Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Skip the store-bought cranberry sauce this year and whip up this homemade version! It’s bursting with fresh flavor and so much more delicious than anything you can buy. Plus, it’s super easy to make and will impress everyone at your Thanksgiving table.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 3-4 servings
Preparation Level: Beginner +
Cranberry sauce is a great side dish to serve with turkey, chicken, or ham during holiday meals. You can use leftovers to top some pancakes, yogurt, or your favorite dish. Plus, it’s only six ingredients!
Ingredients
- Fresh cranberries
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Fresh orange juice (from an orange)
- Water
- Ground cinnamon
The full printable recipe with measurements and instructions is at the bottom of the post on the recipe card.
How To Make Cranberry Sauce
Rinse the cranberries and pick out any that are soft or damaged. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, brown and white sugars, orange juice, water, and cinnamon.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook. Stir occasionally until the sugars dissolve. Bring the cranberry mixture to a gentle boil then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the cranberries start to burst and the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly. It will thicken as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
- Adjust the sweetness: Taste and add a bit more sugar if you prefer a sweeter sauce, as cranberries are naturally tart.
- Extra Flavor: For a spicer twist, add a pinch of cloves or nutmeg along with the cinnamon.
- Texture: For a smoother sauce, mash the cranberries with the back of a spoon as they cook. For a chunkier texture, leave them whole.
Storage
You can store the cranberry sauce in the regrigerator for about one week. Cranberry sauce also freezes well. You can also freeze it for up to three months. Make sure in both cases the cranberry sauce is in an airtight container.
More Cranberry Recipes
- Holiday cranberry bread from Julia’s Simply Southern
- Homemade canned cranberry sauce
- 31 favorite cranberry salads
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh cranberries (about one 12-ounce bag)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 orange)
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- A few slivers of orange zest (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the cranberries and pick out any that are soft or damaged.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, both sugars, orange juice, water, and cinnamon.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Stir occasionally and cook until the sugars dissolve.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the cranberries start to burst and the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly. It will thicken as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature.
