Artificial Flavors Free Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Ginger
Cranberry sauce is one of those dishes that deserves so much better than a gelatinous cylinder sliding out of a can, and this from-scratch version delivers on every level. Tart cranberries simmer down with fresh-squeezed orange juice, real grated ginger, and warm spices until the sauce is glossy, fragrant, and deeply flavorful — no shortcuts, no mystery additives. Store-bought versions are notorious for sneaking in artificial flavors and colorings that have no business being near a holiday table, but every single ingredient here is something you can actually picture in your kitchen. The honey adds a gentle, rounded sweetness that plays beautifully against the citrus brightness, while the cinnamon and turmeric give it a subtle warmth that feels almost luxurious. A touch of orange zest stirred in at the end keeps the flavor vivid and fresh rather than flat or cooked-out. It comes together in one saucepan and chills into a perfectly spoonable consistency that works just as well on a cheese board as it does alongside a roast. Once you make it this way, going back to anything artificial is simply not an option.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 medium oranges)
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cranberries, orange juice, water, honey, grated ginger, ground cinnamon, turmeric, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine.
- 2
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes, until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
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