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Easy Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce with Rosemary

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This easy homemade cranberry orange sauce with rosemary comes together in about 20 minutes with just one pot. It’s the perfect balance of tart, sweet, and herbaceous, making it a crowd-pleaser for any holiday meal or weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces (340 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 large orange (zest and juice)
  • 1 large sprig fresh rosemary (about 4–5 inches long)
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) water
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Grand Marnier or orange liqueur (optional)
  • Pinch of salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash the orange thoroughly. Zest the entire orange using a microplane or fine grater, being careful to avoid the bitter white pith. Set the zest aside. Cut the orange in half and juice it to get about ¼ cup (60 ml) of fresh orange juice.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, granulated sugar, fresh orange juice, and water. Stir to combine.
  3. Gently place the whole sprig of fresh rosemary on top of the cranberry mixture. Do not stir it in.
  4. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. You’ll hear the cranberries start to pop, which takes about 5-7 minutes.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cooks. It’s done when most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
  6. Using tongs or a fork, carefully remove the rosemary sprig from the saucepan and discard it. Be sure to remove any stray needles.
  7. Turn off the heat. Stir in the fresh orange zest. If using, stir in the Grand Marnier or a pinch of salt now.
  8. Let the sauce cool in the saucepan for about 10-15 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Transfer to a serving bowl or jar. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Notes

For best results, use a whole sprig of fresh rosemary and remove it at the end to avoid an overpowering flavor. The sauce thickens as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems thin after simmering. This sauce can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 3 months. For a spiced version, add a cinnamon stick and two star anise along with the rosemary. For a maple version, replace half the sugar with pure maple syrup.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, cranberry orange sauce, rosemary cranberry sauce, homemade cranberry sauce, easy cranberry sauce, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving recipe

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/easy-homemade-cranberry-orange-sauce-with-rosemary/