There’s nothing inherently wrong with canned cranberry sauce, but I figure that if I’m going to go to all the trouble of making a sprawling turkey dinner with all the fixings, I might as well put in the effort to make a cranberry sauce worthy of the rest of the meal. Especially since homemade cranberry sauce is so quick and easy to make!
Related: 8 Instant Pot Recipes That Will Make Thanksgiving Dinner So Easy
When you’re out shopping for your Thanksgiving dinner, skip the canned stuff and pick up a bag of fresh cranberries instead. Then follow the recipe below to turn those fresh berries into a flavorful homemade cranberry sauce that will take your meal to a whole new level!
How To Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
- Fresh cranberries
- Water
- Sugar
Directions:
Pour the contents of a 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries into a saucepan. Add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar to the cranberries and stir to combine.
Turn the heat up to High to bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, then allow it to continue simmering for 10 minutes.
Remove the finished sauce from heat and allow it to cool before transferring it to an airtight container for storage. Store it in your fridge where it will keep for 1-2 weeks. That’s all there is to it!
BONUS: 5 Cranberry Sauce Tips And Tricks
Although the basic recipe for homemade cranberry sauce above is fantastic as written, there are plenty of ways you can jazz it up or make things easier for yourself. Here are some extra tips you might find useful!
Related: “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” – Thanksgiving Edition
1. Add Some Citrus
Sweet and tangy citrus can bring an additional dimension to the flavor of your cranberry sauce. Try swapping half of the water for orange juice, or adding a teaspoon or so of fresh lemon or orange zest to the cranberries, water, and sugar before simmering.
2. Make It Ahead
The flavor of cranberry sauce, like many other foods, evolves over time, so making it ahead of time will make your life easier and give your sauce a better flavor. Make your cranberry sauce 2 or 3 days ahead of time, then refrigerate it in an airtight container until needed.
3. Try A Different Sweetener
Cranberry sauce is traditionally made with white sugar, but you can use a different sweetener to switch things up if you like. You could use brown sugar, honey, or even maple syrup as the sweet element in your sauce.
4. Add Some Spice
Make your cranberry sauce more flavorful by adding a couple cloves, a cinnamon stick, or a small chunk of fresh ginger to the simmering mixture of cranberries, water, and sugar. Fish them back out of the finished sauce before storing it in your fridge.
5. Give It Texture
Some cranberry sauce recipes call for chopped pecans, walnuts, or even raisins. If you like a bit of crunch or chew, stir a handful of any of these options into your finished cranberry sauce for taste and texture.
Do you serve cranberry sauce with Thanksgiving dinner?
Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Recipe)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Pour cranberries into saucepan.
- Add the water and sugar and stir.
- Bring to boil, then reduce heat and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve warm or chilled.
This was really good. No more canned cranberry sauce for us. Actually, for me, since I’m the only one that would ever eat the canned stuff.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The only thing that I am going to do next time, is cut back on the sugar, I’m thinking 3/4 cup instead of 1, because it seemed just a little too sweet. And, I like sweet. Funny thing is, my wife, who has never liked cranberry sauce or things that are too sweet, liked it. I’m going to try it anyway and see what she thinks.
Thanks for this.
I have a recipe that I have made for over 25 years – much better too!! You make it two weeks before so that the flavors can blend. From scratch is always the best! I am not a big cranberry fan, but this sauce, it is the BEST! This year my brother was shopping & looked at the canned stuff & said, “I’m calling Deb to see if she has made hers yet & will share some with us”. So they got a cottage cheese container of it & are thrilled! I got an Orange Jamba Juice in exchange! Best Brother ever!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This cranberry sauce is the very best! I have been making it for over 60 years, my mother and grandmother both made it for years too. I pour the hot sauce into a tupperware mold (the old one that has a lid on the top and the bottom) and put it in the refrigerator. At dinner time I unmold it onto a plate with sides and serve it. It’s definitely our family favorite!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I always toss a couple of cinnamon sticks in my sauce as it is cooking.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My mom always puts some frozen strawberries in while it is cooking up.. It gives the perfect sweetness to the tart of cranberries. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love how whole cranberries “pop” when you cook them. I added sugar, pineapple chunks and Malibu rum to mine. Delish!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That sounds great. How much rum?
Thanks.
j
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this to go with the delicious Thanksgiving dinner that my parents were preparing. My mom spent all weekend geeking out over it and had me make more the night before I came back down to school.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So. Yeah. Good idea. ;)
Oh, my. I still have my mother’s cranberry tray in the same box! Still. what memories. thanks
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I bought another brand (cheaper) of cranberries this year. Big mistake! They were full of seeds and the peeling was tough. Who would have thought that a brand of cranberries makes any difference! From now on I’m sticking to ocean spray! Thanks for the tip about purreeing the cranberry sauce. We actually love the jelly in the can but after I tried the homemade version (plain, using water and sugar only because we aren’t fans of the kind with orange, etc.), I now am SOLD on this homemade cranberry sauce. What is it that makes the cranberry sauce jell so well? Is there more natural pectin in cranberries? Wouldn’t it be great if all berries made jelly this easily! Thanks for posting this. Now, I’ll be purreeing my jelly as well, at least some of it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I did this and added cinnamon and everyone loved it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I remember being so surprised when I realized that cranberry sauce did not have to come out of a can…there is nothing simpler…my favorite is, to freeze cranberries, but them in a food processor with lots of horseradish and some orange and blend, yum!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.this is how i make mine too, although I am a nutmeg freak and always a 1/8 to 1/4 tsp nutmeg to the pan too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Dearest Jilliee, once again you have changed my life! I have LOVED jelled cranberry and have eaten it by the spoonful my whole life. By I trust you so much that I threw a bag of cranberries in my cart and tried this yesterday. I loved it, will never eat the jelled again, and it was the hit of the dinner!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for all the amazing ideas you give us daily! You are literally changing my life and the lives of those around me! I am thankful for you!
