BHA & BHT Free Maple Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Ginger
Cranberry sauce from a can is convenient, but the ingredient labels on store-bought versions can be a minefield of synthetic preservatives you'd rather avoid. This from-scratch version keeps things beautifully clean — every ingredient is whole, recognizable, and naturally free of the artificial additives that sneak into so many packaged condiments. Fresh or frozen cranberries simmer down with real orange juice and water until they burst and release that gorgeous ruby color, then pure maple syrup and honey step in as the sweeteners, bringing a depth that plain white sugar just can't match. Freshly grated ginger and Ceylon cinnamon add warmth and a gentle spice, while orange zest stirred in at the end brightens the whole pot with a citrusy lift. The sauce looks loose when it comes off the heat, but patience pays off — it sets into a perfectly spoonable consistency as it cools. Whether you're spooning it over a holiday roast, spreading it on leftover turkey sandwiches, or dolloping it onto a cheese board, this is the kind of simple, honest cooking that makes you wonder why you ever reached for the canned stuff.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 oranges)
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cranberries, orange juice, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries begin to burst and release their liquid, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Stir in the maple syrup, honey, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, and sea salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and most of the cranberries have broken down, about 8–10 minutes. Watch the heat — the sugars can scorch quickly once the liquid reduces; lower the flame if the sauce begins to spit or stick.
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