Homemade Cranberry Sauce – Easy Holiday Favorite!
This homemade cranberry sauce is a holiday classic with a fresh, scratch-made twist. With just a few pantry staples and fresh cranberries, it’s the perfect festive side dish that’ll quickly become a new favorite. And the best part? It only takes 15 minutes on the stove!
Even those “I don’t like cranberry sauce” people at the table will gobble this up.
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Table of Contents
I know it’s a little late to be sharing this homemade cranberry sauce for the holidays since Thanksgiving has come and gone. But I just have to tell you about it.
I made this for our family Thanksgiving dinner, and it was such a hit! Spoiler alert: my scratch-made green bean casserole was also a major crowd-pleaser, so you can expect that recipe to also show up a tad late.
Cranberry sauce isn’t just for Thanksgiving, though. It’s a festive favorite that deserves a spot on your table all season.
In fact, it’s already on our family Christmas menu, and I’m confident it’ll be on yours once you try it.
Lately, I’ve been on a major cranberry kick—this sauce and my sourdough cranberry walnut bread have been on repeat around here.
There’s something about those beautiful red berries and their wintry flavor that adds a festive touch to any dish.
Homemade cranberry sauce is nothing like the jiggly can-shaped stuff. It’s saucy, textured, and downright irresistible.
While it’s a classic holiday staple, this recipe is so good you’ll want to pair it with all your winter comfort foods as a side or garnish. It’s that good!
Why Homemade Cranberry Sauce is a Must-Have for the Holidays
- Bursting with fresh flavor: Homemade cranberry sauce tastes way better than the canned stuff. Plus, you can adjust the ingredients to make it as sweet or tart as you like.
- Perfectly saucy texture: Fresh cranberry sauce is more sauce-like than jelly, making it much more appealing than the canned variety. Because it isn’t jelly, it is more versatile to pair with other foods like sourdough stuffing or sourdough crepes.
- Made with 5 ingredients: This traditional cranberry sauce recipe uses just five ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand.
- Holiday favorite: Is it even the holidays without cranberry sauce? This cranberry sauce recipe is a family tradition for our holidays.
- Quick and easy to make: This recipe takes about 20 minutes of hands-on time. The rest is just waiting for it to cool. So easy!
Tools You May Need
- Measuring cups and spoons: Grab your measuring cups and spoons. But don’t sweat the measurements too much. Homemade cranberry sauce is forgiving.
- Saucepan: Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent the sugar from burning. I love my All-Clad 3-quart saucepan. You can also use a cast iron Dutch oven.
- Whisk: Use a whisk to stir the sugar into the liquid ingredients. I usually use a Danish dough whisk.
- Spoon: Once you add the cranberries, I recommend swapping out the whisk for a spoon. The cranberry sauce can get stuck in the whisk and is a pain to get out. Ask me how I know.
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These are some of my must-have tools for making this simple cranberry sauce recipe.
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Ingredients & Substitutions for Easy Cranberry Sauce
- Cranberries: Of course, fresh cranberries are the star of the show. You can also use frozen cranberries.
- White sugar: White granulated sugar adds a classic sweet flavor. You can use coconut sugar or any other sweetener you prefer.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds depth of flavor while also sweetening the tart cranberries. I used dark brown sugar, but light brown will also work.
- Orange juice: Orange juice adds a bright flavor and cuts the cranberries’ bitterness.
- Water: The water helps the sugars dissolve, but most of it reduces as you cook the cranberries.
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Perfect Cranberry Sauce
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the water, orange juice, and sugars. Whisk to combine.
Heat over medium heat, stirring regularly until the sugars are combined and the mixture begins to boil.
Add the cranberries to the saucepan. Boiling sugar mixtures are hot, hot, hot. So place the cranberries in gently.
Return the ingredients to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
Cook the cranberries, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until most of the cranberries have burst, stirring frequently.
Continue cooking the cranberry sauce until it has thickened and the liquid has reduced to your liking. But keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools, so don’t overcook it.
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a bowl and set aside. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes or so.
Then, cover and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before digging in.
