Vegetarian Maple Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Ginger
Tart cranberries, bright citrus, warming spice, and a touch of natural sweetness — this sauce hits every note you want on a holiday table or tucked alongside a cozy weeknight meal. Fresh orange juice and zest give it a sunny lift, while finely grated ginger adds just enough heat to keep things interesting. Pure maple syrup and honey do the sweetening here, so there's none of the corn-syrup heaviness you often get from the canned stuff. Ceylon cinnamon is a subtle but smart choice — its delicate, almost floral warmth rounds out the fruit without overpowering it. The whole thing comes together in one saucepan in under twenty minutes, and the sauce thickens beautifully as it cools, so patience is the only real technique required. It's the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever reached for a can in the first place.
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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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