An easy 3-ingredient cranberry sauce recipe made with fresh cranberries, sugar and an orange. It’s simple to make from scratch and tastes better than the canned version.
Pair this classic holiday side dish with roasted turkey and other sides including creamy mashed potatoes and a homemade dinner rolls!
Table of Contents
3 Ingredient Cranberry Sauce Recipe
You can’t have a holiday dinner without cranberry sauce on the menu! It’s one of the classics and tastes amazing served alongside cornbread stuffing, easy cheesy potatoes and sweet potato casserole with marshmallows.
This easy 3-ingredient cranberry sauce is almost as easy as opening up the can and tastes SO much better! The addition of fresh orange juice and orange zest really takes the flavor up a notch. Prep it ahead for your holiday this year, it’s a staple Thanksgiving side dish.
Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Cranberries: Look for fresh cranberries that are bright red in color and firm to touch.
- Orange: This recipe uses the juice and zest of a fresh orange.
- Sugar: Add granulated sugar to give it the perfect sweetness. For a healthier alternative, you may use pure honey or maple syrup.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce
This from scratch cranberry sauce is so easy to make!
- Combine the orange (juice + zest), sugar and water in a medium pan over medium heat and bring to a light boil.
- Stir in the cranberries and a pinch of salt.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have burst.
- Mash the cranberries if you prefer a smooth sauce. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Favorite Ways to Use Leftovers
Cranberry sauce is a traditional relish that tastes delicious on top of roasted chicken or baked ham. There are lots of other yummy ways to use up the leftovers (if you have any).
- Place on top of baked brie or make these delicious brie and cranberry bites
- Use it for these delicious cranberry turkey sliders!
- Make my favorite cranberry meatballs
- Serve over top of yogurt or oatmeal
- Top your waffles or pancakes with a spoonful
- Serve warm over vanilla ice cream or even make this apple crisp with the leftovers
More holiday side dishes include easy crockpot stuffing, classic green bean casserole, or simple sweet potato casserole.
More Cranberry Recipes
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
Easy 3-Ingredient Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries (12 ounce bag)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 orange
- Pinch Kosher salt
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Gather ingredients. Zest the orange and then cut in half. Juice the orange into a small bowl and remove any seeds.
- On the stovetop, place 1 1/2 cups cranberries, 1 cup sugar, fresh orange juice, orange zest, salt and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a light boil over medium heat.
- Continue to cook until the cranberries have burst and it has thickened (about 10 minutes). Mash the cranberries if you prefer a smoother sauce.
- Remove from heat and put the sauce in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
Adding in extra flavor, texture, or just changing the recipe may help for some people. For this recipe, you can add in orange juice, pineapple, cinnamon, or pecans. All these extra ingredients will enhance this cranberry sauce for the better!
Sometimes cranberry sauce can be a bit too bitter! Don’t reach for the sugar though, try maple syrup or even honey. These ingredients will help alter that bitter taste.
I typically serve it cold since I make it a few days in advance and store it in the fridge. If you’re serving it warm, you can easily make it ahead of time and then place it in the slow cooker on the warm setting. It will make your home smell amazing!
his sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about 1-2 weeks. It’s the perfect holiday side dish to make ahead of time and stick in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Plus the flavors marinate together wonderfully when stored in the fridge! Just place in an airtight container and stick in the fridge until serving.
t can easily be stored in the freezer a few weeks before serving. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag. To thaw, stick in the fridge overnight. You can serve cold or warm up in a sauce pan or slow cooker, whichever you prefer.
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Condiments, Dairy-Free, Freezer-Friendly, Sauces, Stovetop, Thanksgiving, Vegan
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
My grandma’s recipe. Had this every year. Checked and yours is identical but we use much less sugar. So good. Highly recommend.
So happy it brought back good memories! Enjoy and feel free to adjust sugar as per preferences.
My dad loved a fresh cranberry sauce. This is the easiest and so yummy.
Yummy! Only recipe I use to make cranberry sause. Love the orange. So easy to make.
I have made this every year for the past 4 years. My family, whom never liked any kind of cranberry in the past, absolutely loves this and actually requests it! Thank you so much for an easy and delicious recipe. (Hint: sometimes I add a small amount of finely chopped peeled apple and a pinch of cinnamon to it :) )
This is my third year using this recipe. My family and friends enjoy it also. I used brown sugar last year (2021) it worked out well. I wrote it into my cook book so I have it forever. Happy holidays everyone.
Thanks for sharing that variation. Glad this is a keeper! Happy Thanksgiving, Susan!
I’ve been making cranberry sauce like this for years. It’s always a hit! You’ll never buy the canned stuff again.
So glad to hear this has become a family favorite, Jill. I hope this comes in handy this week. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving dinner is not complete without this cranberry sauce! We’re definitely making it again this year, this is our go-to recipe!