Homemade cranberry sauce is so easy to make! This Ginger Orange Cranberry Sauce recipe is flavored with ginger ale and oranges for a deliciously sweet and zesty combo.
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This cranberry sauce is perfect for Thanksgiving. Be sure to make extra so you have enough for this leftover cranberry sauce bread. And if you want an impressive crowd-pleasing appetizer, serve it over this Cranberry Baked Brie!
Canned Cranberry Sauce
I know this is very uncool of me, but I love canned cranberry sauce. Love it! When Thanksgiving is over and it's on clearance, I always buy a few cans.
I love the satisfying PLLLLOP! it makes as it comes out of the can and I love how it stands up on its own and how you can carve it up into slices, just like a turkey. It is a thing of beauty, cranberry sauce is.
But just because I enjoy the canned stuff, doesn't mean I don't appreciate homemade cranberry sauce too. It's kind of like apples and oranges, though. Two different things! And I love them for different reasons.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Now, if you haven't made your own cranberry sauce before, you might be thinking that it's really complicated and not something you'd be able to do in your own kitchen.
That's what I used to think, anyway.
But cranberry sauce is one of those magical things that seems like it should be really difficult, but it's way easier than you'd think.
Seriously, guys, if you have the skill set required to open up a can of soup and heat it on the stove, you can make cranberry sauce. I'm pretty sure if he had thumbs, my one-eyed cat could make cranberry sauce.
So make your own cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving this year!
I got the inspiration for this recipe from Smedette's Amaretto Cranberry Sauce. Amaretto is not something I usually have on hand and, being cheap, I didn't want to buy it just for one recipe.
But she mentioned that you could use ginger ale instead and since I'm a big fan of ginger, that seemed like a good idea to me.
The best part about making your own cranberry sauce is the cranberries popping as you cook them. Yes, they pop!
And if you think the PLLLLOP! of cranberry sauce exiting a can is satisfying, just wait till you hear cranberries burst open!
Because cranberries are naturally full of pectin (which is released when they pop), you don't need to add anything to make the sauce jelly-like-it happens on its own.
More Recipes Ideas
If you're pulling together your holiday menu, be sure to check out my complete Vegan Thanksgiving Cookbook and these other tasty ideas:
- 13 Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipes
- 40 Vegetarian Main Dishes for Thanksgiving
- Best Vegetarian Gravy Recipes
Recipe by me, photos by Rikki Snyder.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
- ½ cup ginger beer or ale
- ¼ cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often and using the back of a wooden spoon to smash cranberries against side of pan.
- Remove from heat; sauce will thicken as it cools.
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
This looks delish and especially on a...um..."leftover" sandwich. 😉
I've gotta ask because I'm a texture weirdo and haven't cooked with cranberries before, are the flecks that look like raspberry seeds, seeds of some kind or zest? I'm praying you're going to say zest.
Kiersten says
There's orange zest in there and also cranberry seeds. Now, you could probably pour this through a fine mesh sieve to catch the skin and seeds, but I've never tried it myself...
Michelle says
I love the idea of ginger beer! We've been making a similar cranberry sauce for years for our vegan Thanksgiving get-togethers (couldn't find it online, though I could have sworn it comes from Vegetarian Times).
Cranberries, thin-skinned orange, sliced into wedges, skin left on but seeds removed, sugar. Toss it through the food processor, stick it in a jar, and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days. Science happens, and after two days you have an amazingly delicious and easy sauce.
Kiersten says
So you don't even cook the sauce?! Very interesting! I'm going to have to try that...
Michelle says
Right! I still can't find the original recipe, but it looks like this person has it right. We usually halve the recipe and it still makes plenty for 10 people.
http://thatrecipe.com/recipes/relishes/cranberry_orange.htm
Jeanne D says
No Cook Sauce. My boys always made this in elementary school for the holidays as a bring home to mom project. Looking forward to passing it on to the grand children !
Rachel (Two Healthy Plates) says
This is going to be my first year making homemade cranberry sauce - I don't know why I always thought it was so much work- hah! I bet this flavor combination is out of this world and I love that you can add ginger beer! Yum =)
Kiersten says
I always thought it was a lot of work too. In fact, I was talking to my mom on the phone over the weekend and she couldn't believe it was so easy to make either!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I can accept the can sauce if it's good enough 😉
This cranberry sauce with ginger and orange looks amazing!
Cat Davis - Food Family Finds says
THIS is going on my Thanksgiving menu. My dad loves a fresh cranberry sauce.
Kiersten says
I hope your family likes it!
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
This is very similar to how I make it, minus the ginger. But I might just try that little add-in. And I always look forward to the popping too.
But not the canned stuff. It's ok as a spread on rolls, etc. but with the holiday dinner..no stinkin' way.
Kiersten says
The popping is the best part, right? Oh, and eating it. That too.
