Brazil Nut Free Maple Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Ginger
Tart cranberries, bright citrus, warming ginger, and a touch of Ceylon cinnamon come together in a sauce that tastes far more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. The combination of maple syrup and honey gives it a layered, nuanced sweetness that plain sugar just can't match, while fresh orange juice and zest keep everything lively and vibrant. Store-bought cranberry sauce often hides surprising additives, but every single ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify — no mystery fillers, no shared-facility concerns, just clean, whole-food pantry staples. The technique is simple: a gentle simmer lets the cranberries burst and meld with the aromatics, and the sauce thickens beautifully on its own as it cools, no thickeners needed. A quick stir of orange zest off the heat is the finishing move that makes the whole thing pop. This is the kind of sauce that earns compliments at the table and quietly disappears before the meal is even over.
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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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