Ditch the Can Cranberry Sauce

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Looking for the best way to serve cranberries on Thanksgiving? My Homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe with orange juice is the bomb! For more great recipes see my Recipe Index page.

Like most of you, for years, I used can cranberry sauce. I admit it and I’m not proud of it. The can was an easy option for me because I never really liked cranberry sauce. Well, that’s all changed and I haven’t looked back!

Making cranberry sauce from scratch is super simple. It tastes so tangy and fresh. Unlike the weird “gel in a can” stuff, I grew up on. I think I never cared for it because of the can! This is our new go-to recipe for this zesty Thanksgiving side dish.

Wow, your guests with this yummy side for the big day!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Name: Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 12 oz bag Cranberries; 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar; 1 cup Orange Juice

Yield: 8 people

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Homemade Cranberry Sauce from fresh cranberries

Ingredients

1 12 oz bag Cranberries
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Orange Juice

Instructions

Add orange juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
Heat until the sugar is dissolved, then add the cranberries.
Boil until the cranberries start to pop, about 10-12 minutes.
Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl and refrigerate to cool.
Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Notes

This is a great side to make ahead so it have enough time to cool off. We like ours chilled so we keep it refrigerated until ready to serve. There are lots of options to add to this recipe to tweak the flavor. Try splitting the orange juice with half pineapple juice. Add lemon or orange zest for extra flavor or try a fruity liquor, like Grand Marnier for a nice kick.