Maple Orange Cranberry Sauce is absolutely the perfect addition to your holiday table.
To be honest, Wesley and I have never been a big fan of the canned cranberry sauce. I know lots of people just love it, and I can totally understand that connection. But to me, it just tastes like something, well…from a can. We were determined to step up the cranberry sauce, and we think you’ll agree, this recipe is a winner!
HOW TO MAKE MAPLE ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE
Cranberry Sauce made from scratch is so simple to make!
And you can make this dish several hours, or up to 1 day, in advance!
Watch us show you how easy it is to make this classic holiday side dish!
FRESH OR FROZEN CRANBERRIES WILL WORK
Fresh cranberries are absolutely wonderful for this recipe and they can usually be found in plastic bags in the produce section of most well-stocked supermarkets.
But if you can’t find fresh, you can absolutely use frozen.
EXPERT TIP: Be sure to get pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. It really makes a difference in the taste and texture of the final dish.
FRESH ORANGE ZEST ADDS DEPTH OF FLAVOR
There is so much wonderful flavor from the skin of a fresh orange.
Use a zester, or micro plane, or the fine grates on the side of a box grater to get the zest.
You’ll only need about a teaspoon, or two if desired.
SIMMERING THE CRANBERRIES
Now, it’s time to simmer the cranberries with the maple syrup and juices.
Within a few minutes, the juices will start to simmer.
Before your very eyes, the cranberries will start to burst open and the sauce will start to thicken.
MAPLE ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE CAN BE MADE A DAY IN ADVANCE
After the berries have become a beautiful sauce, simply take them off the heat and stir in the orange zest.
You’ll want to chill the homemade cranberry sauce for at least one hour, but you can make this up to a day in advance.
This is the perfect side dish to bring if you’re traveling to someone else’s home for the big feast and you’ve been tasked with bringing a traditional side.
We promise you…even if you’re not a fan of cranberry sauce, you’re going to love this recipe.
And, it freezes perfectly, too, so you can even make it weeks before the big feast.
No matter what, this Maple Orange Cranberry Sauce will become a staple at your Thanksgiving (and beyond) table. It’s the perfect addition to your Turkey, Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, and Pumpkin Pie!
Now, go ahead and make Maple Orange Cranberry Sauce!
And when you make it, be sure to take a picture and post it on Instagram and tag @howtofeedaloon and #howtofeedaloon!
Maple Orange Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz. cranberries fresh or frozen, about 3 cups
- 1 cup maple syrup pure
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup cranberry juice not cocktail
- 1 tsp orange zest plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, cranberry juice and orange zest in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, just until the cranberries burst, about 5 – 10 minutes.
- Turn down the heat to medium-low and continue cooking over lower heat until the juice is thick, about 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Allow to cool, and then chill in the fridge until ready to serve. It should have a nice jelly-like consistency.
- Garnish with extra orange zest.
