15-Minute Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce (naturally sweetened!)

Before I first made this recipe back in 2015, I had never actually tried homemade cranberry sauce. The only cranberry sauce that sat on our non-traditional Thanksgiving table was the jellied, overly sweet canned version from Ocean Spray. Truthfully, that cranberry sauce was only there because Mom loved it.

Years ago, she started experimenting with a healthier version made with orange juice and maple syrup. I was hesitant at first, but Mom encouraged me to try a little of her beautiful maroon cranberries. I scooped the orange cranberry sauce onto a baked sweet potato with a little roasted turkey breast on the side. Two bites in, and I was in LOVE! The cranberries weren’t overly sweet, they were a little tart, but oh-so-perfect in every way.

For the next week, I enjoyed the leftover homemade healthy cranberry sauce in smoothies, on butternut squash patties, on top of my sweet potato pancakes, on my yogurt, and on cottage cheese. I’m telling you, THIS is the cranberry sauce that belongs on your Thanksgiving table.

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What’s in this healthy cranberry sauce?

This homemade, healthy cranberry sauce is made with just 5 simple ingredients but is bursting with sweet and tart flavors. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Cranberries: feel free to use frozen or fresh cranberries in the sauce for ease.
• Sweetener: we’re naturally sweetening this cranberry sauce with pure maple syrup or honey instead of using any white sugar or brown sugar.
• Orange juice: some fresh orange juice (from an actual orange, not a carton!) gives the sauce a wonderful, bright flavor.
• Vanilla extract: the vanilla pairs perfectly with the fruits.
• Optional: a splash of bourbon, brandy, amaretto, or scotch whiskey really deepens the flavor and takes it to the next level.

Homemade cranberry sauce in 5 easy steps

This cranberry sauce recipe only takes 15 minutes to make and is ridiculously easy to make. Here’s how to do it:

1. Mix the sauce ingredients. Add all of the ingredients (besides the orange zest) to a small pot.
2. Bring them to a boil. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Simmer the sauce. Once boiling, cover, reduce the heat to low, and allow the sauce to simmer. You may notice a popping sound, which simply means the cranberries are bursting and getting nice and juicy.
4. Thicken it up. Remove the lid and stir the sauce. It may need a few more minutes to simmer in order for the sauce to thicken.
5. Garnish and serve. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with orange zest, then serve!

Using frozen cranberries?

If you use frozen cranberries, you may need to remove the lid in the last 5 minutes of cooking to give the sauce time to really thicken up.

How to make cranberry sauce ahead of time

You can make this healthy cranberry sauce up to 3 days ahead of time! A great task to check off of your Thanksgiving to-do list early. Here’s how to do it:

1. Cook the sauce as instructed in the recipe
2. Allow the cranberry sauce to cool completely
3. Place it in an airtight container, and serve when ready

I prefer to serve my cranberry sauce cold, but you can also feel free to serve it at room temperature or heat it up over low heat in a small pot on the stove.

Store & freeze leftover cranberry sauce

• To store: let the cranberry sauce come to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
• To freeze: feel free to add your cooled cranberry sauce to a reusable silicone bag or container and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Simply let it thaw in the fridge before serving.

Our favorite ways to serve cranberry sauce

• Of course, top your Thanksgiving turkey, ham, or chicken
• Add it to delicious turkey sandwiches using leftover Thanksgiving turkey
• Use it as a topping for ice cream or cakes like angel food cake
• Top homemade dinner rolls (my Milk & Honey Dinner Rolls from The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook would be perfect!)

See how to make the healthy cranberry sauce

More Thanksgiving recipes you’ll love

• Perfect Homemade Turkey Gravy
• Lightened Up Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oat Streusel
• Herb Butter Maple Roasted Turkey
• Roasted Garlic and Herb Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes (so creamy!)
• The Best Homemade Healthy Green Bean Casserole
• Dad’s Creamy & Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

Get all of our delicious Thanksgiving recipes here, and even more side dishes here!

I hope you love this homemade orange cranberry sauce! If you make anything from AK, be sure to tag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram. I love seeing your creations and featuring followers!

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Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce

4.95 from 37 votes

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

ServesServes 6 servings

The best healthy orange cranberry sauce made with fresh orange juice, naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup or honey, and bursting with cranberries. This homemade cranberry sauce is delicious, tangy, and a MUST at your Thanksgiving table! Make it ahead of time or freeze it for later and serve it with tons of different dishes.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• ½ cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon whiskey, bourbon, brandy or scotch (optional)
• zest from 1 orange

Instructions

• Boil the sauce: Add cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract and bourbon in a small pot and place over medium high heat.
• Simmer the sauce: Once mixture begins to boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce becomes nice and thick, coating the back of a spoon. You may notice a popping sound; this is the cranberries bursting so don't worry.
• Thicken: After 10 minutes I recommend removing the lid and allowing cranberries to simmer a few minutes to thicken the sauce up. If you are using frozen cranberries, this may take a bit longer.
• Once the sauce is thick, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve, then garnish with orange zest. Serves 6 (about ¼ cup each). Feel free to double the recipe!

Recipe Notes

If you use frozen cranberries, you may need to remove the lid in the last 5 minutes of cooking to give the sauce time to really thicken up.

How to make cranberry sauce ahead of time: simply cook as instructed in the recipe, then allow to cool completely, place in an airtight container and serve when ready. I prefer to serve my cranberry sauce cold but you can also feel free to heat it up over low heat in a small pot on the stove. This orange cranberry sauce recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (based on 6)Calories: 137calCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 0.3gFiber: 2.8gSugar: 24.2g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on November 15th, 2015, republished with new photos on November 4th, 2019, republished on November 25th, 2024, and republished on November 24th, 2025.