Cranberry sauce is like the cherry on-top of an ice cream sundae. You don’t need a lot of it, but you get excited for that perfect bite.
Homemade cranberry sauce is a must have on our Thanksgiving Day table! There are so many ways you can make a good cranberry sauce, but this version is just so simple and delicious. My mom has been making this recipe since before I was born. It is just one of those classics that you don’t mess with. It is the perfect combination of sweet and tangy and the perfect accompaniment to the turkey.
Another great thing about homemade cranberry sauce is that it can be made ahead of time. So, if you are going to make one thing in advance this is definitely it! Cooling is important to getting the right texture, so it is not something you want to make right before serving anyway (though it will still taste delicious). Cranberry sauce can last about 10 days in the refrigerator and a couple of months in the freezer. This year, I made it a couple of weeks in advance and put it in the freezer. I will transfer it to the fridge a day or two before Thanksgiving to let it defrost.
Btw, if your family loves cranberry sauce as much as mine does, then I recommend doubling the recipe ;).
Simple Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon plus a couple of extra dashes
Instructions
- Rinse the cranberries and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, orange juice and water. Cook on medium-high heat until just boiling, stirring occasionally. Add the cinnamon and stir.
- Add in the cranberries and stir. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool. *The longer you cook the cranberries, the thicker the sauce will be. For a thinner sauce, remove from heat at 10 minutes. Once cooled, the sauce will be thicker than in the pan.
