Bring a bright burst of flavor to your holiday table with this delectable cranberry sauce. Made with fresh cranberries, zesty oranges, and aromatic herbs like rosemary, it’s a mouthwatering addition to any feast. Not only does this recipe celebrate the harmonious blend of sweet and sour, but it’s also made quickly in one pan, keeping your oven free for other holiday delights.

Cranberry sauce is topped with orange zest for added color, texture, and flavor

Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Sauce

A Perfect Balance: Sweet and tangy, it complements turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, and other hearty sides.
Quick & Easy: It’s made in under 20 minutes in one pan on the stove, freeing up your oven space.
Healthy: With honey instead of sugar, it offers a paleo-compliant option that still satisfies the sweet tooth.
Seasonal & Flavorful: Combining cranberries with oranges and rosemary adds a delightful twist.

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Home made cranberry sauce with orange juice

The honey that is added to this cranberry sauce recipe serves it’s purpose as a perfect sweetener, but it also include health benefits specific to the season. With honey’s anti fungal properties (amongst the many other benefits), it’s usually the first thing someone recommends having when you have a cold! Since there are no processed sugars, this is a paleo compliant recipe.

Cranberry sauce is made with simple ingredients like honey, cranberries, oranges, and rosemary

Ingredients to make cranberry sauce

Cranberries: 12 oz fresh, for the tangy base.
Honey: 1/4 cup, as a natural sweetener.
Orange: 1 navel orange, juiced and peeled.
Rosemary: 1 TBS fresh, finely chopped.

How to quickly make cranberry sauce

Pour fresh cranberries into a medium sized pot and place it over medium heat.
Pour honey, orange juice, and orange peel into the pot.
Finely chop the fresh rosemary, then place in the pot. Stir occasionally and cook for 15-20 minutes. Cranberries will begin to expand and pop as it heats up. The sauce will thicken the longer you cook it
Before you remove the pot from the heat, use a fork to mash the cranberries against the side of the pot to create a smoother texture.

Cranberry sauce is made in under 20 minutes in one pot with simple ingredients.

Chef’s Tips

Quality Matters: Use quality cranberries such as Ocean Spray for the best result (not sponsored).
Sweetness Adjustment: Mix honey and maple syrup or add more sweetener 1 TBS at a time for desired sweetness.
Freezing Cranberries: Since they’re seasonal, buy and freeze them in the fall to enjoy year-round. Cranberries can stay in the freezer for up to 12 months.

Cranberry sauce is spooned out to show the creamy and irresistible texture.

How to preserve cranberry sauce?

Here are three ways to preserve your delicious cranberry sauce:

Freeze the cranberry sauce in an airtight container. Once the cranberry sauce has cooled to room temperature, put it in a freezer safe glass container, put a lid on it, and freeze for up to 2 months for the best quality and flavor preservation.
Keep the cranberry sauce in the fridge for 10-14 days. Let the cranberry sauce cool, put in a glass jar, put a lid on it, and store safely in the fridge.
Freeze the cranberries and make the sauce later! Cranberries are seasonal, and only come out during the fall. You can safely freeze cranberries for up to 12 months. Pull them out of the freezer and add them straight to your pot to make cranberry sauce. The time may take a bit longer to cook, but they will be as fresh as ever!

More Holiday Classics

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