This is our favorite recipe for the Thanksgiving staple: cranberry sauce. Made from 5 ingredients, this easy sauce is ready after 20 minutes on the stove. Flavored with fresh orange juice, brown sugar, and a dash of vanilla—my secret—it’s a cut above the rest.
I originally published this recipe in 2019 and have since added a few new photos and more helpful success tips.
I’ve been making this cranberry sauce for years. It’s our family’s favorite recipe and whenever I first taste it on Thanksgiving, I always wonder why I wait for the holiday season to make it?! Honestly, this stuff deserves to be a year-round habit.
I’ve never really thought to publish the recipe on my website because it’s not (1) a large side dish, (2) dessert, or (3) baking related. But I figured if something is this easy AND this delicious… why not?! And, luckily, this recipe is one of my very best. Readers agree:
One reader, Barb, commented: “I have never been a huge fan of cranberry sauce until I made this recipe. The vanilla, in my opinion, makes this. This will be my go-to from here on out. ★★★★★”
Another reader, Emily, commented: “OMG! Just made this ahead for Thanksgiving dinner. It tastes so wonderful, it may not make it until Thanksgiving! Back to the store for more cranberries. And so easy… who knew. ★★★★★”
Finally, another reader, Marsha, commented: “I made this for Christmas and it was fantastic. Reserving 1/2 cup of raw berries and adding them at the end is a flavor sensation. I also loved the balance of orange flavor, which was just right. ★★★★★“
Why This is My Best Cranberry Sauce
- Quick—only 20 minutes on the stove
- Easy—no boiling the water and sugar together first
- Convenient—just 5 simple ingredients, including water
- Flavorful—made with fresh orange juice & zest
- Texture—moderately thick with whole cranberries swirled in
- Make-ahead—make it a few days in advance so it’s ready!
- Unlike the rest—I use brown sugar & vanilla
I didn’t think there was a way to mess this recipe up, but when I was filming the video, I spaced out and over-boiled the cranberries on high heat. I was literally standing over the pot and before I knew it, the cranberries shriveled up and the sauce thinned out. So, make sure you cook on a lower heat and keep a watchful eye on it. 🙂
Also, don’t be like Chandler Bing and rinse your cranberries with dish soap.
Grab These Ingredients
No cornstarch or other thickeners needed!
- Cranberries: Use fresh or frozen cranberries. Do not use dried.
- Water: The cranberries cook in liquid, so we’re using a combination of water and orange juice. I find using all orange juice overpowers the cranberry flavor.
- Fresh Orange Juice: Squeeze 1/4 cup of juice from a fresh orange. You need the orange zest anyway, so why not use the juices inside? Orange and cranberry are a natural pairing. Have you tried my orange cranberry bread yet?
- Brown Sugar: Why use regular white granulated sugar when there’s brown sugar?! That’s my motto and it definitely applies to cranberry sauce. I usually use only 3/4 cup, but if you want a very sweet cranberry sauce, increase to 1 cup.
- Orange Zest: Before you juice the orange, grate some zest off. Add the zest after the sauce comes off heat. Why? When I cook the cranberry sauce with the zest, the end result tastes a little bitter.
- Vanilla Extract: I don’t see a lot of cranberry sauce recipes use this ingredient, but I swear by it. A dash of vanilla extract tastes unbelievable with the orange, brown sugar, and cranberry flavors. (And bonus! Smells great too.)
How to Make Quick Cranberry Sauce
It couldn’t be easier.
Set 1/2 cup of cranberries aside. We’ll stir those in at the very end, adding even more texture. Put most of the ingredients into a pot and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in orange zest and vanilla extract. That’s it, you’re done. Though I don’t recommend it, you could probably make this with your eyes closed.
If you need to bring a dish to Thanksgiving, bring this cranberry sauce (and bring cranberry cake for brunch or dessert!). It’s low maintenance and you can make it ahead of time. You can also freeze the cranberry sauce for up to 3 months. Easy!
Uses for Cranberry Sauce
- With a traditional Thanksgiving meal
- On biscuits, pancakes, or pound cake
- Swirl 3/4 cup into cheesecake batter before baking
- Serve with cornbread
- On buttermilk waffles
- Swirl 1/2 cup into cranberry orange muffins batter (you can skip the whole cranberries in that recipe)
- Swap BBQ sauce for cranberry sauce on BBQ chicken pizza (it really is good)
- Swirl into yogurt or cottage cheese
- Swap the fresh fruit for a spoonful of cranberry sauce on my goat cheese crostini
- Inside these cranberry brie puff pastry tarts
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Green Bean Casserole (from scratch!)
- Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
- Sweet Potato Casserole (with crunchy pecan topping)
- Mushroom Puff Pastry Tarts
- Sausage & Herb Stuffing
And for even more inspiration see my complete list of 40+ Thanksgiving side dishes.
Print
Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made from 5 ingredients, this easy sauce is ready after 20 minutes on the stove. It thickens as it cools. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. See notes.
Ingredients
- 12 ounce bag cranberries, rinsed*
- 3/4 cup (150g) water
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh orange juice (about 1/2 large orange)
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar*
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Read before you begin: You need fresh orange juice and orange zest. I recommend zesting the orange first, setting the zest aside, then cutting the orange for the juice. (Harder to zest a cut orange!) You need about half of a large orange for 1/4 cup juice. Juice the other half of the orange if you need more to yield 1/4 cup.
- After rinsing the cranberries, set 1/2 cup cranberries aside. You will stir these in at the end for extra texture.
- Combine the remaining cranberries, water, orange juice, and brown sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally as the mixture comes to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to low-medium. While stirring occasionally, continue to cook until liquid has reduced and cranberries have burst and thickened, about 15 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup reserved cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Sauce is excellent served warm or at room temperature. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can prepare the sauce 3 days ahead of time. Cool completely, cover tightly, then refrigerate until ready to use. Bring to room temperature or warm on the stove/in the microwave, if desired, before serving. To freeze, cool sauce completely. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or warm on the stove/in the microwave before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Zester | Citrus Juicer | Saucepan | Wooden Spoon
- Cranberries: One 12 ounce bag is usually between 3 and 4 cups. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. No need to fully thaw. Rinse the cranberries with water in a colander before using. No need to pat dry—some water droplets are fine.
- Brown Sugar: I usually use 3/4 cup brown sugar, which makes a moderately sweet cranberry sauce. You can increase to 1 cup (200g) if you prefer your cranberry sauce extra sweet.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I make a double recipe of this every year for the three of us. We love it!
Loved this recipe! Slice and reserve remainder of large orange for turkey platter garnish
This recipe is the bomb but you forgot one use. Vanilla ice cream. Maybe even in a cocktail or mocktail.
The cranberries added after removing from heat didn’t burst. I get the concept of having some slightly firmer for texture, but this isn’t a good recipe.
You’re right, that element of the recipe is not good. I’m surprised she hasn’t adjusted it. Cranberries need about 20 minutes to cook if they aren’t fully cooked you end up with raw hard unpleasant cranberries in your sauce. I’ve made this recipe but I did not follow that part of the instructions because I know as an experienced cook that cranberries need more time. I hope she fixes this part of it. I would also adjust the sweetness down, I use about a third cup of sugar per 12 oz with the addition of a tablespoon or two of maple syrup.
I’m sorry your cranberry sauce wasn’t as good as it could have been.
Thank you so much for your feedback. I appreciate it!
Very excited to bring this to my dinner tomorrow! Smells great. Just removed from heat and stirred in a heaping teaspoon of orange zest and vanilla extract. I just have one question, if it tastes pretty orangey to me, should I let it set overnight or perhaps add some more brown sugar?
Yes, you can absolutely add a little more brown sugar to taste. I do find the flavor settles after 1 day.
Can substitute the orange juice for grape juice?
Hi Monica, we wouldn’t recommend it, as grape juice wouldn’t give the same bright citrus flavor the orange juice brings to the cranberry sauce.
My first time making homemade cranberry sauce. This was so easy! Whoop. Pretty fun to make. It is a little too orangey for me. When I make it again, I’ll make it with less zest… Maybe no zest. I love the hint of vanilla, though. And the texture is great.
Wow, it’s amazing. I could eat it all with a spoon! This would be amazing, in addition to Thanksgiving, set out with cheese and crackers to add to a cracker with any kind of cheese on it. Also on a bagel with cream cheese, on cheesecake, etc. I made exactly as recipe called for. I was glad I bought 2 oranges because they had very thick skin and very little juice. It took the juice of 2 oranges to make 1/4 cup. I don’t have a juicer, so I had my husband squeeze them by hand. I’m used to cold cranberry sauce on the table, but this does taste amazing warm and I think I’ll warm it up tomorrow for our Thanksgiving meal. Thank you!
I make this recipe every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is requested. However, my secret ingredient is cinnamon sticks, which I remove once the sauce is cooled.
Oh! My! Goodness! Perfection!!! Perfect beautiful delicious perfection!
I have never before tried making my own cranberry sauce. This recipe really was EASY. My only thought is that there seemed to be a lot of whole cranberries at the end. I’ve made a note on my recipe to reserve fewer raw berries. I will also garnish this with bits of mandarin orange before serving. Thank you!
