This 3 ingredient homemade cranberry orange sauce is so fresh and easy to make! It has the perfect balance of sweet and tart and is extra special from the addition of orange juice!
If you love this Cranberry Orange Sauce, you have to try my Slow-Roasted Turkey Wings with Cranberry Sauce and Cranberry Coffee Cake both are cozy and full of those same festive flavors!
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I love to try out new recipes for the holidays. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I sometimes try different cranberry recipes, but this Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce is one I have made for many years.
This homemade cranberry sauce is naturally gluten-free.
Originally posted on November 2018 and updated for content on November 2025. I love to try out new recipes for the holidays. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.
I sometimes try different cranberry recipes, but this Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce is one I have made for many years.
It truly does not take too much effort to make your own fantastic cranberry sauce. As soon as I find cranberries in the store, I start to make cranberry sauce and we eat it even with baked chicken.
You can serve this cranberry and orange sauce with roast turkey, pork chops or even roasted vegetables. It can also be used as a spread for sandwiches or toast, or as an accompaniment to oatmeal and pancakes. Cranberry sauce is a delicious and versatile addition to any meal! Enjoy!
You can also use cranberry and orange sauce in baking recipes such as muffins, cakes and scones.
Ingredients
- Cranberries: I like to use fresh cranberries for the best flavor, but frozen works beautifully too.
Orange: You'll need both the juice and zest of one orange - it adds a bright, citrusy touch that pairs perfectly with the cranberries.
Sugar: I like to use white sugar, but you can also use brown sugar for a slightly deeper, caramel-like flavor.
How to make homemade cranberry sauce?
Step 1: Gather ingredients
Step 2: In a medium sized bowl, rinse the cranberries with cool water, and remove any stems or blemished berries. Drain the cranberries in a colander.
Step 3: Heat orange juice and sugar to boiling in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
Step 4: Stir in cranberries. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to pop.
Step 5: Simmer for about 20 minutes.
Step 6: Pour sauce into bowl or container.
Before serving, add on the orange zest and orange slices. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled.
How to serve this cranberry sauce
I like to put this homemade cranberry sauce on sandwiches. I bake a cranberry coffee cake. It is used in so many ways!! It's even used as a sauce on these slow roasted turkey wings (so good!!).
Do Italians Celebrate Thanksgiving?
There is a Harvest Festival that is celebrated in some parts of Italy. It's mostly celebrated during September and that's when they are thanking God for their successful harvest season.
If you happen to be in Italy during Thanksgiving, or you are an expat living there, you will feel sentimental during this very American holiday. Even though it's not an Italian holiday, it has become part of the lives of the Italian immigrants that settled in America (like my dad and my husband) and they celebrate it.
What do Italians eat on Thanksgiving?
When I was growing up, the big Thanksgiving feast sometimes started with a simple broth and pastina. We would then move on to various antipasto dishes and cold cuts. It's the perfect thing to snack on while everyone is hungrily awaiting the turkey to finish roasting.
When you are finished snacking on the antipasti it's time to move on to the lasagna (yes, pasta!) or even ravioli (I know so many Italian American families whose aunts or grandmothers make ravioli for Thanksgiving in the States).
Is there truly room for turkey after all of this food? Of course!! Yes, Italians are sometimes a little overzealous with food proportions!
Italian Thanksgiving Terms
Here are some Italian words to impress your friends either in the States or in Italy on this big holiday!
- tacchino ripieno del Ringraziamento= stuffed turkey
- whole turkey = un tacchino intero
- turkey breast = petto di tacchino
- cranberries = mirtilli rossi
- sweet potatoes = patate dolci
- pumpkin = zucca
- turkey breast = petto di tacchino
- stuffing=ripieno
- mashed potatoes = purè di patate
Recipe FAQ's
I prefer my cranberry sauce when it has cooled down from cooking (room temperature). It is even wonderful when you serve it cold. Some may even enjoy it warm right after it has cooked and cooled a little bit. You can serve and enjoy your cranberry sauce the way you like it.
