This healthy cranberry sauce is naturally sweetened with honey instead of white sugar, with fresh orange juice and zest for a bright, tart-sweet flavor. It simmers on the stovetop in about 15 minutes and tastes even better made a day ahead.
Healthy Cranberry Sauce At A Glance
- ✅ Recipe Name: Healthy Cranberry Sauce with Honey and Orange (Refined Sugar-Free)
- 🕒 Ready In: 15 minutes (best chilled overnight)
- 👪 Serves: 9 (¼ cup each, about 2 to 2⅓ cups total)
- 🍽 Calories: ~76 per ¼ cup
- 🍯 Sweetened With: Honey, no white sugar or corn syrup
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Fresh or frozen cranberries, honey, fresh orange juice, orange zest
- 📖 Dietary Info: Refined sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo-friendly. Vegan with maple syrup instead of honey.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Most homemade cranberry sauce calls for about a cup of white sugar. This one uses ½ cup honey and fresh orange for a bright, tart-sweet sauce. Make it a day ahead, and it's one less thing to do on Thanksgiving.
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Why I Make My Own Cranberry Sauce
Every year, I'm the one in charge of cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving because I'm oddly picky about it. I love the bright, tart flavor of real cranberries, but the classic versions were always way too sweet for me.
So a few years ago, I started making my own with fresh cranberries, honey, and orange, and it quickly became "my" holiday dish. Just 3 simple ingredients plus water!
I make a big batch the night before and serve it right alongside my creamy mashed cauliflower and scalloped sweet potatoes. It's also really good spread on a warm slice of healthy almond flour cornbread.
Honestly, it's become a weeknight staple too, since a spoonful makes a simple chicken or beef dinner feel a little fancy.
Jump to:
- Healthy Cranberry Sauce At A Glance
- Why I Make My Own Cranberry Sauce
- Is Cranberry Sauce Healthy?
- Can You Make Cranberry Sauce with Honey Instead of Sugar?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Healthy Cranberry Sauce with Honey (Step-by-Step)
- Recipe Video
- Tips and Troubleshooting
- What to Serve with Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Healthy Cranberry Sauce FAQs
- More Healthy Thanksgiving Sides
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Is Cranberry Sauce Healthy?
It can be, depending on how it's sweetened. Canned cranberry sauce is made with high fructose corn syrup, and most homemade recipes call for a full cup of white sugar. I use ½ cup honey for the whole batch instead.
| Per ¼ cup | Calories | Sugar | Sweetener |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canned jellied cranberry sauce | 120 | 22g | High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup |
| This healthy cranberry sauce | 76 | 17g | Honey |
Honey is still sugar, so this isn't sugar-free. It's just less sweet, which is exactly why I love it. You actually taste the tart cranberries and orange.
Can You Make Cranberry Sauce with Honey Instead of Sugar?
Yes, and it's my favorite way to make it. Honey is sweeter than white sugar, so you need less. I use ½ cup honey for a 12-ounce bag of cranberries. It also adds a little warmth and keeps the sauce glossy. Start there, taste once it's cooked, and stir in more honey if you like it sweeter.
Ingredients You'll Need
You only need 3 simple ingredients plus water for this healthy cranberry sauce. Here's what each one does.
- Fresh cranberries: One 12-ounce bag (about 3 cups). Frozen work too, and you can toss them straight into the pot, no thawing needed.
- Honey: This is what makes it naturally sweet without any refined sugar. It also adds a little warmth and gives the sauce that glossy finish.
- Oranges: You'll use both the juice and the zest. Fresh-squeezed juice adds a bright, citrusy sweetness, and just a little zest gives it that classic cranberry-orange flavor. Have an extra orange? Zest it into my orange chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.
- Water: Helps the cranberries burst and simmer into a jammy, saucy texture.
Scroll to recipe card for quantities!
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it vegan: Swap the honey for the same amount of pure maple syrup. I've made it both ways. I prefer honey because it lets the orange come through more, but maple works great and tastes a little more like fall.
- Make it less sweet: Cut the honey to ⅓ cup for a tangier sauce. Taste it once it's cooked, since you can always stir in a little more. I've made it this way, and the tartness is really nice with roasted turkey.
