Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
This Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce is sweet, tangy and bursting with flavor from fresh cranberries, orange juice, brown sugar and a hint of vanilla. The whole berries pop as they simmer, creating a thick, textured sauce with a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness.
This homemade cranberry sauce is a must on any Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table. Spoon it next to turkey or layer it on leftover turkey sandwiches, this easy recipe is the perfect side dish for your holiday meal.
Be sure to save ¾ cup of cranberry sauce to use as the base for our Cranberry Sauce Muffins and Cranberry Sauce Bread.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Fresh Flavor: Whole cranberries and orange juice create a bright, bold taste.
- Quick & Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients.
- Make Ahead: Stays delicious for days and actually improves as it cools.
- Better than Canned: No preservatives, just homemade texture and flavor.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
"This recipe was so delicious! It is now my go to cranberry sauce recipe!"
-Misty
Ingredients
With a short, straightforward ingredient list, this whole berry cranberry sauce is proof that simple recipes are often the best.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Fresh Tart Cranberries: This is the fresh, tart flavor to get the dish started. Use fresh or frozen in this recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness to soften the tartness of the cranberries.
- Freshly Squeezed Orange: The zest adds orange flavor without the added acidity that the juice will bring into the mix.
For this cranberry recipe, you'll want to have on hand a medium saucepan, spatula, measuring cups and spoons, citrus juicer and zester.
Variations
- Maple Syrup: Swap for brown sugar for a deeper sweetness.
- White Sugar: Use if you don't have brown sugar on hand.
- Cinnamon Stick: Add a stick while simmering for a hint of spice.
- Kosher Salt: A tiny pinch sharpens and balances the flavors.
- Frozen Berries: If all you have is frozen, just omit the water and follow the recipe the same way. I love being able to make this year-round this way.
How to Make Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
This fresh cranberry sauce recipe comes together quickly in one medium saucepan.
On medium heat in a saucepan add water, brown sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Heat until the sugar is dissolved and bring to a rolling boil.
Then add cranberries and keep a light boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the berries have popped.
Add the orange zest and pure vanilla extract and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Hint: We recommend using a medium pan with high sides to avoid bubbling over.
Recipe Tips
- Zest First: Make sure you zest your orange before juicing it.
- Cranberries Pop: Use a long spatula or wooden spoon to keep a safe distance to avoid splatter from hot liquids as your cranberries pop.
- Cool Completely: Let the sauce cool at room temperature before transferring.
- Texture Preference: Mash cranberries as they cook down for a smoother sauce or leave whole berries for rustic texture; we love doing a mix of both.
- Flavor Boost: Add a splash of cranberry juice cocktail or a dash of cinnamon for variation in desired.
This sauce is a perfect addition to our Lemon Cranberry Muffins.
More Sides
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Once cooled, you can place in an airtight container to store for 10 to 14 days.
- Freezer: Place in a freezer-safe container or storage bag and keep frozen for up to one month.
- Reheating: Thaw overnight in the fridge, or place the sealed bag in a bowl of warm water. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
- Holiday Recipes: Herb Butter Turkey, glazed ham, roast chicken, Boneless Turkey Breast.
- Classic Sides: Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts, Old Fashioned Turkey Dressing, Sautéed Green Beans, Roasted Carrots.
Cranberry Sauce Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen cranberries. Measure the same amount as fresh and do not use any water. No need to thaw; add them straight from the freezer.
Cranberry sauce will naturally thicken as it sets. You can cook it down further if you find that it is still too thin; this helps to reduce some liquid.
Yes! Try it as a filling for muffins, quick breads or thumbprint cookies, or spread it over toast, pancakes or even as a glaze for chicken or pork.
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Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 100 grams light brown sugar about ½ cup
- ⅔ cup water
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice about 1 orange
- 1 12- ounce bag whole cranberries rinsed and lightly dried
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- On medium heat in a saucepan add water, brown sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice.
- Heat until the sugar is dissolved and bring to a rolling boil.
- Then add cranberries and keep a light boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the berries have popped.
- Add the orange zest and pure vanilla extract and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Medium Pan: We recommend using a medium pan with high sides to avoid bubbling over.
- Zest First: Make sure you zest your orange before juicing it.
- Cranberries Pop: Use a long spatula or wooden spoon to keep a safe distance to avoid splatter from hot liquids as your cranberries pop.
- Cool Completely: Let the sauce cool at room temperature before transferring.
- Texture Preference: Mash cranberries as they cook down for a smoother sauce or leave whole berries for rustic texture; we love doing a mix of both.
- Flavor Boost: Add a splash of cranberry juice cocktail or a dash of cinnamon for variation in desired.
Nutrition
We would be so grateful for you to leave us a rating and review on any recipes you try. If you make any modifications, let us know how they turned out.
This recipe was so delicious! It is now my go to cranberry sauce recipe!
Thank you so much for your review. It is such a good one, so simple, and much better than store-bought!
This recipe is so easy to make, I will never buy store-bought again. The tartness of the cranberries shines through but it is paired nicely with some sweet and citrus flavors!
I had finished making your pecan pie and wanted to see what other awesome recipes you may have and I stumbled across this one and wow easy and delicious and telling my guests that I made it myself they were “ wow’d” and honestly why would I buy something from a can when I can make something like this that fast and easy!
We love this one too! You will have to try our Cranberry Sauce Muffins IF you have any leftover. So happy you and your guests loved it!
This was such a good complement to our Thanksgiving dinner, and we even added some to top leftover turkey sliders the next day. The subtle orange flavour is so refreshing.
Oh that is such a brilliant idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with us!