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Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon

Cranberry sauce with orange and cinnamon made in a saucepan until the berries burst for a thick, spoonable texture. Simmered with cinnamon sticks, finished with orange zest, and chilled for easy serving.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry Sauce Base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the cranberry mixture
  1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, and salt, then set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
  2. Add the fresh cranberries and return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until the berries burst, stirring occasionally.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the orange zest. Let the mixture sit with the cinnamon sticks inside as it cools for extra spice.
  2. Remove the cinnamon sticks once cooled, then transfer the cranberry sauce to a container. Chill before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until most cranberries pop—overcooking can make the sauce looser. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze in a sealed container up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar substitute that measures 1:1 for baking and simmer briefly until thickened.