Canned versus homemade cranberry sauce is a debate for the ages. We have several die hard canned cranberry sauce advocates in our family. So when I set out to convert them I wanted to stick to the traditional flavors of cranberry sauce that we all know and love.
Cranberry Sauce with Simple Ingredients
- Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
- Granulated Sugar
- Orange Twist
- Orange Juice
Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
This recipe is so easy, with a short list of simple ingredients. If you have a hard time locating fresh cranberries you can easily use frozen cranberries as a substitution. I have found you can really only find fresh cranberries during the Holiday season and sometimes they get bought up fast. So when I can find them I buy a few bags and freeze what I don’t need at that moment. That way I always have some on hand if I need them.
There is a fabulous texture to homemade cranberry sauce. A combination of jellied sauce with soft whole cranberries. It is the signature look of homemade cranberry sauce. To get that perfect texture I set aside 1/2 cup of my cranberries and add them in later in the cooking process so they are soft but keep their form.
Combine the remaining cranberries, sugar, orange twists, and orange juice into a medium sized sauce pan over low heat.
Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook until the cranberries start to burst, about 10-15 minutes.
Turn the heat back down to low and add in the reserved cranberries. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Adjust the flavor with additional salt or sugar if needed.
Cool to room temperature and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
You can store your homemade cranberry sauce in a container in the fridge for 10-14 days. So this is a perfect Holiday dinner treat that can be made well in advance to free up your time for other things.
You can even freeze your homemade cranberry sauce. Pack in an air tight container or freezer-safe plastic bag for the best results. Store in your freezer for up to 3 months, then defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces 1.5 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 twists of orange peel
- 2 tbsp. orange juice
Instructions
- Place 1/2 cup of your cranberries aside. Combine the remaining cranberries, sugar, orange twists, and orange juice into a medium sized sauce pan over low heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook until the cranberries start to burst, about 10-15 minutes. Turn the heat back down to low and add in the reserved cranberries. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Adjust the flavor with additional salt or sugar if needed. Cool to room temperature and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.