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Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce for Holiday Dinners

Close-up of glistening, chunky homemade cranberry sauce served in a small white bowl.

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Make this simple, fresh cranberry sauce in minutes. It offers the perfect sweet and tart balance to complement your Thanksgiving or Christmas main courses.

Ingredients

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  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Rinse the fresh cranberries under cold water and pick out any soft berries.
  2. Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. This creates your simple syrup.
  3. Add the rinsed cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, and cinnamon to the saucepan.
  4. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened slightly. You want some texture remaining.
  6. Remove the saucepan from the heat. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
  7. Transfer the homemade cranberry sauce to a serving bowl. You can serve it warm or chilled.

Notes

  • You can make this classic cranberry relish up to three days ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator.
  • For a slightly different flavor, substitute the orange juice with lemon juice or use 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of apple cider.
  • If you prefer a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender briefly after cooling, but most people enjoy the texture of the whole berries.

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