Mustard 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 natural sweetness comes from pure maple syrup and honey, so there's no refined sugar in sight — just layers of flavor that build as the berries burst and the liquid slowly reduces down to a glossy, spoonable consistency. For anyone navigating a mustard sensitivity, cranberry sauce can actually be a sneaky offender at the holiday table, since some store-bought versions and even homemade recipes use mustard seed or mustard powder as a background spice. Every single ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify, which means you can bring this to a gathering with total confidence. Fresh orange juice and zest added at the end keep the flavor lively and bright rather than heavy or overly sweet. The sauce looks deceptively loose when it comes off the heat, but give it time to cool and it sets up beautifully — perfect for spooning over a roast, spreading on a leftover sandwich, or serving straight from a pretty jar on the table.
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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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