Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce
Old-fashioned flavor meets modern ease in this Brown Sugar Cranberry sauce. It’s rich, warm, and perfectly balanced between tart and sweet, everything you want in a classic holiday side dish. Simple ingredients and a short cook time make it one of those recipes you’ll come back to every year.
Skip the canned stuff and make this fresh, homemade sauce instead. It tastes tart and refreshing with just enough sweetness to keep it bright and lively. The brown sugar gives it a subtle caramel note that pairs beautifully with roasted turkey, ham, or even spooned over desserts like cheesecake or pound cake.
If you prefer a tangier sauce, start with half the sugar called for and let the cranberries cook until they begin to pop. Once they’re popping you can start to actually taste the sauce and sweetness levels.
Taste the mixture at that point, if it’s too tart for your liking, add more of the sugar, a tablespoon at a time until you like the sweetness level. Keep cooking until the sauce thickens as directed in the recipe. This lets you control the sweetness and create the perfect balance for your table.
What You Need To Make Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce
Making a quick shopping list before you start helps you stay organized and ensures you have everything you need on hand. This simple ingredient list keeps things affordable, easy, and delicious.
- cranberries, fresh or frozen
- brown sugar
- orange
- water
You can easily adjust the sugar to make it more or less sweet, depending on your taste. Try swapping the orange for lemon or another citrus fruit, cranberries and citrus are natural companions. Each variation brings its own bright twist to the traditional flavor.
How To Store Leftovers
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. The flavor only deepens as it chills, making it a great make-ahead dish for the holidays.
Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 orange washed
- Water
- Optional: the squeezed orange halves for extra flavor while cooking
Instructions
- Wash and pick over the cranberries, removing any soft or damaged berries
- Add the cranberries to a saucepan
- Zest the orange and add the zest to the pan
- Juice the orange, straining out seeds if needed
- Add enough water to the orange juice to make 2/3 cup and pour it into the saucepan
- Add the juiced orange halves to the pot if you want extra flavor
- Cook over medium heat until the cranberries begin to pop
- Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Taste the sauce as it cooks and add 1–2 tablespoons more sugar if needed
- Cook until the sauce thickens and most berries have burst, then remove the orange halves if used
- Poor into a storing dish, cover and chill until ready to use
