Naturally Sweetened Orange Cranberry Sauce
This Homemade Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce is made with fresh or frozen cranberries, freshly squeezed orange juice, golden maple syrup, and ground cinnamon. This sauce is delicious and the perfect addition to your holiday plate!
Check out these other holiday favorites! Turkey cornbread dressing, roasted brussels sprouts with mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes with heavy cream, and creamy baked yogurt mac and cheese.
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Cranberry sauce is a constant staple during the holidays.
If you are like me, you grew up with the canned jellied cranberry sauce. And if you are anything like me… you refused to eat it.
Is it truly the holiday times without the mad dash to the grocery store the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas because you forgot it during your big shop day the week before?
I think not. Lol.
However, if you truly want to elevate your cranberry sauce experience and actually eat it, try making it from scratch. It’s super easy to make and tastes 1,000% better than the one from the can. I promise.
Homemade cranberry sauce is easy to make and it is made healthier by the addition of maple syrup in place of refined cane sugar. Whether you are looking for a healthier version of a classic recipe or are looking for a fun and delicious recipe – this Maple Syrup Cranberry sauce is the one for you!
Orange Cranberry Sauce Ingredients
Fresh cranberries – Before cooking with fresh cranberries be sure to remove any bad ones and rinse them before using. You can also use frozen cranberries too!
Maple syrup – Instead of cane sugar, this recipe uses maple syrup as an all-natural sweetener. It provides a light maple flavor to the cranberry sauce which is delicious.
Orange Juice – The orange juice adds a light orange flavor while helping to sweeten the cranberry sauce.
Ground cinnamon – You can use either ground cinnamon or a whole cinnamon stick in this recipe. The only difference is that the whole cinnamon stick will provide a stronger cinnamon flavor to the cranberry sauce. If you are using a whole cinnamon stick, make sure to remove it once the sauce is finished cooking so it doesn’t overpower the sauce.
Vanilla extract, optional – The hint of vanilla extract tastes great with the orange and cinnamon!
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How To Make Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce
Step 1: Remove bad-looking cranberries and rinse.
Step 2: Add the cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, vanilla extract, orange zest, ground cinnamon, and salt into a medium pot over medium-high heat.
Step 3: Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer, allow the cranberry sauce to cook until all the cranberries have popped and your sauce has thickened 15 minutes.
Step 4: Allow the cranberry sauce to cool until it reaches room temperature, then transfer the sauce to the refrigerator to cool completely. Serve cold.
Step 5: Enjoy!
Looking for More Holiday Side Dishes?
Roasted brussels sprouts with mushrooms
Green beans with mushrooms and garlic
Garlic mashed potatoes with heavy cream
Southern Cornbread Dressing with Turkey
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Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
- 1 medium pot
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cranberries fresh or frozen
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons orange juice or water
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Rinse and remove any bad-looking cranberries.
- In a medium pot, add fresh cranberries, maple syrup, orange zest, ground cinnamon, and salt. Mix everything together.
- Cook on medium heat until most of the cranberries have popped and you have a thick sauce, 15 minutes. Smash any remaining whole cranberries.
- Allow the cranberry sauce to cool until it reaches room temperature, then transfer the sauce to the refrigerator to cool completely. Serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.
