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Cranberry Sauce with Orange Marmalade

Cranberry sauce with orange marmalade made by simmering until the berries burst, then finishing with citrus for a glossy, spoonable texture. A quick stovetop side that turns bright berries into a sweet-tart spread streaked with golden marmalade.
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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: 188
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberries
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
Sugar and water base
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup water
Flavoring
  • 0.5 cup orange marmalade
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 salt pinch

Method
 

Cook the cranberry base
  1. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Keep it at a steady boil with small bubbles for clear syrup.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and simmer for 10 minutes until the berries burst. You should see popping berries and a thickening ruby sauce.
Finish and set the texture
  1. Stir in orange marmalade, lemon juice, and salt until fully combined. The color should turn glossy with golden-orange streaks.
  2. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until glossy, stirring occasionally. The sauce should coat a spoon lightly and look shiny.
Cool and chill
  1. Cool the cranberry sauce to room temperature before serving. Cover it once cool and chill to help it set for a clean sliceable spoon.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until the berries burst and the surface turns glossy—overcooking can make the sauce too thick. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 5 days; the sauce can be frozen up to 2 months and thawed in the fridge. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar substitute that measures cup-for-cup for best texture.