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Perfect Cranberry Orange Sauce with Rosemary

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A quick and easy cranberry sauce with bright orange zest and aromatic rosemary, perfect for Thanksgiving or any meal. This jammy, herb-infused sauce comes together in under 20 minutes and is a crowd-pleaser that even cranberry skeptics will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces (340g) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) fresh orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 large sprig fresh rosemary (about 4–5 inches long)
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon or Grand Marnier (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. Zest and juice the oranges first. Wash the oranges well, then use your microplane to remove the bright orange outer layer—avoid the white pith, which is bitter. You’ll need about 1 tablespoon of zest. Then cut the oranges in half and juice them until you have 1/2 cup. Set the zest aside separately from the juice.
  2. Bruise the rosemary sprig. Take your rosemary sprig and give it a firm whack with the back of a knife, or press down on it with the flat side of the blade. This releases the essential oils and helps the flavor infuse faster. Don’t chop it—you want to be able to fish the whole sprig out later.
  3. Combine the sugar and water in your saucepan. Add the 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Stir them together over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. This takes about 2 minutes. You’ll see the mixture turn clear and syrupy—that’s your cue.
  4. Add the orange juice and rosemary. Pour in the orange juice and drop in the bruised rosemary sprig. Give it a stir, then let it come to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble for about 3 minutes, just to let the rosemary do its thing.
  5. Add the cranberries. Dump in the whole bag of cranberries—fresh or frozen, doesn’t matter. Stir them into the syrup. If you’re using frozen berries, the pot will hiss and steam a bit. That’s normal.
  6. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Turn the heat up to medium-high until you see the mixture come to a full boil. Then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low so it’s at a gentle simmer.
  7. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir every 2-3 minutes to prevent sticking. The sauce is done when most of the berries have popped and the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
  8. Remove the rosemary sprig. Fish out the rosemary sprig with tongs or a fork. Taste the sauce at this point—if you want more rosemary flavor, you can add a fresh sprig and let it steep for another 2 minutes off the heat.
  9. Stir in the orange zest. Add the reserved orange zest and a tiny pinch of salt. Stir well. If you’re adding any optional ingredients like cinnamon or bourbon, stir them in now.
  10. Let it cool. Pour the sauce into a heat-safe bowl or jar. Let it cool to room temperature on the counter. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Once it’s completely cool, cover and refrigerate.

Notes

Don’t skip the salt—it balances the sweetness and makes the cranberry flavor pop. Bruise the rosemary instead of chopping it to avoid texture issues. The sauce thickens as it cools, so don’t worry if it looks loose at the 10-minute mark. For a sweeter sauce, increase sugar to 1 1/4 cups or add maple syrup/honey at the end. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, orange cranberry sauce, rosemary cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving side dish, homemade cranberry sauce, easy cranberry sauce, holiday recipe

Find it online: https://bitesienna.com/perfect-cranberry-orange-sauce-with-rosemary/