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November 21, 2019

Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

Dairy Free Gluten Free Paleo Vegan Vegetarian Thanksgiving
38 comments
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I have a treat for you guys today, just in time for Thanksgiving: homemade cranberry sauce with orange juice!

This flavorful and unique cranberry sauce is free of refined sugar and as easy as it gets to make. Sweet, tangy, and bright, it can also be made days in advance to save time.

maple orange thyme cranberry sauce

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is one of those things that can be really awesome or really gross. You know what I’m talking about: cue the canned weirdly gelatinous cranberry sauce, made from a tiny bit of actual cranberries but mostly just corn syrup and who knows what else.

maple syrup cranberry sauce recipe

If you normally use cranberry sauce out of a can, please try this recipe instead. It’s super easy, much tastier, and way healthier, too, with actual real food ingredients and no refined sugar.

homemade cranberry sauce ingredients

Healthy Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

To make this recipe, all you need is:

  • fresh cranberries
  • maple syrup
  • a fresh orange
  • a little fresh thyme (this can be omitted to make the recipe even simpler, if you like)

cranberry sauce ingredients

How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

Once you have your ingredients, simply toss everything into a medium-sized pan. Stir over medium-high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped and the sauce has thickened. This should take about 7-10 minutes. Then, it’s ready. Easy as that!

maple cranberry sauce recipe

cranberry sauce homemade recipe

Just 10 minutes and you’ll have way better than store bought homemade cranberry sauce! Garnish with a little extra thyme to make it look super fancy.

homemade cranberry sauce with orange juice

Make this ahead of time if you like and store in the fridge for a few days, to free up stovetop space on the big day.

The full homemade cranberry sauce with orange juice recipe is at the bottom of this post. Enjoy it!

Looking for other Thanksgiving-worthy recipes? Here are few easy favorites already here on the blog:

  • Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes – Delicious with no sugar added!
  • Quinoa Salad with Pecans and Cranberries – This recipe is from our wedding, and is an old favorite.
  • Healthy Mashed Potatoes – These taste (and look) like normal mashed potatoes, but the nutrition is amped up with mashed cauliflower and cannellini beans. They’re vegan, too!
  • Lemon Garlic String Beans – Another old favorite. Delicious and easy, these make a great side!
  • Pumpkin Bean Dip – This is one of my favorite appetizers!

A few extras:

  • Want a really easy non-pie dessert? Try my Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Bread Pudding. The recipe works with canned pumpkin, too!
  • Here’s How to Make Brussels Sprouts Delicious. You’re welcome.
  • If you find yourself with extra mashed potatoes (or mashed sweet potatoes), these Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes are delicious and super easy!

What’s on your Thanksgiving menu this year?

Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
July 24, 2019

This easy homemade cranberry sauce recipe contains no refined sugar and is ready in 10 minutes! Delicious, too.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Yield
1 & 1/2 CUPS
Pin This

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries (about 3 cups)
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • zest and juice of one fresh orange
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Instructions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium pot.
  2. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  3. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped and the sauce has thickened (about 7-10 minutes).

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

- anne
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Sign up for my e-newsletter and I'll send you a meal plan packed with a week's worth of healthy meals, snacks and a shopping list. Happy eating!

you might also like:

healthy mashed potato recipe

Healthy Mashed Potatoes with Cauliflower

Savory Pumpkin Dip Recipe

Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Spiced)

