Description
This Cranberry Ginger Sauce delivers tart fresh cranberries blended with zesty orange juice, warm fresh ginger, and just the right amount of sweetness for a vibrant holiday condiment that complements roasts, poultry or vegetarian mains.
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
- 1 cup (170 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) freshly‑squeezed orange juice (about 1–2 oranges)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Reserve ½ cup of cranberries from the batch and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon stick and salt. Stir occasionally until the cranberries begin to pop and the mixture simmers, about 8 minutes. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Reduce heat to medium‑low. Add the reserved cranberries, orange zest and grated fresh ginger. Cook for an additional 3 minutes until the berries soften further and the sauce thickens slightly. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Remove from heat, skim off any foam, discard the cinnamon stick, and allow the sauce to cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature, or chill for later use.
Notes
- Adjust the sweetness by reducing or increasing brown sugar—many recipes suggest reducing sugar if you prefer a more tart sauce. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- If using frozen cranberries, no need to thaw—just rinse and use directly. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- Vanilla extract is optional but adds a warm finish.
- For a richer flavor, swap part of the water for additional orange juice or add a splash of orange liqueur.
- For texture variation, stir in chopped pecans or candied ginger after the sauce cools.
- Prep Time: 4 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Condiment / Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop Simmer
- Cuisine: American / Holiday
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: ≈76 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
