Bursting with sweet seasonal favors, Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon is the perfect side to enjoy with all your holiday dinners!
No holiday table is complete without a dish of everyone’s favorite Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon! Tart cranberries sweetened with fresh oranges and brown sugar is a combination no one can resist and the addition of a little cinnamon takes the holiday flavors over the top!
Berry Holidays
Fresh seasonal cranberries bring the bright feelings of the holidays to life. We can’t always get fresh cranberries though, so I’m extra thankful that I can use frozen cranberries to make this amazing cranberry sauce! If I find fresh cranberries but am not ready to use them, I purchase them anyway and toss them in my freezer for later because there is no way my family will let me forget to make cranberry sauce for the next few holiday get-togethers. This cranberry sauce is the perfect dish because besides being everyone’s favorite, I can also make it ahead of time so there’s less to do, and also because we can make it as sweet or tart as we like!
Delicious Crock Pot Cranberry Apple Cider mugs and sweet and savory Cranberry Goat Cheese Bites are the perfect way to fill your house with warm, cozy holiday vibes!
Other Recipes to Serve with Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon
- Can’t get enough of those mouthwatering holiday flavors? Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken is a wonderfully easy way to fill those cravings, even on a busy weeknight!
- Keep the brown sugar handy to mix up another favorite holiday side: Brown Sugar and Maple Sweet Potatoes!
Ingredients
Fruit: To make this dish, you will need cranberries and a couple of Navel oranges. You can pick up fresh or frozen cranberries.
Pantry Items: This dish will also need brown sugar and cinnamon sticks.
Water/Juice: Water is a more tart option for cranberry sauce, while apple juice is a sweeter option.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon
STEP ONE: Add the cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and water (or apple juice) into a saucepan and bring the sauce to a boil.
STEP TWO: Once the sauce reaches a boil, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir the sauce from time to time to break up the berries.
STEP THREE: Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool before enjoying it or storing it in an airtight container.
Tips for Success
- Using apple juice in this recipe will produce a sweeter sauce. If you’re unsure how sweet you like it, you can choose to use water and then carefully taste-test the sauce halfway through cooking. If the sauce isn’t sweet enough, add a little brown sugar to make it as sweet as you like.
- There’s no need to thaw the cranberries before adding them to the saucepan. Just toss everything together and simmer!
- You can make this cranberry sauce well before the holidays and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
What are you supposed to eat cranberry sauce with?
A better question might be, “What are you not supposed to eat with cranberry sauce?” This sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and tart, which makes it a lovely addition to all kinds of food! It can liven up pancakes and yogurt or make cupcakes and muffins extra sweet with a cranberry filling. Cranberry sauce can also cut the heaviness of savory dishes like turkey or roast by either serving it on the side or as a topping. Cranberries are deliciously versatile and perfect in so many dishes and treats!
Is cranberry sauce healthy to eat?
Cranberries are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, so they are wonderful berries to enjoy! Adding oranges and cinnamon also helps boost the nutritional goodies found in this recipe, with Vitamin C and more. Homemade cranberry sauce also has a lot less sugar and other preservatives that can potentially have a negative impact on one’s diet. So, while everything in moderation is key, cranberry sauce contains a lot of good things and is a great addition to holiday meals.
More Holiday-Inspired Cranberry Dishes to Enjoy
- Cranberry Fluff
- Apple and Cranberry Cornbread Dressing
- Cranberry Meatballs
- Cranberry Glazed Spiral Ham Recipe
- Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce
*This post originally posted on 11/18/2013.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 oranges
- 12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup apple juice or water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Zest one orange. Cut both oranges in half and juice them into a bowl or measuring cup. Put the zest and orange juice into a medium saucepan.
- Add the cranberries, brown sugar, apple juice, and cinnamon sticks to the saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. The berries will burst as they cook.
- Remove from the heat and allow the cranberry sauce to cool in the saucepan. Remove the cinnamon sticks once cooled.
- Serve at room temperature or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also chill the cranberry sauce and serve it cold.
Notes
- If you’re using apple juice instead of water, this recipe will result in a sweeter cranberry sauce.
- If you want the cranberry sauce less chunky, you can press it through a mesh sieve or use an immersion blender to puree until smooth.
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