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Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon

Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon is a quick stovetop method that simmers until the berries burst and thickens. Finished with orange zest and cinnamon sticks, it turns glossy, spoonable, and spiced.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 165
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberries
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
Sweetener and liquids
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 0.25 cup water
Spices and flavor
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 0.06 tsp salt pinch

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the syrup
  1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then keep it actively bubbling.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Add fresh cranberries to the boiling mixture. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce looks glossy and thicker.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in orange zest and leave the cinnamon sticks in as the sauce cools so the flavor continues to infuse.
  2. After it has cooled, remove the cinnamon sticks. Chill the cranberry sauce before serving until it’s set and spoonable.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until you see most berries split, since the sauce thickens further as it cools. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezing is not recommended because the texture can turn grainy after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, replace sugar with a 1:1 baking sweetener designed for cooking and follow the label for conversion.