This homemade cranberry sauce recipe tastes better than the canned version, and you can make it ahead of time for an easy holiday side dish. All you need is 15 minutes of effort!
Fresh cranberry sauce tastes 100% better than the kind you’d buy at the store, and it’s surprisingly easy to make on the stovetop. There are no thickeners required!
Instead of using white sugar, this recipe is made with pure maple syrup. It adds a rich flavor you’ll love, without tasting too sweet.
Cranberry sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 7 days, and since you can serve it chilled, it’s easy to grab and set on the table in time for your Thanksgiving meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
All you need is 5 simple ingredients to make the best cranberry sauce ever. The maple syrup balances out the tartness of the fresh cranberries, and fresh ginger takes the flavor to the next level.
Feel free to add in some orange zest when you use fresh orange juice, for an extra boost of orange flavor. You can also add in any extra spices you like, such as a pinch of nutmeg or cloves.
How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Add the cranberries to a fine mesh strainer, and rinse them well. Remove any berries that look soft or bruised.
Transfer the cranberries to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add the maple syrup, orange juice, cinnamon, and ginger.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and let the cranberries simmer, stirring often.
The cranberries will start to pop and burst as they cook.
After 5 to 10 minutes of cooking and stirring, the cranberries should be soft enough to mash against the bottom and side of the pot. Use the spatula to mash them as you stir. (Feel free to leave some whole, too. The texture is up to you!)
Important Note:Don’t let the cranberries cook for longer than 15 minutes, or the pectin that the cranberries contain may start to break down. This can prevent the sauce from thickening as it chills.
Once the cranberry sauce has thickened on the stove, remove it from the heat and let it cool. Let it rest in a serving bowl if you plan on serving it soon, or transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
The cranberry sauce will thicken even more when it’s cold. Serve the cranberry sauce chilled straight from the refrigerator, or let it come to room temperature for an hour on the counter before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze cranberry sauce?
Yes, cranberry sauce freezes well. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before serving again.
Spread extra cranberry sauce on leftover turkey sandwiches, turn it into a salad dressing, or use it as a filling for cranberry crumble bars. It would also make a delicious topping for pancakes, waffles, or peanut butter toast.
Can I use a different sweetener?
If you’d like to use granulated sugar, like brown sugar, replace the maple syrup with 3/4 cup brown sugar plus 3/4 cup water. Honey may also work as a swap if you have that on hand, but you might not need quite as much in that case, since it’s sweeter than maple syrup.
Need more Thanksgiving recipes? Try Wild Rice Stuffing, Sweet Potato Casserole, or my favorite Holiday Salad topped with apples and pecans.
Easy Cranberry Sauce
4.98 from 36 votes
Homemade cranberry sauce tastes a million times better than the kind you'd buy in a can. All you need is a few simple ingredients to make it!
In a 1 1/2 quart sauce pot, combine the cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, cinnamon, and ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil.
The cranberries should burst as they cook, and the sauce will thicken. Be sure to stir often, to make sure nothing sticks to the pan, and press the cranberries against the side of the pan to help them break down and thicken the sauce.
Make sure you don't cook the cranberries any longer than 15 minutes, or pectin will start to break down and the sauce will not set as well. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a storage container with a lid.
Store in the fridge and allow to chill for at least 6 hours before serving. You can make this sauce up to 5 days in advance, to make your holiday meal a little easier!
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Notes
Nutrition information is for 1 of 8 servings, about a 1/4 cup each. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
* If you use the juice from a fresh orange, you can also add in some of the zest for extra orange flavor. It’s delicious, either way!
One possibility is that you may not have used enough sugar: Sugar helps the sauce firm up, so be sure to use the full amount called for in a recipe. Another possibility is that the cranberries need to boil for longer, releasing their pectin and ensuring a jelly consistency.
"Instead, start by stirring in one tablespoon maple syrup and one teaspoon of a sweet drink like apple juice, orange juice, or fruity white or red wine. Add more to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (in small amounts, it intensifies sweetness)."
One 12-ounce bag of cranberries makes about 2 1/4 cups of basic cranberry sauce—in my house, that's enough for about five people. Going the canned route? You'll need at least one can for six people.
You may have added too much liquid to the cranberries. In addition to pectin, cranberries contain water, which means you only need to add a splash of liquid to get the cooking going. Add too much and you'll be stirring at the stove much longer than expected. Again, more time on the stove will fix this problem.
The sauce will thicken as it cools. If you want a cranberry mold that holds its shape, continue to boil the mixture so that more pectin is released from the fruit, additional water evaporates, and the sauce becomes thick enough to set into a firm gel.
Sure, you can go all meta with some dried cranberries or sliced fresh raw cranberries, but I also like to think about complementary flavors — dried cherries, dried mulberries, golden raisins, chopped apricots. All work great with cranberry sauce.
You must cook the sauce for at least 10 minutes at a full boil for the pectin to react with the sugar and create the proper gelled texture. It is also important to let the cranberry sauce cool at room temperature. Moving it to the refrigerator too soon may also affect the gel.
While citrus is a natural pairing for cranberry sauce, bright, savory vinegars like sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar play well with the bitter-tart berries. Start with a little, then add more gradually.
But that's not the case for prepared cranberry sauces, where prices are up. Lochner pointed out that processors set those prices, not growers, and that there are higher input costs unrelated to berries — like “processing the fruit and getting it to market.” Ocean Spray isn't immune either.
Is cranberry sauce supposed to be hot or cold? Either! Some prefer to have it served fresh and warm, straight out of the pot, while others need it completely cooled down to enjoy the flavours. Personally, we prefer cooled sauce.
Although cranberry juice is safe to consume in moderation, drinking too much can cause side effects such as upset stomach, diarrhea, and blood sugar spikes. In the past, it was believed that cranberry juice can slow the growth of bacteria and therefore is useful in treating urinary tract infections.
The Bottom Line. If you have diabetes, you can still enjoy cranberry sauce, but with a few considerations. First, most traditional cranberry sauces have lots of added sugar, so offer to make it yourself for the holiday gathering so you can control how much is added.
The major variation you're likely to come across is "whole berry" versus "jellied." The only difference between them is that the jellied sauce is cooked until the berries have completely broken down. They both slide out of the can as a wobbly red cylinder.
In a small cup make a slurry with cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk cornstarch mixture into cranberry sauce and cook, whisking, until sauce thickens. Taste and add more sugar, if necessary.
Adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or orange zest, a tablespoon of chopped candied peel, or even a splash of juice to your canned sauce will brighten flavors and bring in some homemade flavor.
While citrus is a natural pairing for cranberry sauce, bright, savory vinegars like sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar play well with the bitter-tart berries. Start with a little, then add more gradually.
When to Toss Cranberry Sauce. Cranberry sauce will last for two hours at room temperature. Homemade cranberry sauce will last in the fridge for 10 to 14 days. Canned cranberry sauce that has been opened will last up to a week in the fridge.
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