Can I use mandarin oranges for this sauce?
Hi Kimberly, that should work just fine!
I love this recipe. I made it last year and I am making it again this year. My family raved over it!
I learned last year that I need to double the recipe because this did not make it to leftover status. Everyone wanted some to take home with the other leftovers, but it was long gone.
I had about 2 cups of cranberries left from making some cranberry mustard, so a half-recipe worked out perfectly. A delicious combination!
One of the best cranberry sauce recipes I’ve ever had! Quick question – I just finished making the sauce for Thursday (today is Tuesday). The orange zest that was added at the end made the sauce a bit tart. I plan to reheat this on the stove immediately before serving on Thanksgiving. Do you expect the tartness to weaken while sitting in the fridge? Or should I add more brown sugar when reheating on Thursday? Appreciate any recommendations you have. Thanks for sharing this great recipe with all of us. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Lexi! The flavor should mellow a bit, but you can certainly add more brown sugar to taste when re-heating if desired.
I would love to try this recipe but I forgot to buy oranges. I do have orange juice with pulp.. will this work as a substitute?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Tracey! That will work just fine.
Just made a double batch of this and it is excellent! My hubby says it’s quite possibly the best cranberry sauce he has had. After it cooled, I did crush the whole berries against the side of the pan, they will still add great texture. I didn’t measure the orange juice or zest, I had one very large naval orange and used all the juice and zest from this. I don’t find it too sweet, it still has a great tartness to it. Hopefully there will be some left to stir into plain yogurt! Thanks so much for this great recipe.
I love cranberries, but adding fresh ones at the end… won’t those be super bitter when you bit into those uncooked ones??
Hi Lisa! It adds great texture, not too tart for most taste buds.
Hi Sally, I am an experienced cook and baker. I don’t think the recommendation to add raw cranberries at the end is a good one. As others have pointed out, the raw cranberries don’t spend enough time cooking. You end up with what are essentially hard raw cranberries in what would be an otherwise delicious cranberry sauce.
I like most of your recipes. The lemon bars are on point, many lemon bar recipes use too much sugar and yours do not. I recommend your website to friends who are learning or teaching themselves to cook and bake.
You might consider amending the recipe to add the cranberries in the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking rather than at the very end so that they have a chance to cook somewhat. That way they would still add texture for those who want a slightly harder texture in their cranberry sauce. It is personal preference, I don’t enjoy hard and crunchy in cranberry sauce but for those who enjoy it it could have texture without adding raw bitterness.
I want to make this for 12 people. Should I double the recipe? I could not find how much this makes.
Hi JK! This recipe yields about 2 cups.
Just made this for Thanksgiving in two days, absolutely delicious. I added a cinnamon stick and a heavy sprinkle of cinnamon. A big thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to All!
Hi! I just finished making this recipe and added the amount of brown sugar as indicated. I would like to add a touch more sweetness to it without adding additional sugar. What do you think about adding a little bit of maple syrup to it? Would that change the taste too much?
Hi Maria! You can certainly give that a try, though it will add a bit of maple flavor.
I always substitute maple syrup for part of the sugar in cranberry sauce. It isn’t better than sugar in terms of carbohydrates but it adds the maple flavor that works very well with cranberries and orange juice.
OMG! Just made this ahead for Thanksgiving dinner. I tastes so wonderful, it may not make it until Thanksgiving! Back to the store for more cranberries. And so easy….who knew. It didn’t have fresh oranges, so I used cuties instead with a splash of grapefruit juice.
I’ve made your recipe before but this time I have to use less sugar because of my diabetes. I don’t add any sugar to any of my meals. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Great easy recipe!! I added a little more brown sugar, a cinnamon stick (removed after cooking) & some honey bourbon! Finished with the vanilla, orange zest & freshly zested ginger. I also added some toasted walnuts. Easy prep and clean up!!
I think the vanilla takes away the bitter edge the sauce often has! Love that special touch.
I agree! I’m glad you enjoyed that finishing touch.
What if I don’t have an orange … would orange juice work
Hi Tomi, you can use orange juice, but you’ll miss some flavor from the zest.
This sounds so good, but you never say the amount of cranberries to use!!
Hi Gayle! Do you the recipe card above this comment section? It calls for a 12 ounces of cranberries.
Can I add a cinnamon stick to the cranberry sauce as it is cooking? It will be removed before serving.
For extra flavor, absolutely!
Great recipe. I also add mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple and chopped pecans
My son is coming over. I plan to make the Cranberry Sauce. Sounds extra delicious. Thanks.
Another great use for cranberry sauce: we love it warmed up on vanilla ice cream!