Description
Made with simple ingredients, comes together fast and tastes incredible! Enjoy this delicious sauce with your holiday turkey, on sandwiches or even swirled in yogurt or oatmeal! It really is the best!
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cinnamon stick, optional
- 1 inch piece of orange peel, optional (use a potato peeler)
- Orange zest for garnish or stir in as it cools (if you want a stronger orange flavor)
Instructions
- First rinse cranberries and remove any that look bad
- Combine brown sugar, orange juice, and water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine.
- Add cranberries, salt, and cinnamon stick and orange peel (if using).
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
- Continue cooking until it bubbles up and then get soft and jammy. This takes about 10 minutes. Most of the cranberries have popped by then. I like to mash it a bit with a spoon, but if you like them more whole then don’t mash and cook for les time –like 8 minutes.
- Let cool for at least 30 minutes. It will thicken as it cools
- Transfer to a covered container and store in fridge until ready to use.
- Can be made at least 5 days in advance (or more).
Notes
*There is no cornstarch or thickener needed. The cranberries release natural pectin when they pop with works perfectly to thicken the sauce as it cools.
*If you know you like a very sweet sauce, increase the sugar to 1 cup.
*Be careful adding too much orange zest before cooking. I it can get bitter and over power the bright cranberry flavor. I usually add a little piece of peel as it cooks and/or just stir in some orange zest after as it cools. Just depends on how much orange flavor you like. I like it subtle
*You can add a 1/2 tsp vanilla extract as it cools if you want. Make it your own–what you love!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10