Canned cranberry sauce probably isn’t what everyone looks forward to eating most on Thanksgiving Day, but many people would argue that it’s not Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce on the table.
Some people would even say that they don’t actually eat cranberry sauce, but that tradition dictates it must be served with the meal anyway. A little dish off to the side holds a log of deep red gelatin that still bears the impression of the can it came from, and people either love it or hate it.
Truth be told, I didn’t grow up with canned cranberry sauce on the table, and I never tried it until I was an adult. Growing up, my family’s holiday meals included a cranberry orange sauce that was made from scratch.
Today, most of my family looks forward to eating canned cranberry sauce with their Thanksgiving meal, but some of us still prefer the homemade cranberry orange sauce that brings back so many memories of my childhood. The good news is that cranberry orange sauce is so quick and easy to make that you don’t have to choose between homemade and canned.
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How to Make Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce
Cranberry orange sauce is easy to make, even for a beginner cook. The ingredients are easily found in grocery stores during the holiday season, and they come together quickly.
This cranberry sauce recipe doesn’t require any special culinary skills, and it comes together in one pot. The cranberries will burst as they simmer in the orange juice mixture.
As your cranberry sauce cools, it will thicken quite a bit. After it has cooled completely, it should be stored in the refrigerator, where it will continue to thicken.
Tips for the Best Cranberry Orange Sauce
Fresh cranberries from the produce section are preferable, but you can certainly replace them with the same amount of frozen cranberries. If you’re using frozen cranberries, there’s no need to thaw them ahead of time. However, you will need to give them a little extra cooking time to bring the sauce back up to a simmering temperature.
This recipe calls for Grand Marnier liqueur. You can add the liqueur at the same time that you add the cranberries if you’d like for some of the alcohol to evaporate. You can also eliminate the Grand Marnier altogether for an alcohol-free version, but since it’s sweet, you may want to increase the amount of sugar to one cup.
Can You Make Cranberry Orange Sauce Ahead of Time?
One of the reasons why people love this recipe is that it can be made up to 7 days in advance. Holiday meals can be enjoyable for everyone, even the cook, when dishes are prepared and organized in advance. (You can read more about that in our article HERE.)
Serving canned cranberry sauce may be as easy as opening the can, but when you make your homemade cranberry orange sauce in advance, all you have to do is pull it out of the refrigerator.
If you want to make this recipe even further in advance, it freezes beautifully. In fact, sometimes I go ahead and freeze half of it to save for Christmas dinner. If you want to freeze it, allow it to cool completely before putting it into a freezer-friendly container. You can remove it from the freezer a couple of days before you want to serve it, and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator. After a quick stir, it will be ready to serve.
How to Serve Homemade and Canned Cranberry Sauce Together
Last month when I went to my Cookbook Club meeting, I selected a macaroni and cheese recipe. During our discussion, all of us agreed that although the recipe from the cookbook was fine, each of our families would only want to eat the macaroni and cheese recipe that we serve every year on Thanksgiving.
Many people feel the same way about canned cranberry sauce. Since it’s all they’ve ever known, it’s the only kind of cranberry sauce they serve with Thanksgiving.
However, this recipe is simple and can be made in advance, so you won’t need to choose one or the other. You can serve both canned and homemade cranberry sauce.
One way to serve them together is to use a divided dish. As the dish gets passed around the table, everyone can choose one or the other, or both.
Another way to serve canned and homemade cranberry sauce together is the way I do it. Using a small platter with a rim or a bowl with a flat base, slice the canned cranberry sauce and spoon the homemade cranberry sauce around it. It makes a beautiful presentation this way, and everyone can choose what they want from the dish.
How to Store Leftover Cranberry Orange Sauce
One of my husband’s favorite things about Thanksgiving is leftovers.
Leftover cranberry sauce can safely be stored in your refrigerator. We prefer to use a glass container with an airtight lid. Since cranberries are acidic, they should not be stored in an aluminum or unlined metal container.
If you want to keep leftover cranberry sauce for longer than seven days, counting from when it was originally prepared, it should be stored in the freezer.
Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice and sugar over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the cranberries, orange zest, cinnamon stick, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce begins to thicken.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the Grand Marnier. Remove from the heat.
- Allow the cranberry sauce to cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Notes
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