Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Sauce

A bright, jammy cranberry sauce with fresh orange zest and a hint of cinnamon. Fresh berries, sugar, and juice are naturally free of gluten, and the sauce sets on its own as it cools, so no starch or packet thickener is needed.

Prep: 5 min Cook: 15 min Total: 20 min Serves: 8

At a glance: This easy salads and sides recipe yields 8 servings in about 20 minutes (5 min prep, 15 min cook). It uses 7 ingredients — including fresh or frozen cranberries, granulated sugar, fresh orange juice — and walks through 5 steps. Updated October 25, 2026. Browse more salads and sides recipes or return to all gluten-free recipes.

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Cross-Contamination Warning for Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Sauce: When preparing this salads and sides recipe, fresh cranberries, sugar and orange juice carry little risk, so check the cinnamon stick packaging for a gluten-free label. Store the finished sauce in a clean jar with its own spoon.

Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Sauce: This recipe was developed with gluten-free ingredients and no gluten-containing grains. Check every label yourself, and use gluten-free products where the recipe calls for them.

Scale Recipe:

servings

Ingredient amounts update automatically

Ingredients

Shop links on this page are for granulated sugar, cinnamon stick. Buy the package that says gluten-free. A shared production line is the usual risk with these pantry items. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Confirm the product is labeled gluten-free before you buy.

12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar Shop
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp finely grated orange zest
1 cinnamon stick Shop
1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

1 Rinse the cranberries in a colander and pick out any soft or shriveled berries. Frozen berries can go straight into the pot without thawing.
2 Combine the sugar, orange juice, water, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
3 Add the cranberries and salt. Simmer, stirring now and then, until most of the berries have burst and the sauce looks glossy, 10 to 12 minutes. Press a few berries against the side of the pot if you like a smoother texture.
4 Take the pot off the heat, remove the cinnamon stick, and stir in the orange zest. The sauce will look loose but thickens a lot as it cools thanks to the natural pectin in the berries.
5 Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in a covered jar until serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

110

Calories

Protein

28g

Carbs

Fat

Fiber

40mg

Sodium

Tips & Notes

Make it up to 7 days ahead - the flavor improves after a day in the fridge.
For a less sweet sauce, start with 1/2 cup sugar and add more to taste once the berries burst.
Give the sauce its own serving spoon on the buffet so it never touches the stuffing or rolls.

Common questions

How long does Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Sauce take?

Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Sauce takes about 20 minutes: 5 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook, for 8 servings.

What should I check before making Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Sauce with celiac disease?

Written with gluten-free ingredients. Use products labeled gluten-free, check labels, and ask your clinician about your own needs.

What cross-contamination risk is specific to Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Sauce?

Check fresh or frozen cranberries, granulated sugar, fresh orange juice before they go into Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Sauce. Fresh cranberries, sugar and orange juice carry little risk, so check the cinnamon stick packaging for a gluten-free label. Store the finished sauce in a clean jar with its own spoon.

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Gluten Free Recipes team

Gluten-free recipe development since 2026

Recipes include certified gluten-free ingredient guidance and cross-contamination notes. Check every label and use certified gluten-free products. Learn more about us.

Recipes and images may be created with AI assistance. They pass automated checks, and the team reviews flagged items.