In a medium saucepan, bring the maple syrup, sugar, zest, orange juice, and salt to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a heatproof spatula.
Add the cranberries and simmer until slightly thickened and two-thirds of berries have burst, stirring periodically, about 5 minutes. Be careful; the cranberries may cause the hot liquid to splatter as they pop. Watch your hands and face as you stir.
When the sauce is ready, transfer to a clean bowl and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. (Note: you can place the sauce in the refrigerator to speed up the process).
Cranberry sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Notes
If using frozen cranberries, there's no need to thaw them. The hot liquid will take care of that. It might take a few minutes longer for them to begin popping.
Optional add-ins while simmering: 1 cinnamon stick (remove before serving), 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans, 1 cup roughly chopped orange segments