Pioneer Woman Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Pioneer Woman Cranberry Sauce is that one thing on the Thanksgiving table you think you can skip—until you try this one. It’s tart, citrusy, just sweet enough. No canned jiggle here. It’s stupid easy, it smells like the holidays, and it actually tastes like… fruit. Imagine that.

Ingredients Needed

• 1 (12 oz) bag fresh cranberries – rinse ’em. Some might be squishy. Chuck those.
• 1 cup cranberry juice – not the “cocktail” kind if you can help it.
• 1 cup pure maple syrup – real stuff. Adds warmth and depth, not just sugar.
• 3 tbsp orange juice – fresh is ideal, but bottled won’t ruin it.
• 1 tbsp grated orange rind – this makes it pop. Zest first then juice the orange.

How To Make Pioneer Woman Cranberry Sauce

Dump it all in:
Toss the rinsed cranberries into a saucepan. Pour in the cranberry juice and maple syrup. Add your orange juice and zest. Give it a lazy stir — don’t overthink it.

Boil, then simmer:
Turn the heat up to high. It’ll boil fast, and you’ll hear the berries pop-pop-pop like weird little balloons. Once it’s bubbling, turn it down to medium-low and let it go for about 10 minutes. It’ll thicken as it cools.

Cool & chill:
Turn off the heat. Let it sit out until no longer hot, then cover and toss it in the fridge. It’ll set into that perfect jammy, spoonable texture. Good luck not “tasting” half of it before dinner.

Recipe Tips

• Use real maple syrup. Fake stuff just makes it sweet without flavour.
• Add more zest if you like it extra bright — or swap in lemon.
• Watch the pot — it will boil over if you walk away.
• Make it ahead. It keeps in the fridge for days and actually tastes better after one.

How to Store & Reheat

• Room Temperature: Max 2 hours.
• Fridge: Up to 5 days, airtight container.
• Freezer: Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in fridge, stir before serving.

Nutrition Facts (Approx. per ¼ cup)

• Calories: 110
• Sodium: 5mg
• Protein: 0g
• Fat: 0g
• Carbs: 27g
• Fibre: 2g
• Sugar: 23g

FAQs

Pioneer Woman Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Recipe by Marry ThompsonCourse: Side DishCuisine: StovetopDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

110

kcal

A zesty, tart-sweet cranberry sauce made with maple syrup, orange juice, and fresh cranberries. It’s quick, citrusy, and wildly better than the can.

Ingredients

• 1 (12 oz) bag fresh cranberries

• 1 cup cranberry juice

• 1 cup pure maple syrup

• 3 tbsp orange juice

• 1 tbsp orange zest

Directions

• Rinse cranberries and add to a saucepan.
• Pour in juice, syrup, orange juice, and zest. Stir.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low.
• Simmer 10 minutes until thickened and berries burst.
• Cool, then refrigerate until set.

Notes

• Real maple syrup gives better depth.
• Sub lemon zest/juice for a twist.
• Watch the boil — it gets messy.
• Make a day ahead to save time and boost flavour.