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This homemade cranberry orange sauce is all natural and uses just 2 ingredients: fresh cranberries and orange juice concentrate. Withno added sugar, this stuffis actually good for you!
Yes, you’ve heard it right – it’s a cranberry sauce with NO ADDED SUGAR! And no artificial sweetener either :) Those artificial sweeteners are full of harmful chemicals that might be actually worse than the sugar, you know!
This amazing cranberry orange sauce is naturally sweetened with the orange juice concentrate. One can of the orange juice concentrate provides just the right amount of sweetness to sweeten the whole batch of this mouthwatering cranberry-orange goodness! And both cranberries and oranges are like powerhouses of nutrition!
I’m so proud to say that I actually invented this recipe! I used the make the cranberry-orange sauce the standard old way, using cranberries, water, orange juice and white sugar. Until one day it dawned on me – why am I putting both orange juice and sugar there when I can use the orange juice concentrate instead, since it’s naturally really sweet? I started searching online to see if anyone has done it and found NOTHING! Some people would sweeten their cranberry sauce with maple syrup or honey, some would use the artificial sweetener, but nobody used the orange juice concentrate! I Googled “cranberry sauce” and “orange juice concentrate” together and combed through the results, and nobody has done it. So if you ever see this recipe on another food blog, that means they are my copycat! :)
After I got the idea of using the orange juice concentrate, the next day I went to the store and got the supplies. When testing this new recipe, I got super lucky and got the quantities right on the first try! This cranberry orange sauce uses 1 bag (12 oz) of fresh cranberries and 1 can (also 12 oz) of frozen orange juice concentrate. One bag andone canis actually the correct ratio that yielded theperfect cranberry orange sauce with just the right amount of sweetness!
If you taste the sauce once it’s done and think you’d prefer it sweeter, feel free to stir ina little sugar to taste. I didn’t need to add any, but I could see how some people would like their cranberry sauce on a sweeter side. It’s totally completely up to you, and the one thing I do know – extra sugar or not, you are going to absolutely love this amazing cranberry-orange sauce – it’s truly delicious!
Cranberry and orange actually make an awesome combo – those foods are made for each other! This delicious sauce looks bright red like a regular cranberry sauce, but you can definitely taste the hint of orange in every spoon! The taste of this sauce is so complex and so delicious, it’s the best cranberry sauce you’ll ever have! You’ll never want to eat the cranberry sauce out of the can ever again!
This cranberry orange sauce is super easy to make. Just dump the cranberries and the orange juice concentrate in a pot, bring to boil and simmer for 25 minutes. Anyone can make this simple recipe! You’ll totally wow everyone with the fact that you made a cranberry sauce from scratch, and wait till you tell them that it’s all natural without any added sugar! Their jaws will drop and rightfully so :) This cranberry orange sauce is a true keeper and is an absolute must on your holiday menu!
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This healthy all-natural cranberry orange sauce has no added sugar! This mouthwatering sauce is using just two simple ingredients - fresh cranberries and orange juice concentrate! The orange juice concentrate gives this sauce a natural sweetness - genius!
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 bag 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 1 can 12 oz orange juice concentrate
Instructions
Put the cranberries and the orange juice concentrate in a pot. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat.
When the sauce starts boiling, reduce heat to simmer.
Simmer the cranberry orange sauce, stirring every few minutes, for 25 minutes.
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FAQs
Nutritional Facts Face-Off
The homemade cranberry sauce has nearly half the calories, carbohydrates, and sugars compared to the store brand. It also has more fiber as well as potassium!
Is cranberry sauce healthy for weight loss? ›
Lose weight while eating great
Cranberry sauce is naturally low in fat and has no saturated or trans fats, both of which have been linked to heart problems and high cholesterol. It also means it can protect you from packing on the pounds.
