Citrusy and tart with notes of maple and cinnamon, this healthy homemade cranberry sauce makes the perfect addition to any holiday table. Sweetened with orange juice and maple syrup, this recipe is vegan and refined sugar-free.
Add all of the ingredients (except the orange zest) to a medium pot. Place the pot over medium-high heat.
Heat until the cranberries soften and start to burst (3 to 5 minutes).
Mash with a potato masher and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce reaches your desired color and consistency. Taste and adjust sweeteners if necessary.
Remove from the heat and place the sauce in a serving bowl. Garnish with orange zest (optional). Serve right away.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can make this dish ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. To reheat, add the sauce to a pot with 2 tablespoons of water, heat, and serve with fresh garnish. (Do not add garnish before storing).
Either fresh or store-bought orange juice works fine in this dish.
If you can't find fresh or frozen cranberries, you can make this sauce with dried cranberries, but since they are usually already sweetened you should omit the maple syrup.
I like my cranberry sauce on the tart side, but if you want it sweeter, simply add more orange juice or maple syrup, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until you achieve your desired sweetness.
If you can't find maple syrup you can substitute with another sweetener like agave syrup, date syrup, or vegan honey.