That is a good question! Since it holds well in the refrigerator, I would make it even 7 days in advance and not recommend freezing. Make sure you cool it to room temperature before putting in the refrigerator.
You could freeze the actual cranberries even a month before and take them out when you're ready to cook them.
My mom used to serve Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce for Thanksgiving and that's when I started it making it this way (it's been a recipe I prefer since my college days!).
When you add sweet orange juice, the citrus pairs so nicely with the tart cranberries.
Yes, you can mix cranberry and orange juice. The tartness of the cranberry juice is beautifully balanced by the sweetness of the orange juice, creating a refreshing and flavorful blend.
Orange cranberry sauce can typically last for up to two weeks when properly stored in a refrigerator. Make sure to keep the sauce in a tightly sealed container to retain its freshness and flavor.
Adding sugar or a sweetener can help to balance out the bitterness of cranberry sauce. Additionally, citrus juices like orange or lemon juice can also help to cut through the tart flavor and add a hint of sweetness.
Some other recipes to enjoy:
- Slow Roasted Turkey Wings
- Vegan Cranberry Coffee Cake
- Cranberry Meringue Pie
- Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake
- Holiday Ham
- Italian Cranberry Sauce
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Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- 16 ounces of fresh cranberries 2 cups
- 1 cup of sugar
- ¾ cup of orange juice
- ¼ teaspoon orange zest to garnish
- orange slices to garnish
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, rinse the cranberries with cool water, and remove any stems or blemished berries. Drain the cranberries in a colander.
- Heat orange juice and sugar to boiling in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
- Stir in cranberries. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to pop. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Don't worry if every single cranberry does not completely pop. Pour sauce into bowl or container. Before serving, add on the orange zest and orange slices. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
Top Tips for Making Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Use fresh cranberries: They give the best texture and bright, tangy flavor - but frozen works perfectly if that's what you have.
- Don't skip the zest: The orange zest adds an incredible depth of citrus flavor that makes the sauce pop.
- Adjust sweetness: Taste as you go - some cranberries are more tart than others. Add a bit more sugar (or less!) depending on your preference.
- Simmer gently: Let the sauce cook on low heat until the berries burst. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom.
This is so much better than anything that comes out of a can. A must for Thanksgiving!
That easy homemade cranberry orange sauce was the perfect balance of tart and sweet! A holiday game-changer.
hi Elaine-Really happy you enjoyed the cranberry sauce! Thank you!
The cranberry orange sauce turned out great. I used the frozen cranberries and brown sugar in the recipe, and it was so easy to make and tasted awesome!
I made this last year and it's now our go-to cranberry sauce recipe! We love the addition of orange zest! It gives a delicious boost of flavor!!!
I love how truly easy and quick this recipe is! It was a perfect pairing for our holiday meal. Do you ever add cinnamon or allspice to yours?
this cranberry orange sauce is so easy to make! it is so delicious!
Hi Riley-Happy you enjoyed the cranberry sauce. Thank you!
This cranberry orange sauce is so yummy and delicious I enjoyed making it, thanks for sharing this.
This cranberry orange sauce is so easy to make! Loved this recipe.
We love that this isn't overly sweet. My family makes this every year for Thanksgiving! Thanks for being part our tradition.
hi Jo-So happy you enjoyed the cranberry sauce...thank you!
This is my favourite way of making cranberry sauce for sure! I have to make double the recipe as my daughter and I enjoy eating it as a dessert or a topping as well for days after! Also I don't add sugar to it as it already is sweet enough for us. Do add cinnamon though.
Hi Anya-Happy you and your daughter enjoy eating this as a dessert, too! So do we! GOOD idea to cut out the sugar. Happy Thanksgiving!
So delicious, just made it tonight came out very flavorful.
I love that you added orange! Love the flavor combination!
There is no Thanksgiving in our house without this sauce. This one looks fabulous!
This looks really amazing! Sounds easy to make, too!
This cranberry sauce look absolutely amazing! I LOVE how easy and delicious this is! Good idea! Looks very tasty! I am going to make this! This recipe really impresses!
Homemade cranberry sauce is the best! Looking forward to trying your recipe.