My favourite cranberry sauce—with just the right amount of bright tang—works equally well with fresh or frozen cranberries. Only four ingredients and about 10 minutes are needed to make this easy, homemade addition to your Christmas table. It’s also delicious spooned onto toast for breakfast.
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I’ve tried several cranberry sauces over the years and this orange-and-port version is my favourite. It’s tangy, with a zing of orange and a hint of richness from the port—without any boozy taste. I keep frozen cranberries on hand so I can make it quickly to accompany any roast.
📋 What do we need?
- Cranberries – fresh or frozen
- Port – any type you have to hand
- Sugar – golden caster, regular caster or superfine
- Orange – zest and juice of one large orange
🔪 How to make this Cranberry Sauce
Full recipe and measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Put the cranberries, sugar, port, orange juice and orange zest into a saucepan and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 6–8 minutes until the cranberries soften and begin to burst and the liquid thickens slightly.
- Turn off the heat and allow to cool; the sauce will thicken further as it cools.
PRO TIP: For a smoother texture, mash the sauce with a potato masher or the back of a fork while it’s still warm.
Serve alongside roast turkey or roast chicken for a classic combination.
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Roast turkey
- Roast potatoes
- Pigs in blankets — great in sandwiches with cranberry sauce
- Make-ahead Christmas gravy
- Vegetables such as garlic parmesan green beans or buttered pepper carrots
Garnish with a few strands of orange zest before serving for a festive finish.
PRO TIP: Zest the orange a few hours ahead and wrap the zest in a damp piece of kitchen towel to keep it from drying out.
📺 Watch how to make it
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Cranberry Sauce Recipe
5
8
13
Ingredients
- 300 g (3 cups) cranberries fresh or frozen
- 125 g (3/4 cup) golden caster sugar (or regular caster or superfine)
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) port
- zest and juice of 1 large orange
Instructions
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Place all ingredients into a small saucepan.
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Bring to the boil, then simmer for 6–8 minutes until the cranberries soften and burst and the liquid reduces slightly. It will thicken more as it cools.
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For a smoother sauce, mash the cranberries with a potato masher while warm.
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Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to a week.
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Remove from the fridge about an hour before serving to take the chill off, or reheat gently to serve warm.
Video
Notes
Once cooled, the sauce becomes thick and jam-like. If you prefer a thinner consistency, stir in a splash of water while the sauce is still warm or reheat briefly to loosen it.
Make Ahead:
Cool the sauce, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 10 days. Remove from the fridge an hour before serving, or reheat gently to serve warm. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in the fridge before using.
Reducing the sugar:
If you prefer a tarter sauce, reduce the sugar by up to half.
Alcohol-free version:
Omit the port and add an extra 45 ml (3 tbsp) orange juice plus 30 ml (2 tbsp) water instead.
Nutritional information is per serving based on 10 servings.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you — that helps keep the site running. Nutritional information is approximate.