Homemade cranberry sauce is so easy to make, and you only need three ingredients: fresh cranberries, sugar, and orange juice or water. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare and cook, and you can make it a day or two ahead of Thanksgiving. Once you've tasted the homemade version, it's hard to go back to canned!
Why Make Cranberry Sauce From Scratch
I've been making this cranberry sauce every Thanksgiving for years, and I always pull it off the heat once most of the berries have popped. It looks too thin in the pot, but by the next day it's thick enough to spoon onto turkey sandwiches
If you've ever tasted the difference between cranberry sauce made from fresh cranberries and the canned version, you already know why it's worth the very small amount of effort. It's only three ingredients: fresh cranberries, sugar, and some type of liquid (you could even use water)!
The texture is so much more pleasing than the gelatinous "sauce" from a can, and you truly can't beat the flavor of fresh cranberries.
How To Make Cranberry Sauce
All you need to do to make homemade cranberry sauce is dissolve some sugar in liquid. In this case, we use orange juice, but you could use cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, or even water.
Once the sugar is dissolved, simply add fresh cranberries and cook until they've all mostly burst, about 10 minutes. Then just pour it into a small serving bowl and pop it in the refrigerator until it cools completely. It thickens as it cools, so there's truly nothing more you need to do!
Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce
Not only can you make it ahead of time, it's actually a good idea to make it up to 2 days ahead. It will thicken as it chills in the fridge.
Can You Freeze Cranberry Sauce?
Cranberry sauce freezes surprisingly well. Make sure to store it in an airtight freezer container and it'll last for up to 6 months in the freezer (possibly longer, but this is the longest we've tested it).
Before serving, just take it out the day before and pop it into the refrigerator to thaw.
What to Add to Cranberry Sauce
Elevate your cranberry sauce with these easy ideas to elevate cranberry sauce. These ideas also work well by using add-ins to quickly improve canned cranberry sauce.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon, cloves or a little nutmeg.
- Apple cranberry sauce: Add finely diced apple while cooking.
- Maple cranberry sauce: Replace some sugar with maple syrup.
- Cranberry sauce with sherry: Add a splash of sherry for a richer flavor.
- Spicy cranberry sauce: Add a little diced jalapeño for serving with chicken or pork.
Cranberry Sauce Tips & Fixes
Reduced or Sugar-free Cranberry Sauce - Use half the amount of sugar or no sugar at all and add half the water or juice and slowly add more until desired consistency is reached. This works well when adding additional ingredients to substitute the reduced sweetness.
Cranberry Sauce Too Runny - Let the sauce cool completely before deciding it's too thin. Cranberries contain natural pectin, which helps the sauce thicken as it cools. If it's still runny, return it to the saucepan and simmer for a few more minutes.
Cranberry Sauce Too Thick - Stir in a little water or orange juice, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your preferred consistency. I take it off the heat once most of the berries have popped. It looks loose in the pot, but it thickens a lot as it cools
Cranberry Sauce Too Tart - Add a little more sugar, honey, or maple syrup, tasting as you go. A dash of salt effectively balances sweet and tart flavors as well.
Cranberry Sauce Too Sweet - Add a small splash of lemon juice to balance the sweetness.
Reducing the Sugar: You can adjust the sugar to taste, but reducing it significantly will make the sauce more tart and may affect the finished consistency.
How to Use Leftover Cranberry Sauce
We rarely have leftover cranberry sauce in our house after the holidays, but if we do, here are a few ways I use it:
- On a sandwich: Mix it with a little mayo for a creamy condiment, or just spread it on as-is.
- Serve it with cheese and crackers - especially brie!
- Add it to your yogurt for a deliciously different breakfast twist.
- Blend it into a smoothie for a tasty and nutritious snack.
- Use it over pancakes!
- Mix it with softened butter and spread it on toast.
- Slather crostini with goat cheese and a dollop of leftover cranberry sauce.
3-Ingredient Homemade Cranberry Sauce
This easy homemade cranberry sauce uses just three ingredients and takes about 20 minutes to prepare and cook. It's perfect for Thanksgiving, can be made ahead, and freezes beautifully.
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed and sorted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup orange juice (or water for a more traditional cranberry flavor)
Instructions
- Pour the orange juice into a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
- Add the cranberries and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce begins to thicken.
- Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Notes
Fridge: Keep leftover cranberry sauce covered in the fridge for up to 10 days. Store it in an airtight container or a jar with a lid.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 89Total Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 0g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
Try these other delicious holiday sides!
- Cranberry Orange Sauce with Fresh Orange Zest
- Creamed Onions
- Easy Green Bean Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Wild Mushroom Stuffing
- Creamed Corn
- Sweet Corn Cake
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