How To Store Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Leftover homemade cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tips for Success
- Use fresh cranberries: Fresh cranberries contain pectin, which helps the mixture thicken. Plus, they have a bright flavor that store-bought cranberry sauce can’t replicate.
- Adjust the sweetness: Add more or less sugar to adjust the sweetness.
- Don’t overcook: Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken as it cools. So don’t let it reduce too much.
- Blend for a smoother texture: I love this with a chunky texture. But if you prefer a smooth texture, you can blend it up. Just let it cool before tossing it in the blender.
How To Serve Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Holiday Meals: This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Because it is so easy to make, I recommend it for your holiday potlucks.
- Topping: Homemade cranberry sauce is delicious on salads or sourdough flatbreads.
- Turkey Burger: A turkey burger with cranberry sauce and blue cheese crumbles on a sourdough bun is beyond delicious.
- Cocktails: Mix a little homemade cranberry sauce in your cocktails to liven up the holiday spirits.
- Garnish: A spoonful of cranberry sauce makes a beautiful garnish.
- Cinnamon rolls: I haven’t tried this yet (it’s on my list), but I think this would be amazing as a filler for sourdough cinnamon rolls.
Easy Cranberry Sauce Variations
- Spicy Cranberry Sauce: Add diced jalapenos for a spicy fresh cranberry sauce. Cook the diced jalapenos with the liquids and sugar. Then, follow the recipe as usual.
- Apple Cranberry Sauce: Combine one cup of diced apples, a little cinnamon, both sugars, and the liquids. Then, follow the recipe as usual.
- Herb Cranberry Sauce: Add a little fresh rosemary, thyme, and a sprinkle of cinnamon to the sugar mixture. This is a great way to use freeze-dried herbs.
More Holiday Inspiration
Homemade cranberry sauce is just the start to a simple (and delicious) holiday. Check out these posts for more scratch-cooking and simple living holiday inspo.
Video – Simple Holidays at Home
The holidays can feel stressful, but this year, I am creating a simple holiday at home by taking a slow-paced approach. Check out my holiday homemaking vlog for easy DIY holiday decorating and tips for making your everyday recipes feel festive.
And don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel. New videos come out weekly!
FAQs
I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen cranberries. But according to recipes online, you can make homemade cranberry sauce with frozen berries.
And you don’t even have to thaw them! It will take a little longer if you cook them from frozen, since they have to get to temperature first.
Let the cranberry sauce cook a little longer for a thicker sauce.
Add more liquid (orange juice or apple juice are good choices) before removing it from the heat to make it thinner.
You can use water, apple juice, pomegranate juice, or cherry juice—really, anything with a bright flavor will work!
Definitely, homemade cranberry sauce is easy to double or even triple up.
If your cranberry sauce is too bitter for your liking, add a touch of orange juice, a little orange zest, or other citrus flavor. You can also add a little more sugar.
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
This homemade cranberry sauce is a holiday classic with a fresh, scratch-made twist. With just a few pantry staples and fresh cranberries, it’s the perfect festive side dish that’ll quickly become a new favorite. And the best part? It only takes 15 minutes on the stove!
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2/3 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup water
- 12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed with bruised or bad berries removed
Instructions
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the water, orange juice, and sugars. Whisk to combine.
Heat over medium heat, stirring regularly until the sugars are combined and the mixture begins to boil.
Add the cranberries to the saucepan. Boiling sugar mixtures are hot, hot, hot. So place the cranberries in gently.
Return the ingredients to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Cook the cranberries, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until most of the cranberries have burst, stirring frequently.
Continue cooking the cranberry sauce until it has thickened and the liquid has reduced to your liking. But keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools, so don't overcook it.
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a bowl and set aside. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Then, cover and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before digging in.
Notes
- Add more or less sugar to adjust the sweetness.
- I love this with a chunky texture. But if you prefer a smooth texture, you can blend it up. Just let it cool before tossing it in the blender.
- If you don't have orange juice, you can use water, apple juice, pomegranate juice, or cherry juice—really, anything with a bright flavor will work!