Sweet and tart with some citrusy tang, thiseasy homemade cranberry sauceis heavenly on a holiday dinner plate and is a simple side to prepare ahead of time!

white bowl with homemade cranberry sauce and orange zest on tip with spoon.

If there’s one thing I absolutely need on my plate for a holiday meal, it’s cranberry sauce. And I’m not talking the kind you get in a can that’s still perfectly can-shaped when you dump it out. Nope, that’s practically a sin in my kitchen. I mean, I’m all for kitchen hacks and cooking shortcuts, but you guys,making cranberry sauce from scratch is so easythat it’s silly to do anything else!

If you can stir things in a pot on the stove, you’re golden (ahem, that should be everyone reading this!). It’s also aperfect contender to make ahead of timefor less stress on the day of the occasion itself. It keeps for up to 3 days, so go ahead and knock it off your to-cook list early!

white place with turkey potatoes cranberry sauce brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I love this sauce becauseit’s sweet from the sugar, tart from the cranberries, and zesty from the orange juice and peelused as flavorings.
It has all theserich and bright fall flavors, yet it doesn’t take a professional chef (or a food blogger) to make it perfectly every time.
Cranberry sauce is aspecial Thanksgiving dishthat elevates the rest of the meal with its bright flavors and color, andthis recipe is the best for making aheadand having a simple and rich cranberry sauce.

🦃 My family loves all thingscranberry-flavoredso I always have a cranberry-themed dish at each Thanksgiving & Christmas holiday meal!

Recipe Ingredients

Cranberries–fresh or frozen
Oranges –3 to 4 oranges for the juice and peel
Sugar
Cinnamon stick

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Add the cranberries, orange juice, water, and sugar to a saucepan and stir.
Then add the salt, cinnamon, and orange peel.
Bringthe mixture to a simmer.
Let cool and remove the orange peel and cinnamon stick

Recipe FAQs

What do you use cranberry sauce for?

Cranberry sauce is a traditional Thanksgiving dish in America. It’s thought that a cranberry dish may have been served at the first Thanksgiving, as the Wampanoag tribe used cranberries for a variety of things, like dye, medicine, and food. Today, it’s a sweet and tart dish served up at most Thanksgiving tables because the bright flavors complement the heavier, saltier, richer Thanksgiving foods, like turkey, potatoes, and stuffing.

Can cranberry sauce be frozen?

Yes, homemade cranberry sauce freezes beautifully! Store it in an airtight container, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to serve it.

Is cranberry sauce served cold or hot?

This is totally up to you! You can serve it warm, at room temperature, or chilled. It will also keep in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days, so take advantage of it for all your holiday leftover meals!

white bowl and spoon with red cranberry sauce and orange zest.

Expert Tips

For asweeter cranberry sauce, add an additional 1/4 cup of sugar at the start of cooking to cut some of the tartness.
Homemade cranberry saucefreezes wonderfully! Keep it stored in an airtight container, and it can bekept frozen for up to 3 months.Then thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to serve it.
Cranberry sauce can beserved hot or cold,depending on your family’s preference.