This boozy cranberry orange sauce recipe is sweet, fruity, and infused with warm spices. Quick to make, it’s a family favorite and an easy way to elevate any holiday meal.
Looking for more ways to use cranberries? Try my pumpkin cranberry cupcakes and harvest fruit puree, too!
Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday, partly because I was born on it (my mom lovingly calls me her little turkey). Since my Grandma Carolyn passed, I’ve taken over hosting duties, and it’s become a tradition I cherish.
My mom comes a few days early to help shop and prep, and the first thing we always make is the cranberry sauce. It’s quick, easy to prep ahead, and somehow gets better after sitting in the fridge for a couple of days.
While going through my Thanksgiving recipes, I realized I’d never shared my go-to cranberry sauce recipe. So, let’s fix that now!
If you usually serve canned sauce, this boozy orange blossom cranberry sauce will be a total game-changer. It’s incredibly simple, yet adds a personal, flavorful touch to the meal.
You can skip the alcohol if needed, and even leave out the orange blossom water — though if you can find it, it adds an unforgettable aroma and depth. With or without the booze, this homemade sauce always impresses at our table.
It’s the perfect addition to your holiday table. Serve it with your Thanksgiving turkey or roasted chicken. Then, enjoy leftovers as a topping with lemon blueberry pancakes, bread and butter waffles, New York cheesecake, or even olive oil mashed potatoes.
Recipe Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Orange Blossom Water – I always try to have a bottle of orange blossom water on hand. It gives such a lovely scent to sweet dishes– just a little extra “something.” If you can’t find it, the sauce still tastes great without it.
- Fresh Oranges – Use both fresh orange juice and orange zest to infuse the sauce with a bright, citrusy flavor. Be careful not to get any of the white pith when zesting, or your sauce may become a little bitter! Use a grater or microplane for the best results.
- Sweetener – Granulated sugar and brown sugar create a sweet sauce with a subtle molasses taste. Use light brown sugar for a lighter flavor or dark brown sugar if you want a bolder molasses taste.
- Cranberries – A must-have! Use fresh cranberries, not frozen cranberries or canned varieties.
- Spices – Allspice, cinnamon, and ginger add incredible warmth and a sweet, spiced, subtly tangy taste that balances the sugar nicely. You can include a whole cinnamon stick instead of ground cinnamon for an even stronger taste.
- Cointreau – This enhances the orange flavor and adds a bit of a kick. If serving kids or avoiding alcohol, feel free to omit it completely.
How to Make Homemade Cranberry-Orange Sauce
- Dissolve. Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, and orange juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolving the sugar.
- Simmer. Add the cranberries, orange zest, and spices, and bring the mixture to a simmer. There’s no need to bring it to a boil!
- Cook. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the cranberries pop and the mixture begins to thicken. Stir occasionally to combine and prevent burning!
- Combine. Turn off the heat, and stir in the alcohol and orange blossom water. Let the mixture come back to room temperature, and enjoy!
Possible Variations
- Alcohol-Free – Omit the Cointreau entirely for a family-friendly version that’s still full of bright citrus flavor. You can add an extra splash of orange juice for moisture if needed.
- No Orange Blossom Water? – No problem! Just skip it or add a splash of vanilla extract for a warm, subtle twist.
- Maple Cranberry Sauce – Swap the white and brown sugars for ½ cup of pure maple syrup. This adds a deep, earthy sweetness that pairs beautifully with the cranberries and spices.
- Spiced Apple Cranberry Sauce – Add ½ cup of peeled, diced apple (like Honeycrisp or Fuji) along with the cranberries. It adds natural sweetness and extra texture.
- Berry Blend – Mix in ½ cup of raspberries or blueberries for a slightly more complex berry flavor.
- Nuts – Stir in ¼ cup of chopped toasted pecans or walnuts once the sauce has cooled for a crunchy finish.
- Extra Boozy – Prefer an even stronger boozy cranberry sauce? Increase the Cointreau to 3 tablespoons, or try substituting with Grand Marnier or bourbon.
