Introduction
Welcome to Jessica Gavin’s Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe! This recipe is a great way to make a delicious and healthy cranberry sauce for your holiday meals. It’s easy to make and requires only a few simple ingredients. The tartness of the cranberries is balanced with the sweetness of the orange juice and honey. This recipe is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. Enjoy!
Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe – Jessica Gavin
Cranberry sauce is a classic holiday side dish that is easy to make and adds a sweet-tart flavor to your meal. This homemade cranberry sauce recipe from Jessica Gavin is a simple and delicious way to enjoy the tartness of cranberries. With just a few ingredients, you can make a flavorful sauce that will be a hit at your holiday table.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cranberries will burst and the sauce will thicken.
- Stir in orange juice and orange zest. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
The best cranberry sauce recipe for your Thanksgiving or holiday feast! Make this easy three-ingredient condiment ready in just 15 minutes. Make the cranberry sauce ahead to grab and serve with your stunning turkey.
Table of Contents
A gorgeous roast turkey is not complete without some sweet and tangy cranberry sauce. Do you use canned or freshly made? For me, the answer is clear. My fresh cranberry sauce recipe wins out every time. Once you make it from scratch, it’ll be easy to see why.
In just 15 minutes and only three ingredients, the cooked healthy berries magically transform into a thickened, sweet, tangy, and addicting sauce. Be the first to raise your hand to make this incredibly easy condiment when the holidays roll around. It’s quick, effortless, and impressive! You can even make the cranberry sauce up to a week in advance to save time.
Cranberry selection
Grocery stores typically sell fresh cranberries between October and December. They come in pre-measured 12-ounce bags in the refrigerator section. This will yield about 3 ½ cups of berries, making 1 ½ cups of cranberry sauce. Look for round, ruby-colored berries that lack wrinkles on the surface, signaling their older age.
Wash and clean the berries, removing any that have burst or are broken. Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used to make the sauce. Add a few minutes to the cooking time for frozen—no need to defrost the berries before use.
Sweeteners to use
This is a must! Cranberries pack a mean sour punch and must be balanced with a sweetener. Liquid sweeteners like maple syrup, honey, or agave syrup add dimension to the sauce’s flavor. Granulated sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar are tasty alternatives. I recommend adding ¾ to 1 cup of liquid to replace the moisture absent from the dry sweetener.
If you are looking for a sugar-free and keto option, try this low-carb cranberry sauce. I prefer my sauce not to be overly sweet. Feel free to add more sweetener to your liking, increasing from ½ cup to 1 cup.
Liquid options
Water, juice, or even alcohol like wine helps the berries gell up once they have popped open. It allows the natural pectin inside the fruit to dissolve in the liquid. This creates a thickened consistency once the sauce cools.
Fresh orange juice, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, cranberry juice, or pomegranate juice are delicious swaps to plain water.
There are endless ways to customize the taste of cranberry sauce. Try these delicious variations:
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract rounds out the sweet notes of the sauce. Whole vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste are great substitutes.
- Spices: Place a whole cinnamon stick in the sauce, juniper berries, or star anise as it simmers for intense sweet aromatics, and make your home smell amazing!
- Citrus: Grate some fresh orange zest and add 1 teaspoon to the sauce; I do this for my orange cranberry version. Lemon zest works great too!
- Herbs: If you like an herbaceous sauce, chop 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, thyme, or sage, or add a mixture.
- Ginger: For pungency, 1 tablespoon freshly grated or minced ginger or ¼ teaspoon dried.
- Fruit: For a fruitier taste, add 1 cup of diced fruit like apples or pears and simmer with the cranberries. My family loves my apple cranberry sauce! Dried fruit like apricots, figs, pineapples, or raisins adds a concentrated fruity flavor.
- Hot Peppers: Add 1 to 3 teaspoons minced jalapenos or whole dried red peppers for some heat.
- Alcohol: Replace water with red or white wine. Add 1 to 4 tablespoons of bourbon whiskey or dark rum for an oaky, spiced flavor—Grand Marnier for sweet citrus notes.
How to make cranberry sauce
Add the cranberries, liquid, and sweetener to a medium pan. Stir to dissolve the sweetener and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once bubbles form along the edges of the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low to simmer the sauce. You will hear a symphony of pops as the cranberries cook in the sweetened liquid.
Once the cranberries burst and cook downs to a thickened, jammy consistency, the vibrant and juicy sauce is ready. The process takes 15 minutes or less! Serve it warm or cool to room temperature. When the cranberry sauce cools down, the pectin will become more rigid and set, thickening it up even more.
How to store cranberry sauce
Cranberry sauce that has come to room temperature can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to one week. This makes it a great made-ahead condiment for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It can even be placed in a releasable plastic bag and frozen for up to three months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours before serving.
Serve this with
Ways to use leftover cranberry sauce
Frequently asked questions
Too much liquid is added to the sauce. Start with ½ cup liquid, then increase to 1 cup if you like a thinner consistency. Simmer the sauce until you see the texture thicken up.
No! The natural pectin in the whole cranberries will thicken the sauce. Cranberry sauce requires the pectin to be dissolved in the berries’ liquid, sugar, and acids. Once the pectin is heated, it will swell and expand, turning into a firmer gel once cooled.
No! Other options include making the cranberry sauce in a slow cooker or Instant pot. Choose the method based on time.
How to make a smoother sauce
Once the cranberry sauce reaches the desired consistency, serve it as is for a more chunky whole-berry texture. However, you can further process the sauce, like canned products, if you’re a fan of the more smooth jelly consistency. Use a hand immersion blender to carefully puree the sauce directly in a pan. Alternatively, transfer to a blender or food processor to quickly break down the skins and tiny seeds.
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Prepare Ingredients – Add the cranberries to a colander and wash with cool running water, set aside.
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Combine Ingredients – In a medium pan, add cranberries, maple syrup, and water, stir to combine.
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Simmer Sauce – Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and the mixture thickens to a jam consistency, about 12 to 15 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more sweetener if desired.
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Add Vanilla (Optional) – Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
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To Serve – Serve warm or cool the sauce before serving.
- Recipe Yield: About 1 ½ cups
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Sweetener: Granulated sugar or brown sugar can be used. Add an extra ¼ cup of water to the recipe. For a sweeter sauce, add an additional ¼ to ½ cup of sweetener.
- Liquid: Apple juice, apple cider, orange juice, cranberry, pomegranate, or grape juice can be substituted for water.
- Thinner Sauce: Add 1 cup of water instead of ½ cup.
- Storing: Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; defrost before use.
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 32
% Daily Value*
Sodium 0.2mg0%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 0.4g2%
Sugar 7g8%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 10mg1%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.