Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Homemade Cranberry Sauce – a million times better than the canned stuff. Can make ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve. A family recipe that has been passed down for generations. Cranberries, apples, orange, cinnamon, sugar, pecans, ginger, cloves, and orange juice. Hands-down the BEST cranberry sauce, I’ve ever eaten. A MUST for your holiday meal!

Cranberry Orange Compote Recipe

This Homemade Cranberry Sauce is unlike any other I’ve eaten. SO many amazing flavors! It is loaded with cranberries, apples, oranges, pecans, ginger, and cinnamon. It not only tastes delicious, but it also smells AMAZING! The house smelled like the holidays when I was making this. This is a MILLION times better than the canned stuff! Once you taste this, it will become a holiday tradition in your house too!

How to Make Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce

This sauce is very simple to make. Start with cooking some fresh cranberries in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the skins pop. Stir in diced orange, diced apple, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pecans, and orange juice to the pot and simmer for about 30 minutes, until thickened. Cool completely. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy.

• Can you make cranberry sauce ahead of time? Yes! I actually prefer to make this sauce a day in advance and refrigerate it overnight. It needs time to cool off and set up.
• Store leftover cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.
• You can serve this cold, warm or at room temperature.
• The original recipe included raisins. We aren’t big raisin fans, so I usually leave them out. If you want to add raisins, you need half of a cup.
• You can use thawed frozen whole cranberries in place of fresh.
• Can substitute ¾ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
• Can homemade cranberry sauce be frozen? Yes! Make the sauce and cool completely. Transfer the sauce to a plastic freezer bag or an airtight container and freeze. 
  • Cranberry sauce will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.
  • To reheat the sauce, thaw and cook on the stovetop over medium heat.

What to Serve with Cranberry Sauce

This cranberry sauce recipe would also make a great homemade hostess gift for any parties you might be attending this month or a great teacher gift! Put the sauce in a mason jar with a pretty ribbon – viola! An easy and delicious gift!

This is a must for our holiday meal. Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner aren’t complete without this on the table with all of the holiday meal fixings. Leftovers are great on a turkey sandwich, spread on toast, and warmed and served over ice cream. YUM!

Here are a few of our favorite holiday meal recipes from the blog that go great with this sauce:

Thanksgiving

Mom’s Cornbread Dressing

Mom’s Southern Cornbread Dressing & Turkey – My Mom’s recipe for THE BEST turkey & dressing! It is SO easy…

Vegetables

Smothered Green Beans

Smothered Green Beans – canned green beans baked in bacon, brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, and garlic. This is the…

Side Dish Casseroles

Zucchini, Squash & Corn Casserole

Zucchini, Squash & Corn Casserole – our favorite side dish! Zucchini, Squash, Corn, Onion, garlic, white cheddar cheese, sour cream,…

Bread

No Knead Dinner Rolls

No Knead Dinner Rolls recipe – seriously THE BEST rolls EVER!! The best part is that you can make them…

Recipe Print Recipe

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Author: Plain Chicken

Yield: 10 people

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Homemade Cranberry Sauce – a million times better than the canned stuff. Can make ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve. A family recipe that has been passed down for generations. Cranberries, apples, orange, cinnamon, sugar, pecans, ginger, cloves, and orange juice. Hands-down the BEST cranberry sauce, I've ever eaten. A MUST for your holiday meal!

Equipment:

• 6-quart saucepot

Ingredients:

• 1 (16-oz) fresh cranberries
• 1 cup water
• 1 orange
• 2½ cups sugar
• 2 cups peeled diced apples
• ½ cup raisins, optional
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ cup orange juice

Instructions:

• Combine water and cranberries in large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 6 to 8 minutes or until skins pop.
• Peel, seed and dice orange. Add orange and remaining ingredients to cranberries.
• Cook, stirring often, about 30 minutes or until mixture thickens.
• Remove from heat and cool. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Notes:

• I prefer to make this sauce a day in advance and refrigerate it overnight. It needs time to cool off and set up.
• You can use thawed frozen whole cranberries in place of fresh.
• Can substitute ¾ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

Plain Chicken

https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-cranberry-sauce/

All images and text © Plain Chicken, Inc.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @plainchicken or tag #plainchicken!

Steph