Hazelnut Free Maple Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Ginger
Tart cranberries, bright citrus, warm ginger, and a touch of Ceylon cinnamon come together in a sauce that tastes far more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. The double sweetener approach — pure maple syrup and honey — gives the finished sauce a rounded, layered sweetness that plain sugar just can't match. Fresh orange juice and zest keep everything lively, while the ginger adds just enough heat to make each spoonful interesting. Store-bought cranberry sauce often hides additives and flavorings that can be hard to vet, so making your own from scratch means you know exactly what's in the jar. The technique is straightforward: simmer the cranberries until they burst, stir in the remaining ingredients, and let the sauce do its thing over gentle heat. Pulling the pan off the burner before it looks fully set is the key move here — it firms up beautifully as it cools, landing at a perfect spoonable consistency. This is the kind of condiment that earns a permanent spot on the table well beyond the holiday season.
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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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