15-Minute Spiced Cranberry-Orange Sauce

Let’s talk about the most underrated dish on the Thanksgiving table: cranberry sauce. If you’re still serving the canned, jellied stuff, I am begging you to try this. This homemade Spiced Cranberry-Orange Sauce is a total game-changer, and it comes together in 15 minutes. Seriously.

This is not your average cranberry sauce. We’re simmering fresh cranberries with a splash of orange juice, a hint of maple syrup, and whole spices like a cinnamon stick and star anise. These gently infuse the sauce with a warm, festive aroma. But the real secret, the “SUPER delicious” trick, is stirring in a ton of fresh orange zest after it’s done cooking. This final “zesty sprinkle” adds an incredible, bright, fragrant citrus pop that makes the whole dish taste alive. It’s the perfect sweet, tart, and complex finishing touch for your holiday meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in 15 Minutes: It’s genuinely one of the fastest, easiest ways to add a “wow” factor to your holiday meal.
• So Much Better Than Canned: The flavor of fresh cranberries, real orange, and warm spices is unbelievably vibrant and delicious.
• Make-Ahead Perfection: This is the perfect dish to make days (or even a week) in advance. One less thing to worry about on the big day!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s make this holiday staple. Here’s how simple it is.

First, gather your beautiful, simple ingredients. Fresh cranberries are the star!

Next, the flavor infusion. Combine your cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and whole spices in a saucepan. We’ll bring this to a simmer and let the cranberries cook down.

Now, listen for the “pop!” This is the fun part. As the cranberries cook, they’ll burst open, releasing their juices and thickening the sauce. This only takes about 10 minutes.

Finally, the “zesty sprinkle!” Once the sauce is thick and jammy, remove it from the heat. Fish out the whole spices, and stir in your fresh orange zest. The heat of the sauce will release all the fragrant oils.

Let it cool, and you’re done!

Ava’s Notes

• Control the Sweetness: Start with the amount of sugar/maple syrup in the recipe, but taste it at the end. Some cranberries are more tart than others! Add more, one tablespoon at a time, if needed.
• Don’t Forget the Zest! Seriously, don’t skip the step of adding the zest at the end. This preserves its bright, fresh aroma instead of dulling it with heat.
• Spice it Up: Feel free to add other whole spices to the infusion, like a few whole cloves or a small piece of fresh ginger!

15-Minute Spiced Cranberry-Orange Sauce

0.0 from 0 votes

Yield

2.5

cups

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

15

minutes

An incredibly easy, fresh, and flavorful homemade cranberry sauce infused with warm spices and finished with a bright “zesty sprinkle” of fresh orange.

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Ingredients

• 12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries

• 1/2 c granulated sugar (or 1/3 cup maple syrup)

• 1/2 c fresh orange juice

• 1/2 c  water

• 1 stick cinnamon

• 1 star anise (optional, but lovely)

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 large orange, zested

Directions

• Combine & Simmer: In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon stick, and star anise.
• Cook: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes. You will hear the cranberries begin to “pop” as they burst.
• Thicken: The sauce is done when most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Finish: Remove the pan from the heat. Fish out and discard the cinnamon stick and star anise. Stir in the salt and the fresh orange zest.
• Serve: Let the sauce cool completely to room temperature (it will thicken significantly as it cools). Serve at room temperature or chilled. This can be made up to a week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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