Sauteed String Beans with Garlic & Lemon

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38 comments
  • Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment
    November 21, 2014 · 9:28AM:
    Love this suggestion for cramberry sauce! I have some Thanksgiving shopping to do this weekend. Happy Friday!
    Reply
  • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
    November 21, 2014 · 10:21AM:
    I've always not been a fan of cranberry sauce. The one thing I wouldn't eat as a child! But I need to re-try making my own! I did 2 years ago...it was okay...but there is mass room for improvement!
    Reply
  • Laura November 21, 2014 · 10:43AM:
    I make a homemade cranberry sauce similar to this every year. It is so simple and so delicious! I will never go back to canned!
    Reply
  • Emma @ Life's A Runner
    November 21, 2014 · 10:46AM:
    I never used to like cranberry sauce, but once I discovered The Pioneer Woman's recipe, I became obsessed! I will definitely try yours out this Christmas, since our Thanksgiving is long gone. :)
    Reply
  • Carrie (This Fit Chick)
    November 21, 2014 · 10:50AM:
    I love cranberry sauce! super underrated.. I made lamb meatballs with cranberry sauce the other day... SO GOOD
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 21, 2014 · 2:11PM:
      Ooo that sounds delicious!
      Reply
  • Erin @ Her Heartland Soul
    November 21, 2014 · 11:31AM:
    Ohh I love the idea of adding maple syrup. I just discovered a cranberry sauce I finally liked (at Whole Foods) so this opens up some exciting Thanksgiving food possibilities for me!
    Reply
  • Laura November 21, 2014 · 1:11PM:
    I love the idea of adding thyme to the sauce! I have tons still growing in my garden. Also, your pictures of this recipe are so beautiful! The colors really pop.
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 21, 2014 · 2:13PM:
      Thanks! I'm jealous of your garden! :)
      Reply
  • Hillary | Nutrition Nut on the Run
    November 21, 2014 · 2:15PM:
    great idea to use pure maple syrup instead of sugar!
    Reply
  • Linda Berryman November 21, 2014 · 11:56PM:
    I have been looking for a different way to cook cranberries ,I am so happy to try this recipe . So healthy for you and delicious at the same time, thank's for the recipe.
    Reply
  • Molly November 22, 2014 · 5:32PM:
    I'm making this right now!
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 22, 2014 · 8:04PM:
      Enjoy!
      Reply
  • Maggie @ Veg Fiend
    November 22, 2014 · 7:58PM:
    Loving the addition of thyme. I bet it adds a certain savoriness?
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 22, 2014 · 8:03PM:
      Yep! Anyways love fresh herbs to amp up recipes a notch.
      Reply
  • Ash Bear
    November 23, 2014 · 6:32AM:
    I'm going to make this today and have 2 random questions: If I double the recipe should I also fully double the syrup? Worried it may be too much. Next question, any thoughts on whether sage could work in the recipe? Or is that too random?
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 23, 2014 · 8:17AM:
      Yes if you double it I'd double it all! You could add less syrup if you are nervous and taste it before adding the rest but that should work fine. Not sure about sage, but it would probably be good!
      Reply
  • Roadrunner November 23, 2014 · 11:33AM:
    Looks terrific, thanks!
    Reply
  • Lance November 23, 2014 · 11:24PM:
    Thanks for the cranberry recipe. It looks fantastic and we'll try it even though our (Canadian) Thanksgiving has already passed. And after seeing all your other great recipes (or rather pictures of these great recipes), I may need your help as a dietician!! (Seriously, I may need your help as a dietician especially with the way you seem to approach advice.)
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 24, 2014 · 9:40AM:
      Welcome to the blog - glad you're enjoying it so far! Regarding dietitian work, you can check out my business website: www.AnneTheRD.com. :)
      Reply
  • Tara | Treble in the Kitchen
    November 24, 2014 · 11:56AM:
    yum! all the recipes look wonderful! :)
    Reply
  • Alexa November 24, 2014 · 1:06PM:
    i;ve also added a splash of grand marnier before... excellent idea :)
    Reply
  • Emily B November 27, 2014 · 12:15PM:
    I just made this sauce for our Thanksgiving dinner tonight! I omitted the thyme and added cinnamon which made the whole kitchen smell delicious. I'm so excited to share it with everyone - I think this may be the best sauce yet! :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 27, 2014 · 12:32PM:
      Enjoy it!
      Reply
  • Annabelle November 28, 2014 · 3:07PM:
    Anne, I just made your cranberry sauce - and I LOVE it!!!! It's so delicious and at the same time super easy to make - I am going to serve it to duck tomorrow! Some of my friends were already intrigued as I was sending them some pictures during the making :). Thank you SO much for sharing! Best wishes form Germany :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 28, 2014 · 4:38PM:
      Fun to hear the cranberry sauce made it to Germany! Enjoy :)
      Reply
  • Margaret
    December 2, 2014 · 8:38AM:
    My parents always buy the canned stuff. It creeps me out that it comes out in the same shape as the can, and I think was why I wouldn't touch it for a number of years! This year I spent Thanksgiving away from them since I live in London now, but sent them this recipe as one to try since it was SO simple - they tried it and LOVED it, as did I for my expat Thanksgiving! So easy, so delicious, and not can-shaped :) Thanks Anne!
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 2, 2014 · 8:50AM:
      Woohoo! :)
      Reply
  • Jacki December 25, 2014 · 3:14AM:
    So glad I found your site! It's wonderful! Jacki Ps....I pick wild mountain berries in the Yukon Territory. They are tart and high in antioxidants. The maple syrup is delicious to add to them. I have a honey business as well and honey is equally as good!
    Reply
  • Tula November 24, 2015 · 8:48AM:
    This sounds really good. I don't eat any sugar so I was wondering if I could replace the maple syrup with 1/2 cup of juice from an orange? Should I add a splash of lemon as well?
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 24, 2015 · 9:47AM:
      You could try -- it might be too tart. Let me know how it goes! Although just FYI, orange juice has sugar in it, too. :)
      Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

When I’m not writing or cooking for fannetastic food, you can find me running, coaching nutrition clients, or on an adventure with my family. Feel free to reach out - I'd love to hear from you!

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