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Best Ever Cranberry Sauce

Best ever cranberry sauce made with a quick boil-and-simmer method until most berries burst and the sauce turns glossy and thick. Bright orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla finish it with a clean, festive flavor.
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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: 220
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 0.06 salt pinch
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

Cook the cranberry syrup
  1. Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon stick, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and return to a boil, then stir so the berries are coated.
  3. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until most of the berries burst and the sauce thickens.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in orange zest and vanilla, then discard the cinnamon stick.
  2. Cool the cranberry sauce to room temperature, then chill so it thickens further as it cools.

Notes

For the thickest texture, simmer until you see lots of burst berries and the sauce looks glossy and lightly syrupy. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight and stir to loosen if needed. For a lower-sugar option, use a 1:1 sugar substitute meant for cooking (follow the package swap for replacing granulated and brown sugar).