Jackie @ The Beeroness says
The canned stuff sort of freaks me out. But I DO understand the love of nostalgic foods, which is why I am no stranger to the Thanksgiving jell-o/whipped cream/marshmallow salad. This sauce looks beautiful, I'll take it over the canned stuff every day.
Kiersten says
It just kind of fascinates me. It's the fact that it can be sliced, I think. And that it's the shape of the can. That is also kind of awesome.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I've never made cranberry sauce before but I'd love to give this a try! Thanks for the warning about the "popping" 🙂
Kiersten says
You should totally try it--it is easy and it's really satisfying too! And then everyone will be totally impressed that you made your own cranberry sauce.
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says
I love hearing that popping sound when making cranberry sauce 🙂 Another amazing recipe Kiersten 🙂
Kiersten says
Yeah, I kind of nerd out about it. But I nerd out about everything...
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
Oh my goodness this sounds SO close to what I make except with the addition of ginger ale. I'm trying the addition this year and going to wow the fam with the change!
Kiersten says
I hope they like it! And if they don't, you can blame me!
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
I totally spaced picking up the ginger ale before Thanksgiving so didn't give this recipe a try on the big day. But coincidentally my grandma ended up running out of sugar and I had to substitute 7-Up for a little sweetness and it totally worked. I also added in a few cinnamon sticks and that had great flavor too. Since we didn't have any leftovers, I'm preparing Thanksgiving Part Deux right now. I'm making your recipe as posted right now. And I still have some leftover cranberries, so will definitely be using your suggestions for the leftover cranberries/cranberry sauce.
Kiersten says
I love the idea of adding 7-Up! I hope the sauce turned out well. 🙂 Definitely make some muffins with the leftovers--I had the last of the ones I made for breakfast this morning and I'm sad they're all gone now because they were so good!
Brenda Williams says
http://www.itstaylormade.com/2011/11/cranberry-chutney-recipe.html
Hope you can open this...Taylor Made had and awesome cranberry chutney recipe that is out of this world good. We put on cream cheese and served with Ritz crackers. Yum.
I love your recipe and I love cranberry sauce too.
Kiersten says
I want to try making a relish or chutney with cranberries while they are in season! Thanks for sharing this recipe. 🙂
Robin says
I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I always buy my cranberry sauce in a can - it's embarrassing because my town's claim to fame is that it's the cranberry capital of the world and the Ocean Spray HQ/Corporate office is literally about a mile from my house. I should be making my own cranberry sauce and this recipe really sounds good.
Kiersten says
Ha! That is so funny. Well, I hope at the very least you're buying Ocean Spray cranberry sauce!
marla says
A beautiful cranberry collaboration. You and Rikki are a fab team 🙂
Shirley says
Me too! Me too! Years ago I made my own cranberry sauce, but nobody in my family liked it as much as the canned stuff (including me). We always needed at least 2 cans for Thanksgiving dinner. My coworker makes this awesome cranberry apple relish and gave me the recipe, and I'm hoping to tinker with it if I have time or make it on the big day. I feel the same about stuff like amaretto, so when I bought amaretto for a cookie recipe I bought one of those airplane-sized bottles. But I'd much prefer your ginger ale version anyway.
Kiersten says
I just saw a recipe on FoodGawker this morning for homemade jellied cranberry sauce (the kind that plops out and retains the shape of the can!), so I might have to give that a try. It looked exactly like the canned kind--I was impressed!
Shirley says
That's too funny! Does the recipe call for gelatin? Now I'm wondering, does the Ocean Spray variety use gelatin? I'd still eat it though. 🙂
Kiersten says
Nope, you just put a little extra pectin in to gel it up. 🙂
Ashley - Baker by Nature says
I love homemade cranberry sauce! So bright and beautiful with all it's festive red color - and the ginger and orange make this a for sure winner!
Kiersten says
I made it again this week and spent about an hour photographing the cranberries and then the sauce when it was finished, just for practice. You're right, it really is beautiful! 🙂
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
Ginger ale in cranberry sauce? That is pure genius! Can't wait to give this a try!
nicole @nicky_olea says
Nice. I make a ginger cranberry sauce too!
debra pearlstein says
Three of my favorite things, cranberries, ginger and oranges! The photos are gorgeous as well. I'd love to try this.
Jennifer says
so I decided (yes a day before Thanksgiving) that I am making this. Can I make it today and it still be good tomorrow? Should it be served hot or cold?
Kiersten says
Yes, you can definitely make it in advance. It gets more jelly-like as it cools, so it's best served either room temperature or chilled. I hope your family likes it! 🙂
Casey says
This was AMAZING! The whole family loved it! It was easy to make and taste great! Thank you so much!
Kiersten says
Thanks for letting me know--I'm so glad your family enjoyed it! 🙂
Casey says
Greatest cranberry sauce EVER! I am allergic to gluten so I used omission lager in mine and also added zested some ginger in it. It's so good! I would drink it if I could....and everyday.
Aarti says
YUM! Sounds and looks delicious! Thank you for sharing!