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Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Cinnamon

homemade cranberry sauce with orange and cinnamon - featured image
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This quick and easy cranberry sauce comes together in under 20 minutes with fresh or frozen cranberries, orange, and cinnamon. It’s the perfect balance of tart, sweet, and spiced, and it’s a crowd-pleaser that will convert even canned-sauce loyalists.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces (340 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice (from about 1 large orange)
  • 1 tablespoon (about 6 grams) orange zest
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) water
  • Optional: ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Rinse the cranberries in a colander under cold water, discarding any shriveled or bruised ones. If using frozen, measure straight from the bag.
  2. Zest the orange using a Microplane or fine grater to get about 1 tablespoon of zest, being careful to avoid the white pith. Then cut the orange in half and juice it until you have ½ cup (120 ml) of fresh juice. Set the zest aside separately.
  3. In a medium saucepan (2 to 3 quarts), combine the rinsed cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, and cinnamon stick. Stir briefly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
  4. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. This should take 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cranberries will burst and the sauce will thicken. It’s done when most cranberries have popped and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
  6. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the fresh orange zest.
  7. Let the sauce cool completely at room temperature (at least 30 minutes). It will continue to thicken as it cools. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. For best flavor, make a day ahead.

Notes

The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. If it seems too tart when hot, let it cool before adjusting sweetness. For a deeper flavor, make 1-2 days ahead. To freeze, cool completely and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, homemade cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving, orange cranberry sauce, cinnamon cranberry sauce, easy cranberry sauce, holiday side dish

Find it online: https://dinadishes.com/best-homemade-cranberry-sauce-with-orange-and-cinnamon/