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Easy Homemade Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest

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This quick and easy cranberry sauce uses brown sugar and orange zest for a warm, tangy-sweet flavor that’s perfect for holidays or weeknight dinners. It comes together in under 20 minutes with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

  • Fresh or frozen cranberries, 12 ounces (340 grams)
  • Light brown sugar, ¾ cup (150 grams), packed
  • Fresh orange, 1 medium (zest and juice)
  • Water, ½ cup (120 ml)
  • Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: Cinnamon stick, 1
  • Optional: Maple syrup, 1 tablespoon (15 ml)

Instructions

  1. Zest and juice the orange: Wash the orange well, then use a microplane to grate the outer orange skin. Stop when you see white pith. You’ll want about 1 tablespoon of zest. Cut the orange in half and squeeze out ¼ cup (60 ml) of juice. Set both aside.
  2. Combine ingredients in the saucepan: Add the cranberries, brown sugar, water, orange juice, and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan. If using a cinnamon stick, add it now. Give everything a quick stir.
  3. Bring to a boil: Turn the heat to medium-high and let the mixture come to a boil. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar. The cranberries will start to pop.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer: Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring every 2-3 minutes, for 10-12 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. For chunkier sauce, simmer 8 minutes; for smoother, go 12 minutes.
  5. Add vanilla and orange zest: Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and orange zest. If using a cinnamon stick, remove it now.
  6. Cool slightly and taste: Let the sauce sit for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness as needed (add more brown sugar or maple syrup if too tart, or lemon juice if too sweet).
  7. Serve or store: Pour into a serving bowl or glass jar. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Notes

If the sugar caramelizes on the bottom, scrape it up and stir it in—it adds depth of flavor. Add orange zest at the end to preserve its bright flavor. For a spiced version, add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and a pinch of ground cloves. For a maple-bourbon version, replace water with ¼ cup bourbon and ¼ cup maple syrup, and reduce brown sugar to ½ cup. For an apple-cranberry blend, dice one medium apple and add with cranberries. For a low-sugar option, use ¼ cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup. For slow cooker method, cook on low for 2-3 hours.

Nutrition

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

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