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Home » Recipes » Side Dish » Easy Orange Cranberry Sauce

Easy Orange Cranberry Sauce

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Recipe Cost $3.09
Recipe Serving Cost $0.39
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Orange Cranberry Sauce is a classic Thanksgiving side dish that’s so easy to make. It costs just $3.09 to make and 39¢ per serving.  via @easybudgetrecipes

Orange Cranberry Sauce is a classic Thanksgiving side dish that’s so easy to make. It costs just $3.09 to make and 39¢ per serving. 

Picture of finished recipe with text overlay for Pinterest.

Did you grow up on canned cranberry sauce? I remember having it with every Thanksgiving meal and even every week. The cans lined one whole shelf in our pantry and still do at my parents’ house to this day!

My Dad LOVES the stuff. I have a confession; I do not love it. In fact, I will not touch the canned cranberry sauce. I convinced myself that I did not like cranberry sauce. However, that lifelong belief was forgotten once I tasted homemade cranberry sauce. My life was forever changed. 

This cranberry sauce with orange juice blows the canned sauce out of the water! There is simply no competition. 

Even my Dad, who, true story, will eat a can of cranberry sauce just by itself for dinner, admits that this cranberry-orange sauce is the way to go if given a choice. A can will do in a pinch, but the homemade version is the best option!

Close up picture of orange cranberry sauce.

Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe Questions Answered:

Can cranberry sauce be frozen?

Yes! It is so easy to freeze and defrosts wonderfully. Just place it in an airtight container and use it within two months for the best results. When you are ready to use it, put it in the fridge the night before to defrost. 

Does cranberry sauce need to be refrigerated?

Yes, it does need to be stored in the refrigerator. Store it in an airtight container within two hours of making the cranberry sauce. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to two weeks. 

Do you need to remove seeds from cranberries?

Cranberries have seeds, they are small but mighty! Cranberries have a plethora of health benefits. The seeds are edible. So you can remove them if you would like (pour the finished sauce through a fine-mesh strainer) or leave them right where they are. 

Cranberry sauce with orange juice in a white serving bowl.

How to Make Easy Orange Cranberry Sauce Recipe:

  1. First, in a saucepan, bring the orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and salt to a boil.
  2. Then stir in the cranberries and return to a boil. 
  3. Reducing the heat, simmer lightly until the sauce is slightly thickened. 
  4. You should see that ⅔ of cranberries have opened up. 
  5. Finally, stir in cinnamon, transfer the sauce to a serving bowl and cool it down for a few minutes. 

How to get the kids involved with this recipe:

  • Ages 2-3: Have them help you pour the ingredients into the saucepan. 
  • Ages 4-5: Let them stir in the cranberries while they cook. Guide their hand, because the cranberry mixture will be hot!
  • Ages 6-8: Have them help you bring the sauce to a boil and help stir it until the sauce thickens. Teach them how to turn the dials on the stovetop. 
  • Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe. 
  • Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!

Discover why we love getting the kids involved in the kitchen and more tips in our How to Get Kids Involved In Cooking article.

Overhead picture of homemade cranberry sauce in a white serving bowl.

The flavor and Recipe Variations:

  • You can make this recipe without the orange flavoring. Use water instead of orange juice, and leave out the orange zest. You’ll also need to increase the sugar to ¾ cup. 
  • Instead of cinnamon, nutmeg can be used. 

What to Serve with Easy Orange Cranberry Sauce:

  • Instant Pot Turkey Breast
  • One hour Dinner Rolls
  • Instant Pot Turkey Gravy
  • French-Bread Stuffing Recipe
  • Jenna’s Naughty Mashed Potatoes Recipe

How long is this good for:

  • Serve: The cranberry sauce will keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours. 
  • Store: This recipe will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days! This means you can make this recipe the week before Thanksgiving. Yay for make-ahead recipes! 
  • Freeze: Cranberry sauce can be frozen for up to 2 months! Just make sure you keep it in an airtight container or freezer bag. I have my Thanksgiving cranberry sauce sitting in my freezer right now! 

How much will this Easy Orange Cranberry Sauce cost:

RECIPE COST: $3.09

PER SERVING COST: $0.39

To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.

