Best Cranberry Sauce – Orange Maple Cranberry

This is the best cranberry sauce recipe ever. Period. It has everything you could ever want, tart cranberries, fresh orange juice, pure maple syrup. That’s right. Maple syrup aka nectar of the gods, liquid gold, Canada’s best export. The combination of flavours is magic and you may find yourself dipping your turkey, your mashed potatoes, your carrots, your stuffing, your fingers in it.

Another reason this is the best cranberry sauce is because of what it does to leftover turkey sandwiches. Honestly, I’d skip the whole turkey dinner just to get to that part.

Orange Maple Cranberry Sauce

3 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cinnamon depending on your tastes
1 tsp grated orange zest
Pinch of kosher salt

In a large stainless-steel skillet, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and then reduce to maintain a slow, gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and thickened slightly, it should look somewhat syrupy, about 30 minutes. Let the cranberry sauce cool in the pan, it will continue to thicken as it cools. Transfer to serving dish.

You can make this and serve it the same day BUT I highly recommend you make this at least 3 days ahead. It will not only save you time on Thanksgiving Day but it will allow the sauce to thicken a bit more.