Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce Recipe

There's something special about homemade cranberry sauce, whether it be for Thanksgiving or for a weeknight dinner. And this simple and quick recipe for Ocean Spray cranberry sauce might be the best one you've ever had! 

The Best Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce Recipe

This cranberry sauce is a staple at my family's Thanksgiving dinner table every single year. If you're planning on serving cranberry sauce this year, you have to make this recipe! 

This Ocean Spray cranberry sauce is so much better than the store-bought kind. I mean, there's really no comparison. There are no high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, or any other filler ingredients in this homemade version. It's seriously as fresh as it gets!

Also, what I love about this recipe is that it's made with only 3 ingredients in a couple of minutes! So it doesn't take any time away from making the rest of the components for a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, a few recipes I always make to go along with this cranberry sauce are this pioneer woman stuffing, these red skin mashed potatoes, and this brown gravy recipe.

Then, to finish off the meal, this no bake pumpkin pie, pumpkin custard pie, or old fashioned sweet potato pie are some of the best desserts you can make. Honestly, we make all three for dessert at our house.

Ingredients

As I mentioned before, you only need 3 simple ingredients to make this homemade cranberry sauce!

Also, just so you know ahead of time, these measurements will make one large cup worth. So, if you think you'll need more than that, just double or triple the ingredients below.

Here's everything you'll need to make this Ocean Spray cranberry sauce:

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 8 oz. frozen Ocean Spray cranberries

Super simple, right?

So, as far as cranberries go, they can be either frozen or fresh cranberries. But, honestly, when they're not in season, I just use frozen. They make a sauce that tastes just as fresh!

With that said, though, I highly recommend using Ocean Spray cranberries to make this sauce. I know there are a lot of imitators out there, but none taste as good as Ocean Spray. At least, I don't think they do.

By the way, you can also use the cranberries to make this Ocean Spray cranberry bread, so you'll definitely want to grab some extra!

How To Make Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce

Step 1: Boil The Juice and Sugar

First, you're going to combine the sugar and orange juice in a small - or medium - saucepan. Then, bring the mixture to a boil on medium-high heat. Once it's boiling, lower the heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved in the orange juice. 

Step 2: Add The Cranberries

Next, you're going to add the cranberries to the saucepan and simmer for about 12 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Also, you'll want to make sure to stir the sauce occasionally as it's cooking to avoid burning it.

Once it thickens, you can either leave the whole cranberries as is or you can make it more like a jellied cranberry sauce by breaking the cranberries down with a wooden spoon. After that, remove the saucepan from the heat, let it cool for a few minutes, and then transfer the cranberry sauce to a bowl. Finally, serve and enjoy!

How To Store Leftovers

This recipe makes the perfect amount for serving at dinner, so you probably won't have any leftovers. But, if you do, you can store the leftover cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 10 days. If you want to keep it for even longer, you can store it in the freezer for about 2 months in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container.

How To Reheat Cranberry Sauce

Your cranberry sauce doesn't have to be enjoyed warm. It can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature. But, if you'd like to reheat your cranberry sauce, my favorite way to warm it up is in the microwave in 20-second increments. Alternatively, you can place your leftover cranberry sauce in a medium saucepan and heat on medium until thoroughly warmed. By the way, if you choose to freeze it, just take it out and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating it.

More Thanksgiving Recipes To Make

If you're looking for some more Thanksgiving recipes to make your holiday meal even better, we have a ton on the blog that you can try!

Check one of these out next:

• Seafood stuffing
• White gravy
• Sweet corn cake
• Cheesy mashed potatoes
• Twice baked mashed potatoes
• Sweet potato cobbler
• Jello pudding pie