What is the healthiest way to eat cranberries? ›
There are lots of ways to add this fruit to your diet. Some varieties, such as dried cranberries, cranberry juice, and canned cranberry sauce, are available year-round. The healthiest way to enjoy cranberries is to eat them fresh. Raw cranberries take about 16 months to fully mature and are gathered in early fall.
How to make cranberry sauce less sweet? ›
Cranberry sauce is supposed to be a balance of sweet and tart. The sauce acts as a cleansing port in a tumultuous storm of fat and salt, but the effect is lost if the sauce is too sweet. Luckily, there is a very easy way to fix an over-sugared homemade sauce: You just need a little citric acid.
How healthy is jellied cranberry sauce? ›
Health Benefits
Cranberries are also rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as the metabolism-boosting mineral manganese. And yes, you reap all these benefits whether the cranberry sauce on your holiday table is homemade or canned, jellied or whole-berry.
What does cranberry sauce do for your body? ›
Needed to protect the body from toxic substances, antioxidants found in healthy foods should be consumed regularly. Cranberry sauce contains plenty of antioxidants that will help fight off free radicals that try to harm the body.
Does cranberry burn belly fat? ›
Cranberry Juice: Rich in organic acids like quinic, malic, and citric acid, cranberry juice aids in enzyme reactions that lead to fat burning. These acids help in breaking down fat deposits in the body, thus aiding in weight loss.
Is cranberry sauce good for your kidneys? ›
4. Cranberries. Cranberries are low in potassium and high in vitamin C, making them another great choice for people with kidney disease. Cranberry juice has also been shown to help prevent urinary tract infections, which are typical for people with kidney disease.
What illness can cranberries prevent? ›
Cranberry is best known for preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs), commonly caused by bacteria known as Escherichia coli (E. coli).
Are cranberries healthier than blueberries? ›
The cranberry is also a contender when it comes to antioxidant content. While wild blueberries outperform them when it comes to measuring both antioxidant capacity and cellular antioxidant activity, cranberries pack their own health punch.
Is it safe to eat cranberries raw? Cranberries are generally considered safe whether they are cooked or raw. However, because of their notoriously bitter, sharp taste, most people prefer not to eat them raw or unsweetened. This bitterness is due to the high tannin content of cranberries.
How to make sauce sweeter without sugar? ›
Use a light hand, as a little baking soda goes a long way. For a batch of tomato sauce, start slowly with a mere 1/8 teaspoon. Give it a stir, taste, and see if you need more. You will notice the tartness start to fade, giving way to a sweetness.
Is homemade cranberry sauce good for you? ›
This homemade, and healthier version, of cranberry sauce uses maple syrup instead of corn syrup and orange juice instead of water to add additional flavor. Because it is made with simple real food ingredients, it is a healthier and better tasting version of the classic Thanksgiving dish.
What thickens cranberry sauce? ›
Sugar helps the thickening process, and while it's nice to try to keep your cranberry sauce from being too sugary sweet, you will need at least some sugar to make it work well (about 1/2 cup sugar per 12-ounce bag of cranberries).
Why is canned cranberry sauce better than homemade? ›
I love the texture, shape, ridges, and dependability of the cranberry sauce that comes from a can. Each year, no matter what happens or may go wrong, I know the cranberry sauce will taste exactly as it has for as long as I can remember.
Is canned cranberry sauce high in sugar? ›
Cranberry sauce is typically made with a lot of added sugar, but that doesn't mean it's off-limits for those with diabetes. Here's how to enjoy the festive food in a healthy way.
Is packaged cranberry juice healthy? ›
It may support heart health.
As the antioxidants in cranberry juice combat oxidative stress, they could also reduce the risk of heart disease. That's because oxidative stress can damage cells in the heart, negatively affecting heart function over time.
Is homemade cranberry juice healthy? ›
Cranberry juice is rich in vitamin C, which helps keep your immune system healthy and functioning properly. It fights against oxidative stress from free radicals and helps kill harmful bacteria. Some studies also link low vitamin C intake to poor immune function. Infection prevention.
