A flavor-bursting twist on classic cranberry sauce, my Pomegranate Molasses Cranberry Sauce is tart, tangy, and perfectly sweetened with honey. The pomegranate molasses helps bring out that tart, bright cranberry flavor, and I’ve added orange zest and juice for a unique injection of citrus flavor, too. Trust me, this is the cranberry sauce your gourmet guests will be raving about!

Chunky red cranberry sauce in a small glass jar.

🌟 Why You Should Make This Recipe

Cranberry sauce is a staple for the holidays – my advice is to get a store-bought can for the canned cranberry sauce lovers, and make THIS version for the foodies at the table!

Classic cranberry sauce you find in the can is tart, fruity, sweet, and has that iconic jelly-like texture. The texture of my cranberry sauce is thick and more like a chunky jam, or a fruit spread. As for the flavor, adding pomegranate molasses intensifies the natural tartness of the cranberries and the sweetness of the honey. The orange zest and fresh orange juice add a light citrus layer and give the sauce a subtle bitterness as you get in marmalade.

I love this cranberry sauce as a topping over vanilla date ice cream or it would be amazing mixed into a plain or Greek yogurt.

📋 Ingredients & Variations

Cranberries, an orange, honey and pomegranate molasses on a white background.

Fresh or frozen cranberries – I used fresh cranberries for this recipe and recommend you do the same. It hasn’t been tested with frozen cranberries.

Pomegranate molasses – You can use a storebought option or make a homemade version with my 1-ingredient pomegranate molasses, which uses only pomegranate juice.

Orange zest and juice – I recommend using freshly squeezed orange juice and not store-bought because store-bought juices tend to have a more sour flavor profile and don’t taste as fresh.

Honey – This sweetens the sauce and helps give it a smooth, liquid texture. You could also use a 3/4 cup of granulated sugar as a sweetener instead.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries, orange zest, and honey in a small silver saucepan.

Add the cranberries, honey, pomegranate molasses, and orange juice to a large saucepan. Heat the sauce on medium heat, Medium heat, stirring constantly until the the honey dissolves.

A silver saucepan with red cranberries sizzling, stirred by a wooden spoon.

Simmer the sauce until the cranberries pop, stirring constantly. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Just before you remove the sauce from the heat, add the grated orange zest.

Chunky red cranberry sauce in a small glass jar with steam coming from it.

Remove the sauce from the heat and place in a bowl. The texture will thicken as it cools down.

Overhead view of a small glass jar containing chunky red cranberry sauce.

🦃 Looking for More Thanksgiving Recipes?

Pep up your menu with these unique and flavorful Thanksgiving dishes that will get the table talking!

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Pumpkin Pie with Homemade Pumpkin Pie Filling

Cranberry Brie Crostini with Apples & Thyme

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Apple and Sausage Stuffing with Tarragon

Pomegranate Molasses Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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Author: Candice Walker