This easy homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe only takes four ingredients and a few minutes to make. It’s the perfect homemade cranberry sauce for the holidays!
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
I received multiple messages from readers saying they needed the best cranberry sauce recipe because their area had a shortage of canned cranberry sauce. Even my sister-in-law asked if I would post the recipe we use to make homemade cranberry orange sauce each year for the holidays.
I am happy to say I finally photographed the process and put together a video showing how easy it is to make fresh cranberry sauce.
After you make this, I hope you won't have to stress about buying the premade jelly cranberry sauce you find in the store.
This easy cranberry sauce recipe takes minutes to prepare and is make-ahead-friendly! Whip it up a day or two early and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
Trust me, this is easier than it sounds like it will be! It will become your favorite Thanksgiving recipe!
All you have to do is gather the ingredients, add them to a saucepan, and simmer. That's it!
This easy recipe comes together in less than 20 minutes. So this is my belated Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope this fantastic recipe is one that you love.
The holidays are stressful enough without having to worry about a shortage of any holiday dinner staple. Pick up a bag of cranberries and add a few pantry/refrigerator essentials, and you will have a delicious Thanksgiving side dish ready in minutes.
Ingredients Needed
Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients for making an epic Cranberry Sauce! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Fresh Cranberries
- Orange Juice
- Granulated Sugar
- Orange Zest
- Salt
Optional Add-Ins: Cinnamon Stick, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Vanilla Extract, Additional Spices, chopped pecans for crunch,
Equipment Needed
- Medium Saucepan
- Zester
- Airtight Storage Container
- Cute Cranberry Serving Dish
How to make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.
- Clean and prep the fresh cranberries. Try to remove any random stems still on the cranberries and check to make sure they look great.
- Add orange juice and sugar to a medium to large saucepan; you want room for all the cranberries. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat so the orange juice and sugar simmer over medium heat.
- Add in the cranberries, orange zest, and a pinch of salt. Simmer. Stir the cranberries, breaking up additional ones if you want a smoother sauce without chunks.
- Let the cranberry orange sauce cool down, and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. The cranberry sauce thickens as it cools.
- Garnish with orange zest or candied orange peel.
Preparation and Storage
Can you make cranberry sauce ahead of time?
Cranberry sauce will stay good in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can easily prep the sauce a few days to a week ahead of time without any issues.
Make some time to enjoy leftovers on Turkey Cranberry sliders!
Storage: You should be able to enjoy homemade cranberry sauce for about two weeks. Make sure to store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freezing/How to Freeze:
Homemade cranberry sauce freezes well and will last for a couple of months.
I’m sure your next question is how to freeze cranberry sauce. The best way to freeze cranberry sauce is to store it in airtight containers or a freezer-safe plastic bag that will help prevent freezer burn.
One thing to know is canned cranberry sauce does not freeze that well. The texture changes, and it is not the same when thawed.
To defrost cranberry sauce, remove it from the freezer at least the night before serving it. Place it in the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.
Frozen cranberry sauce should be good for around three months.
Tips for Freezing Cranberry Sauce
Remove as much air as possible from the freezer bags to help prevent freezer burn.
Don't be surprised if the texture changes slightly after being frozen.
Can You Refreeze Cranberry Sauce?
Yes, but the texture will change the more you freeze and refreeze the sauce.
How to Reheat: Reheat cranberry sauce in a pan over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring as it heats.
Cranberry Relish vs. Cranberry Sauce
Both are amazing and offer different ways to use cranberries.
Cranberry relish consists of raw ingredients blended in a blender or food processor. There is no cooking or baking involved with making cranberry relish.
Cranberry sauce involves cooking the cranberries, so it is often sweeter than cranberry relish and has a different texture.
We love how fresh-tasting this Cranberry Orange Relish is and the tradition of a big bowl of cranberry sauce perfect for leftovers.
Cranberry Sauce Substitute
If you want an alternative to Cranberry Sauce that still tastes great with turkey, here are a few of our favorite substitutes.
- Plum Sauce
- Bacon Jam
- Cranberry Applesauce
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Apple Chutney
- Homemade Applesauce
- Mango Chutney
How to Eat Cranberry Sauce
Serve canned cranberry sauce sliced in rounds on a platter. You can use cookie cutters to cut holiday shapes for a fun look.
Whether to serve cranberry sauce at room temperature or hot is a personal choice.
How To Make Cranberry Sauce Less Bitter
If your cranberry sauce turns out bitter, we suggest adding maple syrup. It is already liquid, so you can stir it into the sauce and incorporate it.
Add granulated sugar if you are still cooking the sauce and realize it is bitter. Just make sure there is heat to help dissolve the sugar.
Other sweeteners include agave syrup, brown rice syrup, apple sauce, orange juice, or white wine. You can also add a pinch of salt to intensify the sauce's sweetness.
How To Make Cranberry Sauce Thicker
If you have time, let the sauce reduce so the mixture thickens.
If this doesn't work, you can use a thickening agent like pectin or a cornstarch slurry.
One thing to remember is that the sauce will get thicker as it cools. Cranberries naturally contain pectic, which will thicken as it cools.
Recipe Variations
Substitutions:
You can use fresh orange juice or your favorite store-bought orange juice.
Vegetarian + Vegan Option: This holiday sauce recipe is made of fruit and sugar, making it vegetarian and vegan!
Gluten-Free:
Cranberry sauce is usually gluten-free. If you are buying cranberry sauce, we suggest looking at the ingredients to ensure it doesn’t contain a thickening agent that may have gluten.
Smaller Serving Size:
One way to enjoy cranberry sauce year-round is to freeze individual portions you can thaw when you want them.
Place servings in individual freezer bags labeled with the date. I like to place all of my smaller servings into one large gallon-sized freezer bag to contain them in the freezer in one area.
Make It Spicy: We’ve seen recommendations to add diced jalapeños or ginger to cranberry sauce to add heat.
Larger Group/More Servings: The written recipe makes eight servings. It doubles and triples easily!
Sugar-Free: The written recipe contains 29 grams of sugar per serving. Swap the white sugar with a sugar-free alternative and check that your orange juice has no sugar added to make it sugar-free.
Tips for the Best Cranberry Sauce
- If you want a chunky cranberry sauce, add ¾ of the bag of cranberries when you are simmering. Add the remaining cranberries right at the end of simmering time.
- If you do not like the orange flavor, you can substitute the orange juice with a cup of water.
What to Serve with Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce pairs nicely with multiple types of meat:
- Turkey
- Duck
- Goose
- Venison
- Pheasant
- Beef
- Pork
- Chicken
- Lamb
- Meatballs
- Cornish Hen
- Smoked Ham
- Over ice cream..have your tried this?
How to Use Leftover Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is versatile and has so many mealtime uses beyond Thanksgiving dinner!
- Leftover Turkey Sandwiches
- Cranberry Barbecue Meatballs
- Grilled Cheese
- Over Pancakes, Waffles, or French Toast
- Spread on Cinnamon Rolls
- Stirred into Yogurt
- Added to a Smoothie
- Spread on Toast
- A Topping for Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza
- Glazed on Pork
- Stirred into Overnight Oats
- As a Salad Dressing
- Over a Slice of Cheesecake
Great Holiday Recipes
Sweet Potato Casserole (Canned yams)
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup White Sugar
- 12 oz cranberries fresh
- 1 cup Orange Juice
- 2-3 Teaspoon Orange Zest
Instructions
- Add orange juice and sugar to a medium saucepan. Heat at medium-high heat until the juice starts to simmer.
- Add the cranberries and orange zest and stir together. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until cranberries burst.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
Kitchen Tools
- Saucepan
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