Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice Recipe {4 ingredients} (2024)

Home All Recipes Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

By Jess Smith

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Published Nov 19, 2021Updated Jul 30, 2023

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With its tangy-sweet flavor and bright red color, Cranberry Sauce with orange juice is a must-have for holiday meals. With only four ingredients, this recipe is quick, easy, and can be made ahead.

Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice Recipe {4 ingredients} (2)

As far as Thanksgiving side dishes go, cranberry sauce is a staple, but doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It’s hard to compete with juicy Roasted Turkey, and classic side dishes like creamy mashed potatoes, and light and buttery dinner rolls. But I would argue that cranberry sauce is an essential addition. The sweet-tart flavor just brightens the entire plate of savory dishes. It helps the show-stoppers to shine and it is, by far, the easiest Thanksgiving recipe to make from scratch.It can also be made ahead up to 14 days before the holiday.

Here’s how!

How to Make Cranberry Sauce

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Cranberries (fresh or frozen), orange juice, water, and sugar.
  2. Bring to a boil. Heat everything over medium-high until the sauce is bubbling.
  3. Simmer on low. Reduce the heat so that the sauce continues to bubble gently (low or low-medium, depending on your stove).
  4. Cook until thick. Let the sauce simmer, stirring often, until it thickens to your liking, 12 to 20 minutes.
  5. Let cool. Let the sauce cool completely before storing in the refrigerator for up to 14 days.
Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice Recipe {4 ingredients} (3)

Cranberry Relish vs Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry relish is a dish using fresh cranberries that are finely chopped, combined with sugar, and served raw. Cranberry sauce is simmered until it reaches a thick, jammy consistency. The basic ingredients are the same – cranberries, sugar, and citrus.

This recipe for cranberry relish would be a great one to try!

How long to refrigerate or freeze

Cranberry sauce has a high level of acidity and sugar, so it can easily be stored in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. It can be frozen in well-sealed containers for 4 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator before use.

How to thicken cranberry sauce

Just like most jam and jelly recipes, you can easily thicken cranberry sauce by simmering it for longer. The liquids will cook off and the sauce will thicken.

How to thin cranberry sauce

If you finish your sauce and notice that it is more thick than you would like, simply simmer it on the stovetop with additional water. Continue simmering until it reaches your desired consistency

Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice Recipe {4 ingredients} (4)

What to do with leftovers

In addition to serving it with any of your Thanksgiving or Christmas leftovers, try adding cranberry sauce to turkey sandwiches. And if you need some variety, try serving cranberry sauce with pork chops, roast chicken, or as a glaze for salmon.

You can also use leftover cranberry sauce like a jam and spread it on rolls or biscuits with butter.

Ingredients

  • Cranberries – Fresh or frozen will work. If using fresh cranberries, look for berries that are a vibrant red and firm to the touch. Discard any berries that are brown or blemished.
  • Orange Juice – Orange juice’s sweet citrus flavor is a great complement to tart cranberries.
  • Ginger – Ginger’s warm spice adds a unique hint of flavor. Use freshly grated ginger for the best flavor. Feel free to skip this you prefer a more classic flavor.
  • Sugar – Sweetens naturally tart cranberries.
  • Water – Boiling the cranberries in a mixture of orange juice and water helps to soften them.

Variations

  • Make it sweet and zesty – Adding vanilla and orange zest is a popular variation on this traditional Thanksgiving side dish.
  • Add fall spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice complement cranberry-orange flavors.

How do I make it thicker?

The longer you simmer the sauce, the thicker it will become. Simmer the sauce for 12 minutes for a more loose sauce or 20 minutes for a thicker, chunkier sauce.

How far in advance can you make cranberry sauce?

If stored in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator, cranberry sauce will last and taste fresh for up to 2 weeks.

Can you freeze cranberry sauce?

Yes. Freeze it in a well-sealed container for up to 6 months.

Can I use frozen cranberries?

Absolutely. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries to make cranberry sauce. You do not need to defrost them first.

Should I serve it hot or cold?

Cranberry sauce is great served at any temperature. When serving it with a warm holiday meal, it’s a good idea to let it come to room temperature before serving. Leftovers are great used cold just like jelly or jam.

More Classic Thanksgiving Sides

  • Overnight Sausage and Sage Stuffing
  • Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
  • Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Casserole
  • Focaccia and Bacon Stuffing
  • Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

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Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice Recipe {4 ingredients} (5)

5 from 3 votes

Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

With its tangy-sweet flavor and bright red color, cranberry sauce is a must-have side dish for any holiday meal. With only four ingredients, this recipe is quick, easy, and can be made ahead.

To adjust the servings in this recipe, click on the number next to servings.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 10

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Equipment

  • Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Orange Juice (use the kind with no pulp for the best texture)
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 4 cups Cranberries (fresh or frozen; see note)
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated Fresh Ginger (optional; see note)

Instructions

  • Combine orange juice, sugar, water, and cranberries in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often.

  • When sauce begins to boil, reduce heat to a low-medium. Simmer until the cranberries have all burst, and the sauce has reached your desired thickness, 12 to 20 minutes. (Note: Cooking the sauce for longer will result in a thicker, more chunky sauce.)

  • Move the sauce off of the heat and stir in fresh ginger, if using.

  • Allow cranberry sauce to cool completely. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Notes

Cranberries – You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. If using fresh cranberries, look for berries that are a vibrant red and firm to the touch. Discard any berries that are brown or blemished. If using frozen, there is no need to defrost them before using them. Step 1 to bring the cranberries to a boil will take slightly longer because the cranberries will need to defrost.

