Did you know that homemade cranberry sauce is actually quick and easy to make? If you know me, you know I never mind recipe shortcuts, and have no problem with subbing canned cranberry sauce to make your holiday meals low-stress. But if you find yourself with 20 extra minutes and want to give a new recipe a try, this cranberry sauce with orange and ginger may just become your new go-to. A few surprising additions take this Thanksgiving staple from underappreciated side-dish to one of the stars of the holiday meal. Your guests will be requesting this zesty cranberry sauce with orange juice, orange zest, and ginger again and again. Keep reading for tips for making this orange ginger cranberry sauce, along with easy ingredient swaps for this ginger cranberry sauce recipe. You can also watch me make this Zesty Cranberry Sauce live on Pinterest TV (replay).
What you need to make this zesty cranberry sauce with orange and ginger
To make this ginger cranberry sauce recipe, here’s what you’ll need (including a few ingredient substitution options):
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about the juice from one large orange; if you don’t have enough you can substitute more water)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or two cinnamon sticks)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (or one tablespoon freshly grated ginger)
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 whole allspice
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
- Zest of 1 orange
How to make zesty orange ginger cranberry sauce
The first step in making this zesty cranberry sauce recipe is to rinse your cranberries, then pick through and discard any squishy ones. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice to a boil. Cook, stirring until the sugar has dissolved (the syrup should be clear-ish aside from the spices). This should take about 3 minutes.
Add the cranberries and cook until they pop frequently (about 5 minutes). Reduce the heat to low and stir in the orange zest. Cook the cranberry sauce with orange juice and ginger for 1-2 more minutes to thicken (it will continue to thicken as it cools).
Remove the orange ginger cranberry sauce from heat, and remove and discard the whole cloves and allspice (if serving immediately; see the note below*). Allow the zesty cranberry sauce to cool before serving or refrigerating.
*This ginger cranberry sauce recipe is best when made a few days in advance, as the spices really steep into the sauce after sitting together in the refrigerator! If you are making it in advance, keep the whole cloves, allspice, and cinnamon sticks (if using) in the sauce, then remove the whole spices before serving.
Here’s the Zesty Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Zesty Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce
A few surprising additions take this Thanksgiving staple from underappreciated side-dish to one of the stars of the holiday meal. Your guests will be requesting this zesty cranberry sauce with orange juice, orange zest, and ginger again and again.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or two cinnamon sticks)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (or one tablespoon freshly grated ginger)
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 whole allspice
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Rinse cranberries. Pick through and discard squishy ones.
- In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice to a boil. Cook, stirring until the sugar is dissolved (about 3 minutes).
- Add the cranberries and cook until they begin to pop frequently (about 5 minutes).
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the orange zest. Cook for 1-2 more minutes to thicken (it will continue to thicken as it cools).
- Remove from heat, and remove and discard the cinnamon sticks (if using), whole cloves, and whole allspice (if serving immediately; if you're making in advance, leave the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice in while refrigerating and remove them just before serving). Allow to cool before serving or refrigerating.
Notes
You can make this a few days in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It's even better after the spices steep in the sauce for a few days!
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