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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Side Dish

    Better Than Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce

    Published: Jan 21, 2025 by Lisa Killian ยท This post may contain affiliate links. Please read myย  disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    My Better Than Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce Recipe only needs 4 ingredients. With a hint of orange, you will love this sweet and tasty side cranberry dish!

    spoonful of cranberry relish

    Simple ingredients that come together in no time at all that will transform your meal! This cranberry sauce recipe will be a new favorite for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    Cranberry Sauce is a staple during the holidays. Whatโ€™s funny is I actually grew up with cranberry relish and my husbandโ€™s family always had canned cranberry.

    However, cranberry sauce is a loved and cherished holiday recipe that I am excited to share with you. Once I realized just how easy and delicious homemade cranberry sauce was, I was amazed.

    cranberry relish in bowl
    I can't get over how simple it is to make cranberry sauce!

    For more tasty cranberry treats check out:

    Cranberry relish over cream cheese
    Cranberry Relish
    sugared cranberries in dish
    Sugared Cranberries
    lots of muffins flatlay
    Cranberry Muffins

    Why we love this recipe

    • It's simple
    • Requires only a handful of ingredients
    • Can be made several days before the big holiday meal
    • It's better than ocean spray cranberry sauce because it has orange in it!

    What ingredients do you need?

    Cranberries- fresh or frozen

    Sugar

    Water

    Orange- you will use the zest and the juice

    cranberry relish in bowl with spoon
    I love the combination of cranberry and orange!

    A traditional cranberry sauce recipe doesnโ€™t include orange. However, orange and cranberry go together so well.

    The flavors are very complimentary and I love this cranberry sauce with a little orange in it.

    How to make upgraded ocean spray cranberry sauce?

    1. Rinse cranberries and remove and bad ones or pieces of sticks (it happens sometimes!)
    2. Zest your orange.
    3. In a medium saucepan combine your water, sugar, and juice from your orange. Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat.
    4. Once sugar is dissolved add cranberries and return to a boil. Then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
    5. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest. Allow sauce to come to room temperature then refrigerate until cold.
    adding orange juice to sauce pan
    adding water tp sauce pan
    adding sugar to saucepan
    boiling the sugar, water, and orange juice
    stirring cranberries in saucepan
    cranberries boiling in saucepan
    close up of burst cranberries on spatula
    adding orange zest to relish
    Cranberry Relish in white bowl featured image

    Don't miss these tips!

    #1: Orange: Zest the orange before squeezing the juice out. It makes life so much easier.

    I highly recommend this zester and this juicer.

    #2: Fresh vs Frozen: You can use either. If you use frozen, do NOT thaw before cooking.

    #3: Storage: Store cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    #4: Freeze: You can freeze cranberry sauce in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Just allow it to thaw for a day or two before serving.

    #5: If you want thicker cranberry sauce you will need to simmer the cranberries for a total of 15-20 minutes. The sauce will naturally continue to thicken as it cools.

    Cranberry sauce is one of the recipes that is perfect to make several days before you want to serve it. This definitely helps with all the hecticness of holiday meal prep.

    Save this for later!

    We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Don't worry, I promise not to spam you!

    This sauce pairs well with my smoked spatchock turkey, homemade stuffing, turkey gravy without drippings and easy sour cream mashed potatoes.

    cranberry sauce on plate with green beans, turkey, and mashed potatoes
    The perfect side for your holiday meal!

    Frequently Asked Questions:

    How do you make cranberry sauce from scratch?

    All you need is cranberries, sugar, and water and boil. Add some orange juice for extra flavor.

    Why is my cranberry sauce not thickening?

    It probably needs to boil longer or you didn't add enough sugar. Add a little more, stir, and boil a few more minutes.

    How do you make cranberry sauce taste better?

    You can and orange juice and orange zest. Or add a little maple syrup.

    Is cranberry sauce warm or cold?

    It is typically served chilled or at room temperature. Allowing it to cool will help it thicken.

    What to do with leftover cranberry sauce?

    I love to add it to leftover turkey tacos or open faced sandwiches!

    Holiday Menu Tips


    Holiday Menu Tips- when to make everything!

    Trying to get all the dishes made during the Holidays can be a bit hectic. However, planning out what you will make, what ingredients you need, and when everything should be in the oven or on the stove helps a lot.

    If you can make some dishes things ahead of time that is even better. Here are a few of my favorite holiday recipes that can be made a day or two or three in advance and either reheated or just set out on the table when ready to eat!

    • Homemade Gravy without Drippings or Peppered Gravy- made the day before
    • Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes- make up to three days before
    • Deviled Eggs- make 1-2 days before (but itโ€™s hard to not snack on them!)
    • Green Bean Casserole- prepare the day before but donโ€™t bake until the day of
    • Sweet Potato Pudding- prepare the day before but donโ€™t bake until the day of
    • Cranberry Sauce or Cranberry Relish- make 1-2 days before
    • Any pie or other dessert should be made a day or two before to allow them to cool/set. (I recommend my pumpkin, chocolate pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, or french silk pies!)

    Don't miss my latest posts:

    • Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
    • Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
    • Churro Cheesecake
    • Bacon Roses
    Cranberry Relish in white pinterest pin bowl
    Don't forget to pin this recipe!

    Video

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    Cranberry Relish in white bowl featured image

    *Better than* Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce Recipe

    This easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe, all you need 4 ingredients for delicious homemade cranberry sauce. With a hint of orange, you will love this sweet and tasty side cranberry dish!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin
    Author: Lisa Killian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 10

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 cup water
    • Juice from 1 orange*
    • 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries 12 oz package
    • Orange zest

    Instructions

    • Rinse cranberries and remove any bad ones.
    • Zest orange then squeeze out the juice into the saucepan you will be using. (1 orange)
      adding orange juice to sauce pan
    • In the medium sized saucepan bring the sugar, water, and orange juice to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. (1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, juice from 1 orange)
      boiling the sugar, water, and orange juice
    • Add cranberries to pot and return to a boil. Then lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until most of the cranberries have burst. (3 cups cranberries) For thicker sauce simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
      close up of burst cranberries on spatula
    • Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest. Allow cranberry sauce to come to room temperature and then refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken as it cools.
      Cranberry Relish in white bowl

    Notes

    Tips and Tricks
    • *Zest the orange before juicing- it makes it so much easier!
    • I highly recommend this zester and this juicer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

    Post updated 12/20/21

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    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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