This satsuma and honey cranberry sauce recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas! It only takes about 45 minutes to make, before chilling in the fridge overnight. I love using this cranberry sauce as a jam for sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, and toast too.
Cranberry Sauce with Fresh Cranberries
Have you ever had cranberry jelly from a can? I hate it lol. It’s all my family had at Thanksgiving for so many years and eventually, I was always like “but why”? So about five years ago I decided to make cranberry sauce from scratch for my family on Thanksgiving. It was such a hit that I am now charged with making this side every year.
Pretty much everyone in my hometown in St. James parish Louisiana has a satsuma tree, so I used satsuma juice, local honey, cinnamon and cranberries. Our family Thanksgiving dinners haven’t been the same since! I now make the cranberry sauce from scratch every year using my own recipe, this recipe.
Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving
You can use any orange juice to make this recipe, but I used what was local to me, satsumas. You simply can’t go home to St. James parish in November and not leave with at least two pounds of satsumas from someone’s tree. I love it so much. I love preserving the harvest by juicing the satsumas and making this sauce. The sauce will last in the fridge for a couple of months.
I have made this recipe using regular orange juice too, and it was perfect. So feel free to use whatever type of orange juice is accessible to you.

How to Make Cranberry Sauce From Scratch
It is ridiculously easy to make this classic Thanksgiving side from scratch! You just need a few ingredients, a medium pot for cooking, and a few jars for storing the sauce. Here are all the ingredients you need:
- 12 Ounces Cranberries
- 16 Ounces Satsuma Juice (or orange juice)
- 3/4 Cup Honey (or sub maple syrup for vegan)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Other Recipes for Thanksgiving
- Baked Acorn Squash Stuffed with Vegan Mac and Cheese
- No-Mayo Roasted Garlic and Herb Potato Salad
- Easy and Nutritious Southern Pecan Pie Chia Pudding
Easy Homemade Satsuma and Honey Cranberry Sauce
This satsuma and honey cranberry sauce recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas! It only takes about 45 minutes to make, before chilling in the fridge overnight. I love using this cranberry sauce as a jam for sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, and toast too.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 12 Ounces Fresh Cranberries
- 16 Ounces Satsuma Juice (or orange juice)
- 3/4 Cup Honey (or sub maple syrup for vegan)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium pot.
- Heat over medium, and bring to a light simmer. You should hear the cranberries start to pop.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir the sauce until all the cranberries have popped and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Remove from heat once the sauce is a thick consistency.
- Allow to cool slightly, then add to storage jars.
- Chill the sauce in the fridge for at least 12 hours before serving.
Notes
- you can evenly sub satsuma juice for orange juice
- this sauce will keep in the fridge for about a month
Keywords: cranberry, thanksgiving, sauce