Orange zest takes this homemade cranberry sauce to the next level. All you need is 4 ingredients and 20 minutes to make this sauce that pairs incredibly with turkey and chicken.
½cupfreshly squeezed orange juice - approx. two oranges
¾cuporange zest - zest from two oranges
Instructions
Wash and scrub the two large navel oranges, then use a cheese grater to create zest from the entire orange peel.
Slice each orange in half and use a juice squeezer to squeeze the juice from the two oranges.
Add the orange zest, orange juice, sweetener, and cinnamon to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently to prevent the sugar from burning. Once the sauce starts to bubble, reduce the heat to let simmer.
Now add the cranberries. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until cranberries break down and the sauce thickens. The cranberries will start to "pop" as they break open. You can help the process along by gently squishing them while you're stirring. Note: Because there is sugar in the saucepan you want to stir frequently to prevent it from burning.
Once the sauce is thick and cranberries broken down, remove from heat and let cool at least 1 hour. Add to an airtight glass container and store in the fridge for a minimum 3-4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.Optional: Add a small amount of fresh orange zest to the top of the cranberry sauce just before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Avoid Liquid Sugar - I don't recommend using a liquid sugar like maple syrup or honey because it tends to burn easier while you're simmering the cranberries. I speak from experience - last year I burnt a double batch of cranberry sauce using fresh cranberries from the farmer's market. I was so disappointed!
Stir Frequently - I highly recommend sticking close to the stove while you're making this recipe. The sugar can burn if you let the sauce sit too long. Stirring often is important to avoid that.