Cranberry Sauce

By Sam Sifton

Updated Dec. 16, 2024

Cranberry Sauce
Jim Wilson/The New York Times
Total Time
10 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
5(4,058)
Comments
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Cranberry sauce should be sweet but not cloying, and tart without causing pucker and anguish. It should have a jelly-like quality, but should owe more to the appearance of jam. The key element to making cranberry sauce is to understand that cranberries are high in pectin, a carbohydrate that exists in many fruits and which is released by the berries when they are heated and the cells of the fruit break down. In the presence of sugar, the pectin molecules bond to one another, forming a kind of gel. The longer you cook a cranberry sauce, the more pectin is released and liquid is evaporated, and the stiffer the result will be. Science! Sometimes it's helpful. So is spice. Some like a clove or two added to their cranberry sauce. (I am not one of them.) Others, a whisper of ginger and a small handful of nuts, for texture. Of this, I approve.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 2 cups
  • 112-ounce bag fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
  • ¾cup sugar
  • ¾cup orange juice, preferably fresh squeezed
  • Zest of 1 orange, or to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

221 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 48 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 3 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place cranberries in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and pour over these the sugar and orange juice. Stir to combine.

  2. Step 2

    Cook until sugar is entirely melted and cranberries begin to burst in the heat, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir again, add zest, and cook for 2 or 3 minutes longer, turn off heat, cover pan, and allow to cool.

  3. Step 3

    Put cranberry mixture in a serving bowl, cover, and place in refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours, or until you need it.

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FAQS

  1. Any cranberry sauce made without gelatin can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Cranberry molds, or any other sauce that is set with gelatin, cannot be frozen.

Ratings

5 out of 5
4,058 user ratings
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Comments

India

I like the recipe on the bag of cranberries, but I start with only 1/2 the sugar, and taste it as I go. I usually end up adding another 1/3 cup of sugar - it really depends on your cranberries. I find that adding the orange juice after it's really thick tastes better - cooked orange juice can be bitter. I add the fresh zest at the same time. Delicious!

Marguerite

A tipple of Grand Marnier as it cools is a nice touch.

betteirene

This sauce is so good on sandwiches made with leftover turkey: Sturdy white or wheat bread, mayo, swiss, turkey, sauce, lettuce (or not). I keep a bag or two of cranberries in the basement freezer just to make this sauce for sandwiches during non-holiday times of the year. I like it on ham sandwiches, too.

Joe OSA

Adding Mandarin Orange slices after the sauce is cooked and slightly cooled brightens the flavor and can add a beautiful decorative touch.

Sallie

Does anyone else get out ye olde meat-grinder for this? Use 1bag of cranberries rinsed, one navel orange cut in 8 pieces and somewhere about a half a cup of sugar. Grind up your cranberries and the orange together. Warning! Make sure your bowl is under all the grinder. The juices do try to escape. When you have your ground up cranberries and orange, dump in the sugar and stir till it dissolves. Taste the sauce. Adjust the sugar if needed. Better yet, make this the day before you need it. The flavors will meld overnight. You can adjust the sugar on the day of the big event. Keep it in the fridge for the possible leftovers and on sandwiches. Good luck finding a hand-crank meat grinder! It helps to have inherited one.

tori

I’m not a cranberry sauce person, but every Thanksgiving table needs some, so I went with this recipe because it was easy. Well let me tell you - this was the only leftover dish I was craving for days after!!! Maybe because it’s so simple, idk, it’s incredible. My Thanksgiving cranberry sauce recipe 🥹 I made exactly as stated - juiced ~6 naval oranges for the juice. The flavor was perfect, not bitter and not overly sweet. Can’t wait to make for Christmas!

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Credits

Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well by Sam Sifton

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