- Citrus – Add a teaspoon of lemon zest along with the orange zest for a brighter, more complex citrus flavor.
Boozy Orange Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 12 ounces cranberries 1 bag
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- Pinch cinnamon
- Pinch ginger
- 2 tablespoons Cointreau or more to taste – I usually use 3 tbsp (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange blossom water (optional)
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, dissolve white and brown sugar into the orange juice.
- Add cranberries, orange zest and spices. Bring ingredients to a simmer.
- Cook over medium-low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries are popped and dissolving and the mixture begins to thicken.
- Turn off heat and pour in the Cointreau and orange blossom water, stir. Let the mixture slowly come back to room temperature. It will “gel” as it cools. Chill before serving.
NOTES
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
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FAQs
Yes, this recipe tastes even better the next day or so! Stored covered or in an airtight container, leftover cranberry sauce will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Yes, once cool, transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw it in the fridge overnight, and enjoy cold.
For this recipe, I recommend chilling the sauce in the fridge and serving it cold. Leftovers make a great addition to leftover sandwiches!
This is my third year making this cranberry sauce. It’s so good! I follow the recipe exactly.
I will be cooking this today. I have a similar recipe with orange juice and spices but have never added liquor. Sounds good so I’ll add some kosher berry wine. I used the recipe previously and added chopped up beets – such a nice combination of red nutrition! Today Torey for your wonderful website.
I used Honey Jack and fresh ginger and the reception was extremely favorable.
Thanks so much for this one! I’m making it for this holiday and am wondering what you’d recommend as far as storage? I wasn’t sure if it would be okay in the freezer due to the Cointreau? I can’t add it later, right? Your post says refrigerator for a few days is okay – you think five days is too much? Thanks Tori! <3
Hi Krystal– you can freeze it without the Cointreau and then stir in the Cointreau after defrosting before serving. Just add it to taste. 5 days might be okay but to be on the safe side I think freezing is a better option.
Great! Thank you Tori!
OMG I love this recipe! I never thought about adding orange blossom water, but it is genius. I’m going to give this a try at Christmas.
I am using a very similar recipe, however this Year I used Lemonchello instead, just decreased some sugar and used brown sugar only. I usually make it even easier. I wash cranberries and put everything in the pan and cook it slowly over low to medium heat for 20 or so minutes. Then turn off the heat and add any kind of liquor I like. Sometimes at the same time I add shopped nuts…as I am from Europe my nuts of choice is walnuts, but I also used pecans before.
Nuts are a fabulous addition Esther. Love the idea of Limoncello!
Can I substitute with Chambord for Grand Marnier?
Elana, yes 🙂
I make a similar recipe using spiced rum. Yumm
This totally inspired me! I have some etrog infused vodka (that we made after sukkot and I made a simple cranberry sauce and then added 2 Tbsp of the vodka, turned out lovely! Thanks!
Always beautiful recipes, beautiful place settings/food styling.
Big Love
I’ll try it….sounds wonderful.
Not only does the recipe sound fantastic, the serving dish is beautiful!
Definitely going to try this.
Can I substitute Gran Marnier for the Cointreau??
Karen yes absolutely! I’ve been known to do that myself 🙂
This does sound yummy, and I conquer that home made cranberry sauce is infinity better than those store bought cans. Easy to make too.
I have been making a similar recipe for a few years now that uses orange marmalade so I’m thinking maybe that could be used as a substitute in your recipe if someone didn’t have access to the orange water.
Great idea for a sub Mignonne. Just enough to give it a hint of orange flavor, you don’t want to overpower, just enhance 🙂
Anna, I too was admiring that bowl. SO pretty.
what is the contrie (sp?) Torey?
Cointreau is a type of orange liqueur. You can also use Grand Marnier, which is similar, or omit it if you prefer.
Lush-ous!
is that green depression glassware?
Anna it’s jadeite. Likely from the 40’s or 50’s. 🙂
We have a set from my motherinlaw. And i was watching olive ktteridge last night and they are using them as well.