Go Back

Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon

Cranberry sauce with orange and cinnamon made by simmering until the berries burst, then thickening with a quick stir of fresh orange zest. Spiced with whole cinnamon sticks you keep while cooling, for a glossy, jewel-toned side.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill time 2 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 186
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 2 sticks cinnamon sticks
  • 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 salt Pinch

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the syrup
  1. Combine sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns glossy.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Add fresh cranberries to the boiling mixture. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most berries burst and the sauce thickens.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in orange zest. Leave the cinnamon sticks in as it cools to intensify the spice.
  2. Remove the cinnamon sticks after the sauce has cooled. Chill before serving to set the texture.

Notes

For the best texture, simmer just until berries burst and the sauce coats the spoon; it will thicken further as it cools. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days in a covered container, or freeze up to 1 month (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lower-sugar swap, use a 1:1 sugar substitute that measures like sugar.