Ginger – Fresh ginger adds a unique, warm spice flavor to the cranberry sauce. Just peel the ginger and use a microplane or other fine grater to grate the ginger directly into the sauce. For a more classic flavor, feel free to skip this.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 74IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $4.00

Calories: 88

Keyword: Christmas, easy side dish, Thanksgiving

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Categorized as:
All Recipes, Christmas, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving

About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

Read More About Me

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Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice Recipe {4 ingredients} (2024)

FAQs

Can you mix cranberry juice and orange juice together? ›

Cranberries and orange juice combine with agave to create a festive drink that's a beautiful holiday red, has all the sweet and tangy flavors of the season, and just makes the holiday feel so much more merry and bright. It's a great drink to serve to family and friends around the fire on a cold Christmas day.

What is Ocean Spray cranberry sauce made of? ›

CRANBERRIES, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, WATER.

What makes cranberry sauce thick? ›

Mistake #1: Your Cranberry Sauce Is Too Thick

If your cranberry sauce is too thick, it's most likely overcooked. When you cook cranberries (or any berries), they burst, releasing pectin—a natural thickener.

How to enhance cranberry sauce? ›

Cranberries are high in pectin, which helps them set naturally into a jelly without the need for any other thickeners. Orange zest and cinnamon are natural flavor pairings for cranberries, enhancing and complementing their tartness.

What not to mix with cranberry? ›

Possible Interactions
  1. Warfarin (Coumadin): Cranberry may raise the risk of bleeding, especially if you already take medications to thin the blood such as warfarin. ...
  2. Aspirin: Like aspirin, cranberries contain salicylic acid. ...
  3. Other medications: Cranberry may interact with medications that are broken down by the liver.

What is a Malibu Bay Breeze made of? ›

The Bay Breeze is a sweet symphony of Malibu Original, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice. It's a tropical explosion that'll have your taste buds dancing. The Bay Breeze is a modern classic that emerged in the 1950s and has been stealing hearts ever since.

What is the difference between Ocean Spray cranberry juice and Ocean Spray cranberry juice co*cktail? ›

Cranberry juice is usually labeled "100% juice." Other fruits are sometimes added to balance the tart cranberry taste, but that label indicates that the product is made with 100% fruit juices. Cranberry juice co*cktail, meanwhile, has added sugars or high-fructose corn syrup for extra sweetness.

How do you spice up Ocean Spray cranberry sauce? ›

Incorporate botanicals. A drop or two of rosewater or orange blossom water, a pinch of dried lavender buds, a sprinkle of fresh minced mint, tarragon, or cilantro; some fresh ginger or galangal or lemongrass; use a judicious hand to bring these fresh flavors into your canned sauce.

What are the ingredients in canned jellied cranberry sauce? ›

Their jellied cranberry sauce is made with cranberries, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and water.

What takes the bitterness out of cranberry sauce? ›

If you don't have maple syrup (pancake syrup WILL NOT do, y'all), try honey or a more neutral sweetener like agave syrup, brown rice syrup, or even simple syrup. All of these syrupy ingredients are a perfect quick fix for bitter cranberry sauce.

What are the two types of cranberry sauce? ›

Cranberry sauce can be served either as a gooey liquid or as a solid jelly. The jellied version is solid enough to retain the shape of the container in which it's placed whereas the sauce version is much more fluid. The difference between the fluid sauce and the jelly versions comes down to pectin.

Why didn t my homemade cranberry sauce thicken? ›

Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.

How to doctor up cranberry sauce? ›

Stir-in one (or more) of the following add-ins to one can of whole or jellied cranberry sauce:
  1. 2 Tbsp. of orange juice plus 1 tsp. of finely grated orange peel.
  2. ½ can of mandarin oranges.
  3. ½ cup pineapple.
  4. ½ tsp. cinnamon.
  5. ½ cup chopped dried apricots.
  6. ½ cup toasted pecans.
  7. 2 Tbsp. Zinfandel Wine.
Aug 11, 2022

What role do sugar and water play in making cranberry sauce? ›

Instead, the pectin polymers will bind to each other, giving the cranberry mixture more and more structure. The sweet sugar-water molecules get trapped in between the pectin chains, resulting in a tasty cranberry sauce!

How long does homemade cranberry sauce last in the refrigerator? ›

When to Toss Cranberry Sauce. Cranberry sauce will last for two hours at room temperature. Homemade cranberry sauce will last in the fridge for 10 to 14 days. Canned cranberry sauce that has been opened will last up to a week in the fridge.

Does orange and cranberry go well together? ›

This cranberry orange co*cktail is a delicious way to use fresh cranberries, plus you're getting a little vitamin C in thanks to the orange juice 😉 It's perfect for New Year's eve, or any sort of holiday celebration, really. What I love most about this drink is that it's easy to customize to your liking!

Which juices should not be mixed? ›

Avoid mixing acidic fruits with sweet fruits

Acidic and sub-acidic fruits such as grapefruits, strawberries, apples, pomegranates, and peaches, should never be combined with sweet fruits such as bananas and raisins. This is because it often leads to digestive problems, nausea, acidosis, and headaches.

Can you mix cranberry juice with other juices? ›

Add honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, or agave nectar instead of white sugar. Add other fruit juices to the mix to enhance the taste or curative properties of cranberry juice.

What two juices go together? ›

Stay hydrated with these easy, refreshing, & nutrient-dense fresh juice combinations:
  • Watermelon+ Raspberries.
  • Apple + Blueberries.
  • Pineapple + Ginger.
  • Orange + Carrot.
  • Pear + Cucumber.
  • Papaya + Nectarine.
  • Cantaloupe + Kiwi.
  • Grapefruit + Mandarin Orange.

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