Cranberry Sauce Cinnamon Stick (Print Version)
A tangy-sweet cranberry blend with cinnamon and orange, perfect as a holiday condiment or spread.
# What You Need:
→ Fruit
01 - 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
→ Sweetener
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
→ Liquid
03 - 1/2 cup water
04 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
→ Spice
05 - 1 cinnamon stick (approx. 3 inches)
→ Optional
06 - Zest of 1 orange
07 - Pinch of salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse cranberries thoroughly and discard any soft or damaged ones.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, water, orange juice, and cinnamon stick.
03 - Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches a boil.
04 - Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until most cranberries have burst and the sauce thickens.
05 - Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick, then stir in orange zest and a pinch of salt if desired.
06 - Allow sauce to cool to room temperature—it will thicken further—then transfer to container and refrigerate until serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It's ready in 20 minutes, yet tastes like you fussed all day.
- The cinnamon whisper makes it feel fancy without any fussy technique.
- One batch lasts a week in the fridge and works on everything from roast chicken to vanilla ice cream.
02 -
- The sauce thickens significantly as it cools, so don't panic if it looks loose when you take it off the heat.
- Removing the cinnamon stick is essential—biting into it is never pleasant, and a quick visual check before serving prevents surprises.
03 -
- Use a wooden spoon instead of metal; it won't scrape the bottom of the pan and there's something nicer about the gentle stirring motion with wood.
- If your sauce breaks or looks too thin after cooling, warm it again and simmer an extra minute or two—cooled cranberry starches are forgiving.