- Make it smooth: Mash some or all of the cranberries with a potato masher or the back of a spoon once they've burst. Leave some whole if you like a little texture.
How to Make Healthy Cranberry Sauce with Honey (Step-by-Step)
This healthy cranberry sauce takes about 15 minutes on the stovetop. You simmer cranberries in honey and water until they burst, then stir in fresh orange juice and zest off the heat. It will look loose while it's hot, but it thickens as it cools.
- Step 1: Boil the honey and water. Bring the honey and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the cranberries. Stir in the cranberries and return to a gentle boil, about 1 minute.
- Step 3: Simmer and add the orange. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until most of the cranberries have burst. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice and zest.
- Step 4: Cool and chill. Let it cool, then chill until set. It thickens into a bright, jammy sauce as it cools.
Recipe Video
Tips and Troubleshooting
- Don't overcook it: The sauce will look runny when it's hot, and that's totally normal. Take it off the heat once most of the cranberries have burst, because it keeps thickening as it cools.
- Too thin? Put it back on the stove and simmer for 1 to 2 more minutes.
- Too thick? Stir in a splash of warm water or extra orange juice until it loosens up.
- Too tart? Stir in more honey a teaspoon at a time while the sauce is still warm, so it blends right in. Remember, cranberry sauce should taste a little tart!
- Use fresh orange juice: It makes a noticeable difference in flavor, so squeeze your own if you can.
What to Serve with Cranberry Orange Sauce
- On your Thanksgiving or Christmas plate: Serve it with roasted turkey, chicken, or ham. It's especially good next to my crispiest oven roasted potatoes and balsamic maple Brussels sprouts.
- For an easy weeknight dinner: A spoonful makes simple chicken or beef feel a little fancy. Try it with my air fryer chicken thighs.
- On a holiday cheese board: Spoon it over baked brie or goat cheese, or serve it with crackers and nuts.
- At breakfast: Swirl it into yogurt or oatmeal, or spoon it over my vegan baked oatmeal for a bright, citrusy pop.
- As a spread: Use it like jam on toast, bagels, or warm air fryer buttermilk biscuits.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Make it ahead: This is my favorite part. Cranberry sauce actually tastes better the next day, so I make it 1 to 3 days before Thanksgiving and keep it chilled until it's time to serve. It's one less thing to do on the big day!
- How to store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 to 10 days. Give it a good stir before serving.
- How to freeze: Freeze it in a freezer-safe jar or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then stir in a splash of water or orange juice if it's too thick.
Healthy Cranberry Sauce FAQs
You need some sweetener, since cranberries on their own are extremely tart. For a less sweet sauce, cut the honey to ⅓ cup and taste at the end.
Yes. Swap the juice for water and keep the zest for orange flavor. It'll taste a little more tart, so add honey to taste.
Yes! Add them straight to the pot without thawing.
Yes. Use a larger saucepan so it doesn't bubble over, and simmer a few extra minutes until most of the cranberries have burst.
Cranberry sauce is cooked until the berries burst and thicken. Cranberry relish is usually raw cranberries chopped with orange and sweetener, so it's crunchier and more tart.
More Healthy Thanksgiving Sides
Rounding out your Thanksgiving table? These healthy sides go perfectly with this cranberry sauce.
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
📖 Recipe
Healthy Cranberry Sauce with Honey and Orange
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh cranberries, one 12 oz bag
- ½ cup honey, (or maple syrup for vegan)
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice, (from 1 to 2 oranges)
- ½ teaspoon orange zest, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Boil the base: In a medium saucepan, combine the honey and water. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer the cranberries: Add the cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce coats a spoon.
- Add the orange: Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice and zest. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust: Stir in more honey while it's warm if you like it sweeter, or more zest for extra orange flavor.
- Cool and serve: Transfer the sauce to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate until fully set, ideally overnight. Stir before serving, chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.
Lauren Casolaro says
Family staple for Thanksgiving! Can't wait to make it this year - the orange really takes it over the edge.
Tati Chermayeff says
So happy it's become a Thanksgiving staple!! Thank you!
Tati Chermayeff says
So easy to make and a family staple during the Holidays and weeknights. It elevates any chicken or beef dish in my opinion and feels fancy but is healthy!