Citric Acid Free Fresh Orange Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce from a can is convenient, but once you've made it fresh on the stovetop, there's really no going back. This version leans on real orange juice and orange zest to bring a bright, natural sweetness that balances the tartness of the cranberries beautifully. For anyone avoiding manufactured citric acid — the kind added as a preservative in countless packaged foods — this recipe is a clean, straightforward win because every drop of acidity here comes straight from a whole orange. The cranberries burst and thicken into a glossy, jewel-toned sauce that looks as good as it tastes. A whisper of cinnamon rounds out the flavor and makes the whole kitchen smell incredible. It comes together in about fifteen minutes of active cooking, and it only gets better as it sits and cools. Whether you're spooning it over a holiday roast or sneaking it straight from the bowl, this is the kind of simple, from-scratch cooking that makes you wonder why you ever reached for the canned stuff.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 bag (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 large orange)
- 1 tbsp orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and orange zest in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- 2
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and 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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