Nitrate & Nitrite Free Fresh Orange Cranberry Sauce
Bright, tangy, and just sweet enough, this homemade cranberry sauce is the kind of condiment that makes everything on the plate taste better. Fresh cranberries, real orange juice, and a hit of zest come together in one saucepan for a result that's miles ahead of anything from a can. For anyone avoiding preservatives and cured-meat additives, store-bought cranberry products can be a surprisingly tricky category — but this recipe keeps things completely clean with nothing but whole, recognizable ingredients. The optional cinnamon adds a gentle warmth that ties the citrus and berry flavors together beautifully without overpowering either. It thickens naturally as it cools, so what you pull off the stove will set into a glossy, spoonable sauce that looks as good as it tastes. Make it ahead and refrigerate it — it only gets better as the flavors meld.
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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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