An easy and delicious recipe for cranberry sauce is something everyone should have in their arsenal. And this whole berry cranberry sauce recipe is the one!
Made with fresh orange juice, orange zest and just a hint of nutmeg, this homemade cranberry sauce is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner and beyond.
I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a cranberry fanatic. During the holiday season, I just can’t get enough of them. There is literally never a time during November or December when you won’t find a jumbo-sized bag of fresh cranberries in my fridge.
I bake them into breads, cookies and muffins. I muddle them into cocktails and use them to garnish cheese boards and party trays.
And obviously, the cranberry sauce. Soooo much cranberry sauce. It’s nothing to see me standing at the fridge eating this whole cranberry sauce out of the container with a spoon.
Why We Love This Recipe
- It’s incredibly easy. This is an easy recipe that requires just a handful of simple ingredients and one saucepan.
- It tastes fresh. Fresh cranberry sauce has a bright, tart flavor that you just don’t get from a can of cranberry sauce.
- You can make it ahead. In fact, cranberry sauce is one of the best Thanksgiving recipes to prepare a couple days in advance.
- It’s customizable. Add orange zest, lemon zest, maple syrup, a cinnamon stick or even a little brown sugar to make the flavor your own.
- It goes with everything. From turkey and sausage stuffing to sweet potatoes and sweet potato casserole, this flavorful cranberry sauce belongs on every Thanksgiving plate.
- It’s beautiful. The vibrant color makes it a colorful addition to your Thanksgiving table.
- It’s versatile. Use leftover cranberry sauce on sandwiches, spread it over cream cheese, swirl it into plain Greek yogurt or spoon it over ice cream.
- It’s better than the canned version. Once you taste this homemade version, you may never reach for the canned stuff again!
Ingredients
- Fresh whole cranberries
- Fresh oranges
- Sugar
- Grated nutmeg
I’ve seen some recipes for cranberry sauce out there that have cinnamon in them. Cinnamon is amazing, but if you really want to elevate your cranberry sauce to something worthy of a holiday table, go with nutmeg.
We’re only using a tiny bit, but it just gives this cranberry sauce that extra special something. It’s arguably the best part!
How to make Whole Cranberry Sauce
We’re using the whole orange in this recipe, both the juice and the zest. So zest the orange first, and then juice it.
Bring the cranberries to a boil with the sugar, orange juice and some water. Once it starts to thicken, stir in the orange zest and nutmeg. And that’s it!
It will thicken as it cools, so let it hang out on the stovetop after you turn off the heat until it cools down.
Serving Suggestions
I think we can agree that no Thanksgiving meal is complete without cranberry sauce. So what happens if you have some left over?
Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy leftover cranberry sauce, even after the Thanksgiving turkey is gone:
- Mix it together with mayonnaise to spread onto leftover turkey sandwiches
- Spread it onto a wheel of brie and bake it
- Make my favorite Cranberry Brie Tartlets for your next holiday party.
- Stir it into a sauce for Sweet and Sour Meatballs.
Storage Instructions
Store cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
Cranberry Sauce vs. Cranberry Relish
Cranberry sauce and cranberry relish are both made with whole berries, but have one important difference. While cranberry sauce is cooked on the stovetop until the berries begin to soften and burst open, cranberry relish is made with uncooked cranberries that have been finely chopped.
So it’s more of a fresh cranberry sauce.
Relish has a brighter, fresher taste than cranberry sauce, which is more syrupy.
Whole Cranberry Sauce vs. Jellied Cranberry Sauce
Jellied cranberry sauce, or cranberry jelly, will always hold a special place in my heart, because it’s the kind that I grew up on.
Jellied cranberry sauce has the solid cranberry pieces strained out and the result is a smooth, firm substance that takes on the shape of whatever container it’s in – kind of like Jell-o with less jiggle.
Whole berry cranberry sauce maintains the pieces of actual cranberry, and is looser in form. You can’t slice it the way you can slice the canned stuff.
Both are chock full of nutrient-rich cranberries, so it comes down to preference.
Is Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce good for you?
Cranberries themselves are high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They’re also famously good for supporting healthy urinary tract function.
Unfortunately, when we mix cranberries with sugar, like in cranberry sauce, their “healthy” factor goes down.
That said, cranberry sauce will always be one of the lower calorie side dishes on your Thanksgiving table. Cranberry sauce is also gluten free and dairy free, making it a great option for those with food sensitivities.
FAQs
Absolutely! Cranberry sauce is one of the best make-ahead Thanksgiving side dishes.
You can make this simple cranberry sauce recipe several days before Thanksgiving Day. Once it cools to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it until serving time.
Making it a day or two ahead actually makes your holiday meal easier because the flavors have time to develop. The sauce will also thicken as it sits.
For the best texture, take the cranberry sauce out of the refrigerator shortly before serving and allow it to come closer to room temperature.
You can make it a couple of days ahead, making it a low maintenance addition to your Thanksgiving table.
Yes! Frozen cranberries work beautifully in this recipe.
You don’t need to thaw frozen cranberries before cooking. Simply add them directly to the saucepan and follow the recipe as written. The cooking time may vary by a few minutes, but the cranberries will soften and burst just like fresh cranberries.
Frozen whole cranberries are also a great option when fresh cranberries aren’t available at the grocery store.
So whether you use fresh or frozen berries, you can make a delicious fresh cranberry sauce throughout the entire holiday season.
Cranberries themselves are high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They’re also famously good for supporting healthy urinary tract function.
Unfortunately, when we mix cranberries with sugar, like in cranberry sauce, their “healthy” factor goes down.
That said, cranberry sauce will always be one of the lower calorie side dishes on your Thanksgiving table. Cranberry sauce is also gluten free and dairy free, making it a great option for those with food sensitivities.
When you make this whole cranberry sauce for your Thanksgiving table, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more holiday side dish recipes, try these:
- Potatoes au Gratin with Corn & Gruyere
- Broccoli & Cheddar Bake
- Jalapeño Corn Casserole with Cheddar Cheese
For more Thanksgiving recipes, try these:
Homemade Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cups water
- 1 orange
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Put water and sugar into a medium saucepan. Zest the orange and set aside the zest. Juice the orange and add it to the saucepan (you should get about 1/4 cup of juice from one orange). Bring the water, sugar and juice to a boil. Add cranberries. Return to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. The cranberries should have started to pop by now.
- Add the orange zest and nutmeg. Smash the cranberries with a wooden spoon until about half of them are smashed and the rest are left whole. Simmer on low heat about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. It will thicken as it cools.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container.
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