You will never buy canned cranberry sauce again with my delicious Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe. Fresh cranberries, cranberry juice, vibrant freshly squeezed orange juice, zest simmered in sugar, warm cardamom, and a drizzle of dessert wine, what could be better? This recipe comes together in minutes, is make ahead, and is my favorite Thanksgiving day hero. I make this every year, and people are always asking to take it home!
This cranberry sauce is, sweet, tart, citrusy, and warm, thanks the the addition of my beloved cardamom spice that highlights the citrus flavor in this sauce. This is a fresh cranberry sauce recipe that you can easily make with frozen cranberries and enjoy this delicious sauce all year long!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE
If you are looking for Thanksgiving recipes to serve alongside this cranberry sauce, try these:
CRANBERRY SAUCE INGREDIENTS
Jump to the bottom of the recipe card below this post for full ingredient measurements and instructions.
Fresh Cranberries – 1 12 oz bag
Orange – I find that one large orange is plenty.
Cranberry juice – you can use a cranberry juice cocktail or real cranberry juice
Sugar – granulated sugar and brown sugar
Dessert wine – Any red port or dessert wine will do
Cardamom – Adds a warm, citrusy aroma and taste to the cranberry sauce
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE
Follow these steps to make this recipe:
- Clean the cranberries: Clean the cranberries thoroughly and remove any shriveled or rotten ones from the bunch. If you are using frozen cranberries, you will not need to rinse or thaw them.
- Add the cranberries and juice: Juice and zest the orange, then add to a saucepan along with the fresh cranberries, cranberry juice, and half of the orange zest.
- Add the sugar and cardamom: Add the granulated, brown sugar and the cardamom to the cranberries and stir well to combine. Cook over low heat until the sugars have dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Increase the heat: Increase the heat to a medium-high temperature and add the dessert wine while stirring. Continue to stir occasionally and allow berries to cook until they burst. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve: Remove the sauce from the heat. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Place in the refrigerator to cool or serve warm. Garnish with the remaining orange zest before serving.
The Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
8
servings5
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minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
12 oz fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup cranberry juice
1 orange, juiced, and zested
1/4 cup red dessert wine
1 tsp cardamom
Directions
- Clean the cranberries thoroughly and remove any shriveled or rotten ones from the bunch. If you are using frozen cranberries, you will not need to rinse or thaw them.
- Juice and zest the orange, then add to a saucepan along with the fresh cranberries, cranberry juice, and half of the orange zest.
- Add the granulated, brown sugar and the cardamom to the cranberries and stir well to combine. Cook over low heat until the sugars have dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Increase the heat to a medium-high temperature and add the dessert wine while stirring. Continue to stir occasionally and allow berries to cook until they burst. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Place in the refrigerator to cool or serve warm.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Be sure you allow the cranberries to pop while cooking, releasing the natural pectins in the fruit that thicken this sauce.
Did you make this recipe?
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While I have you here… may I suggest a few for you to try next:
Until next time. Keep following and commenting. Join me on Youtube next week where I will be cooking up another recipe and maybe telling a few of my terrible jokes! Yes, that’s right.
