjoy fresh cranberry sauce with desserts such as cheesecake or vanilla ice cream, along with a variety of meat dishes too.
Recently we served this fresh cranberry sauce with a platter of garlic and herb smashed potatoes (below), and it was nothing short of smashing. It is also excellent on top of sourdough pancakes, or even drizzled on top of our sourdough focaccia (along with brie and rosemary) before baking.
How to Preserve Fresh Cranberry Sauce
If you have leftovers, it’s easy to freeze extra cranberry sauce to preserve it! Simply put it in freezer-safe containers, such as these reusable BPA freeze storage containers (they come in various sizes), or in wide-mouth pint or half pint mason jars. (Only wide mouth jars are safe for freezing, as regular-mouth jars with “shoulders” are prone to cracking.) Store fresh cranberry sauce in the freezer for up to a year, though the quality will be best if used within 6 months. This fresh cranberry sauce recipe isn’t approved for canning.
Drooling yet?
I hope you love this fresh cranberry sauce recipe as much as we do. If you give it a try, please come back and let us know how you liked it with a review – and share or pin this post!
If you’re looking for more holiday recipe ideas, check out this article: 20+ Satisfying Vegan and Vegetarian Holiday Recipes that Everyone Will Love. It includes our favorite mushroom gravy, sourdough stuffing, balsamic and herb roasted brussels sprouts and more!
Homemade Fresh Cranberry Sauce with Maple, Orange and Ginger
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar (okay to substitute with white sugar if that is all you have)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 organic ripe orange, medium-large (both the juice and the zest)
- water – enough to make 1 cup of liquid total, including orange juice (for example, 2/3 cup of water and 1/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice)
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger (sub with 1/8 tsp ground ginger)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick)
- optional: pinch of allspice
Instructions
- Wash the fresh cranberries. Discard and compost any smashed or bruised ones.
- Wash and zest the orange first, and then juice it.
- Add the fresh-squeezed orange juice to a liquid measuring cup, and then top it off with water until you reach one cup of liquid total.
- Combine all of the called-for ingredients in a saucepan on the stove.
- Bring the pot to a low boil, allow to boil for just a couple of minutes, and then reduce to medium-low heat to simmer. The cranberries will begin to pop and combine.
- Continue cooking on a medium-low heat without a lid for about 20 minutes, until around half of the cranberries have popped and reduced. (Note that the cranberry sauce will seem runny while it is still on the stove, but thickens significantly as it cools.)
- For an even thicker, smoother, jam-like cranberry sauce, continue to simmer and reduce the mixture for 5-10 minutes longer, popping more of the cranberries.
- Remove from heat, allow to cool, serve and enjoy!
- Use within 10-14 days when stored in the refrigerator, or freeze leftovers to enjoy for months to come.
53 Comments
Jenn
I’ve been wanting to try this recipe for a couple years but my family are firmly on team canned cranberry sauce. Until today! I decided to make this just for myself and they started trying to sneak tastes while it was simmering because it smelled so good. Your recipe won them over before it even finished cooking! Thank you so much for sharing and brightening our Thanksgiving. Wishing you happy holidays!
Maggie Wallace
Okay guys, I MAY have made this wrong. Although i’m fairly certain I followed the directions. Mine is just crazy bitter??? Maybe i’m not used to the way cranberries taste?? What can I do???
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Maggie, raw cranberries are quite sour on their own, did you still add the brown sugar, maple syrup, and orange juice along with the spices? Even if you feel the sauce is tart on its own, once you add it to other foods, it becomes less so. We eat this cranberry sauce for breakfast with yogurt and granola on repeat for the length of time fresh cranberries are available, we also like to add it to vanilla ice cream for desert, not to mention the use of the sauce with more savory foods as well. You could always add more sugar (maybe another 1/4 cup) or maple syrup if you still think it’s too tart. Hope that helps and good luck!
Cat
This is my second year making this for Holiday gatherings. It’s always a hit!
Super easy to make, amazing flavor, healthy and nourishing.
Thank you! <3
Jessica Gonzalez
You guys this is freaking delicious. I made this recipe as written and I love it so much I’m heading back to my local organic market tomorrow to stock up for a triple batch for my freezer. I can’t wait to bring this to my Friendsgiving this Thursday! And as I basically say weekly on IG, thank you Deanna. Your website is my life handbook. ❤️
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Jessica, we are absolutely thrilled you enjoy the cranberry sauce! It is one of our favorites and we are on our second batch this season, we love having it with yogurt in the morning. Thank you so much for your support and enjoy your holiday!
Marisa
This cranberry sauce is so lovely. It has the perfect blend of spices, and the perfect amount of sweetness. I had some orange carrot juice that needed to be used, so I subbed that for the water. It was so good I might use that juice on purpose next time. 🙂
Ray Sullivan
Deanna,
Can’t wait to try this with orange. Try substituting Mexican cinnamon ( canela), much better. I put half to one stick in the cold liquid and bring to temperature and simmer. Muy bueno! I love your site
C K Neilson
I don’t remember ever having real cranberry sauce until trying this recipe. Once I made this, I am never going through the holidays without it! It is tart, sweet, and somehow savory all at the same time. We even incorporated it in our breakfast granola and greek yogurt. This is actually a very versatile recipe that can be used and incorporated with a variety of other dishes. There is very minimal work involved in the cooking process and the reward makes it more than worth it. Don’t get a can of cranberry sauce, make this!
Ellen
I made this for the first time recently, and it blew my mind how easy and delicious it was. My family already has a cranberry relish which is yummy but I was looking for something simpler for this year. This was the answer! We enjoyed it with holiday meals, but have made it since to put on bread, oatmeal, and whatever really. Probably going to make a lot while cranberries are still in the stores to freeze!
Brittany Heckathorn
This was so delicious and well balanced! Bright, tart, flavorful…I made a double batch to freeze and I can’t wait to continue enjoying it. Plus it makes your house smell amazing while cooking…
Dasha
This recipe is absolutely delicious! Highly recommend making it and watching it disappear shortly right after.
Tia Wolfe
Amazing! The Instagram posts of this recipe inspired me to ditch the canned cranberry sauce this year and make my own. This did not disappoint! It was so easy to make, and so delicious.
Even after using it for our thanksgiving meal, I got so much use out of the leftovers by adding it to my plain Greek yogurt with some pecans and chia seeds. So happy that none of it went to waste.
I’ll probably be making batches of this for as long as I can get fresh cranberries this season just to use for breakfast. It’s that good.
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
That’s great to hear Tia! We have been making it on repeat once a week over here and will do so as long as fresh cranberries are available!
Crysta C
Very delicious and easy to make. Nice hint of orange in every bite. I made this for my family over Thanksgiving and it was hands down the BEST cranberry sauce I’ve had! Highly recommend!