Made this for yesterday and it was heavenly! No more canned in our house! Thank you!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I TOTALY AGREE with you! I started making FRESH Cranberries a couple of years ago @ 37yrs old and I LOVEEEE THEM…..Now my husband on the other hand likes the can BUTT who’s a cookin…..Mommas cookin so I get what I want lol
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My grandma would use a similar recipe for making homemade cranberry sauce, except she would also add whole oranges, peels and all. It added a whole new level of flavor that can’t be beat!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve been making cranberry sauce from scratch for 10+ years and my family likes it to be ‘jellied’ so I take the extra time to mash the cranberry sauce through a sieve. A bit more effort but the results are so worth it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just read the comments regarding using a blender instead of the sieve process. Going to try that method today. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I don’t know if I missed it and it was said before but just in case:
You can substitute darn near any sweetener for the white sugar. Brown is good (though it’s just white sugar and molasses, and pure molasses is not so great IMO), honey is GREAT, splenda, stevia, you name it. If it’s a no-calorie sweetener, add it at the end when you turn it off. I like to add about a teaspoon of honey to the splenda version to cut the bitterness that you can get from both the cranberries and using too much splenda. My mom also uses orange juice and/or orange zest, and cuts the sugar in half (or makes it with splenda these days).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Maple syrup! The real thing…mmmmmmm
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love it! So many great recipes shared. Thank you! And I love that so many of you actually have that serving set! lol That is so cool! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love cranberry sauce in any form but my family hates the store bought version . I have to have cranberry sauce over my cornbread dressing! My grandma made her own version of the jelled cranberries that has been a mandatory item on our Thanksgiving menu. This recipe is so delicious my husband and sons who have never liked any form of cranberries love this recipe. I have to double it or I will not have the required element on my dressing lol.
1- 9 oz can of crushed pineapple
1- pkg cherry jello
1- can of mandarin oranges (or 1 orange) chopped lightly
3/4 cup sugar
1 TBS. lemon juice
1 cup ground fresh cranberries
orange rind of 1 orange (omit if using the mandarin oranges)
1/2 cup chopped walnut (optional)
1 cup of hot water
Drain pineapple and reserve juice. Add enough water to the pineapple juice to equal exactly 1/2 cup and set to the side. Dissolve cherry jello and sugar into 1 cup hot water then add the pineapple juice mixture and add the lemon juice. Chill until partially set then add the orange, orange rind, and nuts. Chill in a 5 cup ring or bowl overnight or until set.
I highly suggest to let it chill overnight. You have to be exact with the liquid measurements or the mixture will not gel. Drain excess juice off of chopped oranges. I mix it and chill it in the same bowl. Even if it is loose it is wonderful.
I love this blog so much Jillee it is like you live in my mind. We must be kindred spirits.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.^^^^^^^^^^^*grated orange rind* sorry
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Cindy, this sounds great, but
Please log in or create a free account to comment.at what point do you add the cranberries?
I have this set. It used to be my Mom’s. We LOVE the jellied cranberry sauce in a can!!!!!!!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sorry. I am going to cook some cranberries this year in some orange juice until they pop and then add some honey if I need to. Happy Thanksgiving Jillee! and thank you for all of your ideas and inspiration
I do the straight up version from the back of the Ocean Spray bag and those who love it love it! I guess I am extremely flattered because my new Daughter In Law who is self-admittedly the PICKIEST EATER EVER LOVES this and asked me for the recipe last week.
And then she told me that she was passing the recipe on to MY SON who is the only person in the house who COOKS!!!! LOL!
I will make sure to pass on the variations for their Turkey Day–my son has cooked his new brides family Thanksgiving for the past 5 years!
I have wondered—has anyone ever thought to save a CAN (well washed of course!) and just pour the hot cranberry sauce–strained or not (I don’t strain or blend!) and then chill it and slide it out of the can and onto a nice serving plate and set it on the table and NOT SAY A WORD? Wonder if anyone would notice or say anything? Of course you could always have a hidden back up can. Just in case.
I have noticed that if you cook it much past the “Popping Berries” stage it has a tendency to not gel as well. Also–I use a beautiful crystal bowl to chill and serve this in–it looks so pretty on the table with the light on it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have been making homemade sauce for a few years now and will never go back… I make two versions, my dad likes the traditional sauce just like the recipe. But I like mine to have a little something so I add a few teaspoons of Grand Marnier. It adds an orange taste but adds a little something extra too. Sometimes I will also add orange zest. Yummy. I am making mine tomorrow night so it has time to set up.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love me some homemade cranberries! When I was a girl, we had the “jelled” stuff in the can.
Here’s a twist on the cranberry that I discovered a year or so ago. Chocolate -dipped cranberries! O man! They are so good. Just wash, dry them, and dip them in melted chocolate chips or any good chocolate. Crazy good — sweet ‘n’ sour and crisp. Try it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.LOL–My mom actually has that serving set! Yes, I was raised on the can version but after trying the homemade cranberry sauce, I was hooked. This year I tried it with kumquats and honey-Yum!
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