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Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce for Delighting Your Holiday Feast

Discover the best homemade cranberry sauce recipe that will delight your holiday feast with vibrant flavors and freshness.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course sauce
Cuisine American
Servings 4 cups
Calories 120 kcal

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan

Ingredients
  

Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries washed and sorted
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup orange juice fresh squeezed from 1-2 medium oranges
  • ¾ cup brown sugar packed (light or dark)
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest about half a medium naval orange
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 stick cinnamon or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

Instructions
 

Preparation Steps

  • Zest and juice the orange(s). Make sure to zest first before squeezing for the best flavor.
  • Rinse the cranberries in a colander and discard any soft or damaged ones. Optionally, set aside ½ cup of cranberries for texture.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining cranberries, water, orange juice, brown sugar and cinnamon stick. Stir over medium heat until it comes to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low.
  • Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cranberries will pop and burst, thickening the sauce.
  • In the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, stir in the reserved cranberries, vanilla extract, orange zest, and a pinch of salt. Stir until the reserved cranberries start cracking and popping.
  • Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon stick. The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature.

Notes

The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 30gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
Keyword cranberry sauce, Easy Recipes, festive foods, holiday recipes, homemade sauce, sauce recipes
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