Cranberry sauce with whole sugared cranberries is my new favorite way to eat cranberry sauce and it will be yours too once you see how delicious whole cranberries are in cranberry sauce. This is a cranberry sauce made with orange juice, then sugared cranberries are added at the end to add a pop of freshness to each bite of cranberry sauce. It makes the best whole berry cranberry sauce.

About this whole berry cranberry sauce:
The cranberry sauce recipe is made with orange juice and is a more traditional one with a little orange, sugar and vanilla added to the cranberries. It also has whole whole cranberries added to it which add a wonderful pop of texture.
I think these are the best flavors and textures to add to cranberry sauce and they compliment the cranberry sauce beautifully.
As with all homemade cranberry sauce, you need to start out with fresh cranberries. They are readily available during the Fall season and around Thanksgiving.
You could make this sauce anytime of year though and it is very refreshing!
The Sugared Cranberries in this whole berry cranberry sauce:
The first thing you want to do to make this recipe is to make the Sugared Cranberries. Here is the link to make them: Sugared Cranberries.
You will end up making a little more than the recipe calls for but that is ok. These sugared cranberries are going to serve double duty at your holiday table.
First, they are going to be used in this cranberry sauce. Second, they can be added to your holiday cocktails or as a beautiful decoration to your table.
I really love snacking on these as is, so go ahead and make extra for just this reason. The other great part about making the sugared cranberries is you will have a beautiful simple syrup left over that you can use to make some holiday cocktails.
These cranberries are made ahead of time so it is the perfect holiday recipe to make your gathering more festive and your cranberry sauce more amazing.
Once you make the sugared cranberries, you can go ahead and move on to the cranberry sauce part of the recipe. These can be made back to back since both need time to cool and then are refrigerated. This cranberry sauce recipe is made with fresh orange juice and it is so good.
Making this whole berry cranberry sauce ahead of time:
The cranberry sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Since this is served as a side dish, that makes it one easy one to prepare at the holidays since it frees up your main day of cooking at the holidays.
More cranberry recipes:
Cranberry Sauce with Sugared Cranberries
Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Ingredients
Cranberry Sauce
- 10 oz fresh cranberries
- 1 large orange juiced
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
Sugared Cranberries
- 10 oz fresh cranberries
- 2 cups sugar (1 cup for cooking the cranberries and 1 cup for rolling the cranberries in after cooking)
- water- enough to fill a small sauce pan
Instructions
Sugared Cranberries
- Start off with making the sugared cranberries.
- Once you have finished making the sugared cranberries, start with your cranberry sauce.
Cranberry Sauce
- Add your fresh cranberries, orange juice, sugar, vanilla and salt to a medium sauce pan.
- Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 20 minutes or until the cranberries begin to burst and the sauce thickens. To test for the right thickness of the sauce, dip a spoon into the cranberry sauce and coat it well. remove the spoon from the sauce and run your finger down the back of the middle of the spoon. If the line you made through the sauce on the spoon stays and does not fill up again with the sauce from the sides then it is ready.
- Once ready, remove from the stove and allow to come to room temperature. The sauce will thicken a bit at this point.
- Once it comes to room temperature, pour your sauce into a container with a lid and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
To Serve:
- When you are ready to serve the cranberry sauce, take 1 cup of your sugared cranberries and add them to your cranberry sauce.
- Gently fold the sugared cranberries into your cranberry sauce.
- Serve right away.
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer here
Bethany says
Can't wait to try this. Adding it to my Thanksgiving menu