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Orange Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

Orange bourbon cranberry sauce is cooked in a saucepan until the berries burst, then finished with orange zest for a glossy, spoonable texture. It’s ready to chill, making the flavors taste richer and the sauce thicken beautifully for serving.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 195
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 0.25 cup bourbon, divided
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 salt pinch

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the base
  1. Combine brown sugar, orange juice, 2 tablespoons bourbon, cinnamon stick, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Watch for rolling bubbles across the surface.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens. The sauce should look glossy and coat the back of a spoon.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining bourbon and orange zest. Stop stirring once everything is evenly incorporated and fragrant.
  2. Discard the cinnamon stick. Keep the sauce in the pan and let it cool slightly before refrigerating.
  3. Cool and chill before serving. Serve cold or at cool room temperature for best flavor.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until the berries burst and the sauce thickens—overcooking can make it too firm after chilling. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days; freeze for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lighter option, replace half the brown sugar with an equal amount of a no-sugar-added orange-appropriate sweetener if you want reduced sugar while keeping the citrus flavor.