  • ¾ cup orange juice – $0.28
  • Zest of 1 orange – $0.68
  • ½ cup granulated sugar – $0.12
  • Pinch of salt – $0.01
  • 12-ounce bag cranberries or 3 cups – $1.98
  • ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon – $0.02

Picture collage for Pinterest.

Cook’s Tools:

  • medium saucepan
  • wooden spoon

More $5 Recipes:

  • Buttermilk Sheet Pan Pancakes
  • Crock Pot Greek Yogurt
  • Dry Roasted Chickpeas
  • Eggs Benedict Breakfast Braid
  • French Toast with Blueberry Syrup
  • Green Smoothie
  • Mango Banana Smoothie
  • Red Velvet Buttermilk Waffles
Cranberry sauce with orange juice in a white serving bowl.
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5 from 9 votes

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Recipe Cost $3.09
Recipe Serving Cost $0.39
Orange Cranberry Sauce is a classic Thanksgiving side dish that’s so easy to make. It costs just $3.09 to make and 39¢ per serving. 
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Cooling Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberries, Thanksgiving
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 86kcal
Author: Easy Budget Recipes Original!

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup orange juice
  • 1 orange zested
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 12 ounce bag cranberries or 3 cups picked through
  • ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and salt to a boil. Stir in cranberries and return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, saucy, and about 2/3 of cranberries have popped open about 5-6 minutes.
  • Stir in cinnamon. Transfer cranberry sauce to a ​serving bowl, cool to room temperature, and serve or chill until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 109IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you love this recipe?We'd love to hear from you follow us on Instagram @EasyBudgetRecipes and let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
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Related

Filed Under: $5 Recipes, Side Dish Tagged With: cinnamon, cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, salt, sugar, Thanksgiving

Previous Post: « Large Batch 1-Hour Dinner Rolls
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nellie Tracy

    October 12, 2019 at 4:35 am

    5 stars
    Will be making this on repeat this season!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      October 12, 2019 at 8:45 pm

      It’s a keeper for sure! Thanks for stopping by.

  2. Renee Goerger

    October 12, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    5 stars
    This is a delicious cranberry sauce. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      October 12, 2019 at 8:44 pm

      You are so welcome. Thanks for stopping by!

  3. Taryn

    November 2, 2019 at 4:55 pm

    5 stars
    I love the flavor of orange in this!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      November 3, 2019 at 9:49 pm

      It adds so much to the flavor!

  4. Shadi Hasanzadenemati

    November 2, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! Nothing beats homemade cranberry sauce with some Thanksgiving goodness!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      November 3, 2019 at 9:51 pm

      Agreed!

  5. Tawnie Kroll

    November 2, 2019 at 5:47 pm

    5 stars
    The orange juice in this sauce made all the difference! Thank you, so good!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      November 3, 2019 at 9:52 pm

      So glad you liked it. Thanks for letting us know!

  6. Alyssa

    November 2, 2019 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    The orange zest adds so much to the flavor of the cranberries. This will be my new staple for Thanksgiving dinner.

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      November 3, 2019 at 9:52 pm

      It really does take it over the top!

  7. Haley

    November 2, 2019 at 6:58 pm

    5 stars
    This is so much better than the can and easy to make!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      November 3, 2019 at 9:52 pm

      SOOO much better!

  8. Aimee Mars

    November 2, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    5 stars
    That is so funny you had an entire shelf dedicated to canned cranberry sauce growing up! I’ve never been a fan of it myself, but I love a great fresh and homemade version like this orange cranberry sauce. I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      November 3, 2019 at 9:53 pm

      It is still to this day my dad’s favorite! I love him but cannot support him in that life choice! LOL

  9. Anita

    November 2, 2019 at 10:22 pm

    5 stars
    Not sure how anyone can return to the canned stuff having once tried the real deal. This recipe is a keeper and so simple. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jess Jankowski

      November 3, 2019 at 9:54 pm

      That’s what I’m saying!

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Beth, Jill, and Jess of Easy Budget Recipes

We’re Beth, Jill, and Jess, and we’re the team of sisters-in-law behind Easy Budget Recipes!

Combined, we have over 50 years of cooking, meal planning, and budgeting experience. Each of our recipes serves at least six people, and we have broken down the cost of every recipe for you so that it’s easier to budget your shopping list every week!

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