Rinse cranberries in a colander, removing any bruised and damaged cranberries.
Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved and water is boiling. Once dissolved add cranberries, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and ground cloves. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to burst and a thick sauce has formed about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, remove cinnamon sticks, and let cool completely to room temperature. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
Serve at room temperature.
Serving and Storing - You can make this cranberry sauce up to 1 day in advance. When ready to serve, stir it all together and serve with your holiday meal. Store leftover cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Variation - You can use frozen without much difference to the cranberry sauce. Just add the frozen cranberries along with the spices and orange juice and cook according to the instructions.
Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Potassium: 21mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.1mg