This spiced cranberry sauce is perfect for the holiday season! Made with honey and not too sweet, orange, ginger, and spices give it a wonderful and festive flavor. This is a simple-to-make whole-berry cranberry sauce that is easy to whip up for any holiday celebration!
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Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice and Spices
I always say spices are the spice of life, and cranberry sauce with orange juice is no exception! Whole berry cranberry sauce has long been a favorite of mine, it’s easy to make and the best way to jazz it up is with spices.
I grew up with canned cranberry sauce of the jelly variety, and in fact, would even be super impressed with myself if I could get it on the plate with the can ridges still showing. My how things have changed for my holiday table!
The days of bland cranberry sauce are over, it’s time to level up your cranberry recipe! Cranberry and orange are already a lovely pair, all you have to add to this whole berry cranberry sauce is the right spices.
If you’d like to preserve a batch long-term, try my canned cranberry sauce recipe that is made with similar ingredients. Or if you’re in a hurry, these quick pickled cranberries.
Check out all 12 of my favorite cranberry recipes!
Ingredients
Cranberries: Whole berry cranberry sauce is where it’s at! Grab up some actual cranberries for this well-spiced sauce!
Orange juice: I use freshly squeezed orange juice, and I highly recommend you do the same. It’s the best. Use store-bought orange juice if necessary.
Orange zest: The zest is well worth it for the extra orange flavor! Here is a simple tutorial on how to zest an orange.
Honey: I like my spiced cranberries more tart, so I don’t add a whole lot of sweetener. Honey takes away any bitterness the cranberries might have, and the flavor of cranberry sauce with honey or maple syrup pairs well with the spices. Feel free to add more honey or maple syrup in if you like it sweeter!
Spices That Pair Well with Cranberries
- Ginger: I like using fresh ginger, but if all you have is ground that works too. Ginger is great for your immune system, so give yourself a health boost in your cranberries!
- Cinnamon: Adding a whole cinnamon stick is festive and fun! Use ground cinnamon as a substitute.
- Star anise: The flavor of star anise is slightly licorice-like and adds a nice touch. Plus, cranberry sauce with star anise looks so pretty and festive!
- Cloves: Add a classic holiday spiciness and combine well with the orange. It’s best to use ground cloves as whole cloves are hard to fish out of the cooked cranberries.
- Allspice: Another classic holiday flavor! Again, it’s best to use ground allspice instead of whole.
My favorite place to get bulk herbs and spices is Mountain Rose Herbs!
Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce Recipe
I prefer to use honey or maple syrup in this spiced cranberry sauce instead of sugar (like I do in many of my recipes). I prefer a pretty tart sauce, but add more if you like sweeter cranberries.
Whole berry cranberry sauce can be a healthy side at any holiday table, especially if you don’t use a ton of sweetener and add to it with health-beneficial spices. No bland jellied cranberries here!
Spiced cranberries are easy to make, let’s get ’em started!
First, add the whole cranberries, orange zest, and orange juice to a pot. Then add the minced ginger, honey, cinnamon stick, two whole star anise, ground cloves, ground allspice, and a pinch of salt.
Note: If you want to make your spiced cranberries a little bit boozy, add 2-4 tablespoons of bourbon, brandy, whiskey, or even rum to the pot. Yum!
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have popped and the sauce has thickened.
Now, turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate until you are ready to serve it. Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise before serving.
It will look so beautiful on any holiday table!
And that’s it! It is the easiest and most delicious spiced cranberry sauce I have ever made.
I make this recipe every year without fail, and even my two-year-old loves it!
Jazz Up Your Life with Spiced Cranberries
Any holiday table with these deliciously spiced cranberries will look beautiful and taste amazing all around.
It’s probably obvious to some, but whole-berry cranberry sauce pairs well with a huge Thanksgiving turkey dinner, alongside mashed veggies and pumpkin pie. There, I said it, you’re welcome!
With that said, the flavors of combined cranberry sauce with orange juice make it delicious on top of pork chops, as a side to ham, or in a turkey or chicken sandwich. I’ve even been known to add it to salad!
I live my life seasonally, and with cranberries in season during fall and winter, I’m ready to jazz them up with honey and spices all season! This is the healthiest and most tasty way to make whole cranberries.
The best news is that homemade cranberry sauce will keep well in the refrigerator for 7-14 days, so you can easily double or triple this recipe to give your life the most cranberry spice ever.
Another option is to freeze leftovers for later use, it should stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Enjoy your leveled-up spiced whole-berry cranberry sauce all season long!
More Thanksgiving & Holiday Recipes
- Fermented Honey Cranberries
- How to Make Fermented Cranberries
- Canning Cranberry Sauce
- Cranberry Champagne Cocktail
- Mulled Wine with Whole Spices
- Freezer Apple Pie Filling
- Pumpkin Cornbread with Maple Butter
- Mashed Butternut Squash with Maple Syrup
- Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple Pecans
- Roasted Pumpkin Wedges
- Oven Roasted Butternut Squash
Simple Spiced Cranberries with Orange and Ginger
Ingredients
- 12-16 ounces fresh cranberries
- juice from one orange about 1/4 cup
- zest from one orange about 1 tablespoon, a microplane works best for zesting
- 1/4-1/2 cup honey or maple syrup more or less, depending on desired sweetness level
- 1 inch piece of ginger minced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole star anise
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have popped and the sauce has thickened.
- Turn off the heat and let cool for a bit, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise before serving.
Do you think I could can this? I’m thinking of giving some away as gifts. This recipe looks amazing!
This recipe wasn’t tested safe for canning, but my cranberry sauce canning recipe contains most of the same ingredients and is just as delicious!
Mine turned out really thick, is it supposed to be? Any suggestions on how to thin it out?
I’m not sure I know what you mean by “really thick”. It’s supposed to be as thick as a jam or jelly. Traditional cranberry sauce is its own dish, it’s not a thin sauce that can drizzled.
Do you know how it does if frozen?
I don’t, but I think it should be okay!
This is the best cranberry sauce I have eaten. Love the subtle favor the star anise adds! I used a 1/4 cup of both raw local honey and local maple syrup. Delicious!
Hi Sheila, I’m so glad to hear that you love it! It’s our favorite too :)
Sounds wonderful… and with honey instead of usual ton of sugar. How long does it keep in the refrigerator? Thanks for this and all your recipes!
Hi Carol. It’ll probably last refrigerated for about a week.
Thank you!