Place the cranberries in a colander and rinse with cold water. Discard any damaged or shriveled looking cranberries.
Combine the cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, orange zest, water and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer stirring occasionally until the cranberries have popped and the sauce has thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
Allow to cool completely then transfer to a container to chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Notes
This cranberry sauce can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
For additional sweetness, add additional maple syrup or a few drops of liquid stevia.
Feel free to squish the cranberries with a spoon if you like. I squished about half of the cranberries.