Made with just 5 ingredients and in less than 30 minutes, this easy recipe for fresh cranberry sauce with orange juice will add the perfect zing to your Holiday meal, without being cloyingly sweet.
Place the fresh cranberries in a strainer and rinse well (skip if using frozen cranberries.) Wash, dry, and zest the orange using a Microplane.
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice concentrate, orange zest, cinnamon, and maple syrup together.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the cranberries have begun to burst open and the juices begin to thicken. Be sure to watch the sauce closely as it simmers, so that the sauce does not burn. If you notice too much liquid evaporating, add ¼ cup of water or orange juice as needed. And keep in mind that your sauce will thicken as it cools.
Cool to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.
Notes
Consistency: If you would like a thicker cranberry sauce, simply simmer a bit longer. For a thinner sauce, add an additional ¼ cup of water to the ingredients and simmer for only 15-20 minutes.Adjusting Sweetness: Feel free to use an additional 2 tablespoons of maple syrup for a sweeter cranberry sauce.Maple Syrup: If you don't care to use maple syrup, replace it with equal parts honey or granulated sugar.Storage/Make-Ahead Instructions: Once the cranberry sauce is cooled slightly, store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze in an airtight container, leaving 1 inch of space for expansion for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before using.Tip: Be sure to watch your cranberry sauce closely as it comes to a boil, because of the natural sugars in the orange juice concentrate and maple syrup, it can burn quickly. Turn to a low simmer IMMEDIATELY once the sauce comes to a boil.Using Fresh Orange Juice: If you would like to replace the orange juice concentrate with the juice of fresh oranges, simply zest the oranges and then cut the orange open to squeeze the juice out. You will need at least ¼ cup of fresh orange juice. You will also need to add ¼ cup of additional water and an additional 2-4 tablespoons of sweetener, depending on how sweet you like your cranberry sauce.