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Best Easy Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest

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This Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest is a quick and easy holiday side dish that combines deep caramel-like richness from brown sugar with bright citrus notes. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas and comes together in under 25 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 oz (340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large or 2 small fresh oranges (zest and juice)
  • ½ cup (120 ml) water
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
  • Optional: 1 cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Optional: ¼ cup (30 g) chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

Instructions

  1. Prep the orange: Wash and dry the orange. Zest it to get 1-2 tablespoons of zest, then juice it to get about ¼ cup (60 ml) juice. Set aside.
  2. Combine ingredients: In a medium saucepan (2-3 quart), add cranberries, brown sugar, water, orange juice, salt, and cinnamon stick if using. Stir to combine.
  3. Bring to a boil: Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Watch for boil-overs. Cranberries will start to pop.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer: Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst and sauce has thickened to your liking.
  5. Add zest and optional vanilla: Turn off heat. Stir in orange zest and vanilla extract if using. Remove cinnamon stick if added. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired.
  6. Cool and serve: Let sauce cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl or jar. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
  7. Optional: For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the sauce until smooth. Be careful with hot liquids.

Notes

This sauce can be made 1-3 days ahead and actually tastes better the next day. It freezes well for up to 3 months. For a lower-sugar version, reduce brown sugar to ¾ cup and add a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey. For a sugar-free version, use a brown sugar substitute like Swerve or Lakanto.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown sugar cranberry sauce, orange zest cranberry sauce, homemade cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving cranberry sauce, Christmas cranberry sauce, easy cranberry sauce

Find it online: https://sparklespoon.com/best-easy-brown-sugar-cranberry-sauce-with-orange-zest/