Cranberry Orange Sauce
Updated Aug 29, 2025
This orange cranberry sauce is made with 4 ingredients: fresh cranberries, orange juice and zest, a little sugar, and water.
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Make my cranberry orange sauce for Thanksgiving!
I always make cranberry orange sauce for Thanksgiving. I don’t know why I only make it once a year. It’s so simple: cranberries, sugar, and an orange, and the flavor is so much better than anything that comes from a can. The cranberries get all tart and jammy, and the orange juice and zest give it a fresh, bright kick.
For me, cranberry orange sauce is one of those small sides that make the whole meal feel more special. I usually serve it with a whole turkey, of course, but I love having the leftovers the next day on toast or even with yogurt. It’s quick to throw together, and the kitchen smells amazing while it simmers.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Cranberry Orange Sauce Ingredients
- Cranberries: I love to use fresh cranberries at Thanksgiving because they’re in season. You can use frozen cranberries, but be sure to thaw them first.
- Orange: A naval orange, blood orange, or mandarin orange works. You want to pick one with clean skin, as you’ll need to zest it. Here’s a tutorial on how to zest citrus.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar to sweeten the sauce. You can also use coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey, or agave, and adjust the amount to taste.
- Water: Keeps the sauce from being too thick and helps cook the cranberries.
Recipe Video Tutorial
How to Make Cranberry Orange Sauce
Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 orange zested and juiced
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Place cranberries and sugar in a saucepan. Zest the orange over the cranberries. Cut the orange in half and juice it into a measuring cup. Add water to the measuring cup until you have 1 cup total of liquids. Pour the liquids into the saucepan, turn the heat to medium, and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil. When the cranberries start to burst, reduce to a simmer. Simmer until most of the cranberries are popped and soft and sauce begins to thicken, about 15–20 minutes.
- Transfer to a storage container and allow to cool on the counter. Store in fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add warm spices. My mom usually adds a whole stick or two of cinnamon into the sauce while it cooks, then removes it before serving. If you don’t have fresh cinnamon sticks, you can substitute about 1/8–¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Or try other baking spices like cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger for extra depth and flavor.
- Sweeten it with fruit. You can reduce the sugar to ¼ cup and add puréed or diced fruit to the cranberry sauce instead. Apple, pear, persimmon, and pineapple work well.
- Spice it up. Try adding some heat with jalapenos!
- Go nuts. For a little crunch in your Thanksgiving cranberry sauce, add candied walnuts or candied pecans.
- Serve it on a cheeseboard. Upgrade your appetizer and serve the sauce alongside brie, goat cheese, or sharp cheddar with crackers.
Recipe Tips
- Buy cranberries when they’re in season and freeze them for later. I recommend buying extra fresh cranberries when they’re in season (around Thanksgiving) and freezing them for later use. This way, you don’t have to rely on frozen cranberries that may not taste as fresh. Read my tips on how to freeze cranberries.
- When zesting, avoid the white part. Be sure to only get the orange peel and not the white pith, as that can add a bitter taste to your sauce.
- Let the sauce rest at room temperature. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Thanks for the recipe and the practical tips! I like that you only use about half the sugar others use, and love the orange. – Nancy
Serving Ideas
- As a breakfast topping: Easy Overnight Oats, Pumpkin Pancakes, Air Fryer French Toast
- On a sandwich: Turkey Panini, Roasted Vegetable Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Turkey Salad Sandwich
- For Thanksgiving: Easy Thanksgiving Turkey, Thanksgiving Stuffing, Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Note that if you use a plastic container, the cranberries may dye it pink and/or pick up flavors that seeped in from previous use, like garlic.
Yes, you can freeze this cranberry orange sauce for up to one month. The texture may be slightly watery when you thaw it, so I recommend reheating it on the stovetop.
You can make this cranberry sauce up to 7 days in advance. I recommend making it 3 days in advance for the best freshness and flavor. It’s one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day, because the flavors have time to develop!
Comments
Delicious! I had frozen cranberries in my freezer that I wanted to use up! Weโre having a rotisserie chicken/mashed potatoes and cooked broccoli for dinner tonight! And your cranberry orange sauce! Like Thanksgiving in May! Yum! Delicious! Thank you Yumna for your delicious recipes.
Aww, so happy you loved it!! Thank you, Pat!
So simple and delicious. Why waste money on canned cranberry sauce, when making it fresh takes like no time and no added ingredients
Thank you so much Maysam! So happy you loved it and appreciate you taking the time to message me on Instagram and leave a comment! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Very easy and good
So glad you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe. I have a couple Grandchildren who love the gel. Do you have a recipe for the gel? Thank You
Thank you! I don’t have a recipe for the gel on my website at the moment.
Love this recipe! So easy!!
Thank you!!
Thanks for the recipe and the practical tips! I like that you only use about half the sugar others use, and love the orange.
Yay, glad to hear it! Thanks so much for the feedback ๐
Love everything from scratch. Good recipe to follow. Canโt wait for thanksgiving