Orange Honey Cranberry Sauce – This paleo cranberry sauce recipe can also easily be made vegan. With bright citrus notes and a hint of cinnamon, this naturally sweetened cranberry sauce is the perfect addition to the holiday table. (Gluten-free, paleo & vegan-friendly)
Guys, I feel like doing a holiday dance! Halloween is fun, but I feel like November 1st starts my FAVORITE time of the year. Gearing up for the holiday season with recipes is one of my favorite “jobs” as a recipe developer and blogger. I’ve been dabbling in sweet potato casseroles, stuffing, and pumpkin pie bars for the last few months and am SO EXCITED to share what I’ve been working on.
First up is this gorgeous Orange Honey Cranberry Sauce recipe. This paleo cranberry sauce is naturally sweetened and hits all the right notes–brightness from the citrus, just enough sweetness, and even a tiny hint of cinnamon.
Whether you’re serving this with turkey for Thanksgiving, dolloping it on some steel cut oats or making festive fruit-on-the-bottom chia puddings (trust me!), this naturally sweetened orange honey cranberry sauce is THE one to try this year.
I tried it a few ways, hoping to nail down the ratios that work for me and that provide a lot of flexibility for anyone following a special diet or cooking for someone who is. My very favorite way to make this orange cranberry sauce is with honey, but I also tried it with pure maple syrup and agave and was VERY happy with both of those. Even when I used the syrup, the orange, cranberry, and hint of cinnamon were the real flavors that shined through (I was worried it might come across too maple-y. It didn’t!).
As you’ll see in the notes, you may want to play with the amounts a bit to get the sweetness right where YOU like it, but I’ve provided the range that’s worked most consistently for me over my tests.
Fair warning: you might just find yourself busting out the holiday music and feeling all the very merry thoughts when the smell of this orange cranberry sauce starts wafting through your house!
FAQ + TIPS FOR ORANGE HONEY CRANBERRY SAUCE:
VEGAN? READ THIS! Despite the fact that it has “honey” in the title, this paleo cranberry sauce recipe is also easily vegan. I tested it using both pure maple syrup and agave. It was delicious! You could also try apple honey (made from apple juice) if you like. (It’s worked great in other recipes for me.)
CAN I MAKE THIS CRANBERRY SAUCE IN ADVANCE? Orange Honey Cranberry Sauce is totally your friend when it comes to getting ahead in your holiday cooking. It keeps for about a week, so it can be made a day or two (or three!) in advance. You could even make and freeze it way ahead of time, then thaw it the day before.
TIP: HOW TO NAIL THE SWEETNESS. There are a few variables at play whenever you’re working with berries and citrus. Depending on what orange juice you use and how tart your berries are, you may want to use more or less sweetener. I recommend starting with at least 1/3 cup (less and your mouth will pucker!). Taste and add additional honey/syrup/agave as desired. I usually end up with about 1/2 cup, but follow your tastebuds!
FLAVOR TWISTS + ADD-INS. My favorite add-in for orange honey cranberry sauce is a tiny pinch of salt (which is totally optional). You can also turn up the cinnamon factor if you want by using a cinnamon stick for a few minutes instead of the pinch of cinnamon. Or, add a savory element by adding a sprig of rosemary for the last 3-4 minutes (which will be just long enough to lend some flavor without taking over the whole dish). Remove the cinnamon stick or rosemary before serving.
LOVE THIS ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE RECIPE? HERE ARE MORE THANKSGIVING FAVORITES TO LOVE:
- Paleo or Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Smothered Green Beans and Bacon
- How to Make Gluten-Free Pie Crust
- Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash
Orange Honey Cranberry Sauce (Paleo & Vegan Friendly)
- Yield: about 2 cups sauce. 1x
Description
Orange Honey Cranberry Sauce – This paleo cranberry sauce can also easily be made vegan. With bright citrus notes and a hint of cinnamon, this naturally sweetened cranberry sauce is the perfect addition to the holiday table.
Ingredients
- 1 (12oz) bag fresh cranberries, washed and picked through (discard any shriveled or bruised ones)
- 1/2 cup orange juice (I like Simply Orange or freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3–1/2 cup honey, pure maple syrup, or agave (use syrup or agave for vegan)
- 1–2 tsp fresh orange zest
- pinch of cinnamon
- pinch salt (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and sort through cranberries, discarding any shriveled or brown berries.
- Pour cranberries into a medium saucepan. Pour in orange juice, water, and honey. Add 1 tsp fresh orange zest and cinnamon.
- Stirring frequently, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook about 20 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have “popped” or burst. If you like completely smooth sauce, you can mash the remaining berries (or toss everything into a blender).
- Taste sauce and add additional orange zest or honey as desired. If you like, add a tiny pinch of salt and stir in.
Notes
Make Ahead Notes. Cranberry sauce is totally your friend when it comes to getting ahead in your holiday cooking. It keeps for at least a week, so it can be made a day or two (or three!) in advance. You could even make and freeze it way ahead of time, then thaw it the day before.
Sweetness. There are a few variables at play whenever you’re working with berries and citrus. Depending on what orange juice you use and how tart your berries are, you may want to use more or less sweetener. I recommend starting with at least 1/3 cup (less and your mouth will pucker!). Taste and add additional honey/syrup/agave as desired. I usually end up with about 1/2 cup, but follow your tastebuds!
Twists and add-ins. My favorite add-in is a tiny pinch of salt (which is totally optional). You can also turn up the cinnamon factor if you want by using a cinnamon stick for a few minutes instead of the pinch of cinnamon. Or, add a savory element by adding a sprig of rosemary for the last 3-4 minutes (which will be just long enough to lend some favor without taking over the whole dish). Remove the cinnamon stick or rosemary before serving.
Homemade cranberry sauce is totally the way to go! This looks amazing!
Thanks, Paige! I totally agree 🙂
How do you counteract the bitterness? Mine came out very bitter.
I’m sorry that happened! I haven’t run into bitterness any of the times I’ve made this, so there are a few things I’m wondering about…
1. Zest – It could be your orange zest was on the bitter side, especially if you accidentally included the white pith too. (you want 1-2 tsp of JUST the orange zest, not the pith underneath. You may want to add more honey or possibly a splash of juice to help. BUT…
2. The orange juice you used–if it’s store-bought it could run bitter/sour, so if that’s the case, I’d recommend adding a little extra honey or juice to counteract that.
I hope some of this helps!