Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Combine: Reserve ½ cup of the cranberries to add at the end of cooking. Add the rest of the cranberries to a medium saucepan with sugars, cinnamon stick, spices, water, and orange juice.

Simmer: Cook over medium heat until the sauce boils, then reduce to medium-low. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until most of the berries have burst and the mixture has thickened. You can control the consistency by how long you simmer the sauce. The longer you simmer, the thicker it will be, noting it will also thicken upon standing.

Add Reserved Cranberries: Remove from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the 1/2 cup reserved cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla.

Cool and Adjust: Transfer the sauce to a bowl and cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. Adjust to taste by adding powdered sugar for sweetness or orange zest for tanginess. If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in water a tablespoon at a time.

Refrigerate: Time permitting, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Then, allow to come to room temperature before serving.