This easy homemade cranberry sauce recipe will be the perfect finishing touch to your Thanksgiving meal. So simple and delicious!
And with only three ingredients, you’ll be surprised how simple it is to make. You may never buy the canned stuff from the grocery store ever again after you make this simple recipe for the first time.
My mom usually makes this a few days ahead of Thanksgiving dinner, and she keeps it in the refrigerator until it is time to serve it.
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I will show you how to make it on the stovetop, and in your Instant Pot. (Amazon affiliate link)
It is so delicious with her oven roasted turkey breast and southern cornbread dressing!
Homemade cranberry sauce is great all holiday season, and for leftovers as well. For something different, try putting leftover cranberry sauce on leftover turkey sandwiches.
How to make homemade cranberry sauce
Here is how to make the best cranberry sauce for your holiday meal. First, gather your ingredients.
Ingredients
For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to. For this homemade cranberry sauce recipe you will need the following ingredients:
fresh cranberries
white sugar
water
That’s it! You can do some optional add ins, such as orange zest if you wish. We like it plain the best.
Stovetop method
To make this easy homemade cranberry sauce on the stovetop, you start with a twelve ounce bag of fresh, whole cranberries.
After giving them a good rinse, you make a simple syrup by bringingone cup of water and one cup of sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Add the cranberries, and then reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat until they all burst, about 10 minutes.
Cool to room temperature and refrigerate, and that sauce will thicken up on its own.
An voila! It’s ready for turkey and dressing!
How easy is that?!
How to make Instant Pot cranberry sauce
I am adding an extra set of instructions this year!🤓🙌🏻 To make Instant Pot cranberry sauce (or any other brand electric pressure cooker), add your three ingredients to the stainless inner pot, and stir. No need to dissolve anything, just dump it all in.
Put the lid on, lock it and set the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for two minutes.
Let it naturally release for about ten to twelve minutes, and quick release the rest. Letting is naturally release a bit helps lower the chance of splatter.
Another tip along those lines: to avoid any potential cranberry splatter, place a kitchen towel over the vent release. Be sure and wash the valve well after you are done with warm soapy water. This will remove any residue.
Refrigerate, just like the stovetop version, and it will thicken. At serving time, just pop it right out of the fridge for the meal.
Storage and leftovers
How long is homemade cranberry sauce good in the fridge? It has a long storage date of 10 to 14 days. You can also freeze it! Leftover cranberry sauce will be good for 2 to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container.
We often make a double batch at Thanksgiving and freeze half to take out later at Christmas dinner.
One of our favorite things to do with leftovers is to spoon some over some oatmeal. Yum! I bet it would be great over some store-bought or homemade ice cream as well.
More Thanksgiving recipes
Be sure and check out all my Thanksgiving recipes here. I have roast turkey, sweet potato casserole, southern cornbread dressing and all the classics.
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Bring the water and sugar to a boil, and stir to dissolve sugar.
Add the cranberries, and simmer until most of the cranberries burst, about 10 minutes.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it . (Keeps for about 2 weeks)
Instant Pot instructions
All cranberries, water and sugar to the inner stainless steel pot, and stir to combine. No need to dissolve anything.
Put the lid on, lock it and set the pressure valve to sealing.
Cook on high pressure for two minutes.
Let it naturally release for about ten to twelve minutes, and quick release the rest by rotating the pressure valve release. (Optional: place a dish towel over the steam vent when releasing to catch any potential cranberry splatter.)
Refrigerate to thicken.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
We always make this at least the night before (or a few days in advance) to make sure it has time to cool and thicken. One less think to think about on Thanksgiving Day!
You can use a potato masher or even a wooden spoon to break down the whole cranberries a little more, if you prefer.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 62
% Daily Value*
Sodium 1mg0%
Potassium 19mg1%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 14g16%
Vitamin A 15IU0%
Vitamin C 3.1mg4%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Note: This recipe originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy November 15, 2017.
"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)."
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.
Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.
While there are some editors who prefer homemade cranberry sauce, the canned variety also has quite a following. "There's something so beautifully perfect about the texture of canned cranberry sauce, and none of those homemade mess will ever compete," says Senior Digital Food Editor Kimberly Holland.
Dear Evelyn: I had the same problem when I first started making my own cranberry sauce. I found out that you should cook them just until they pop. Further cooking will make them bitter, and once that happens, you need to start again.
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.
Yes, you can freeze homemade cranberry sauce—and it works well. It's best to store it in the freezer for up to 3 months; the taste may be affected due to its water content if frozen longer. Keep this in mind when putting away your leftover sauce and use it during this optimal period as part of an easy weeknight dinner.
We can see there is a significant difference in the nutrition facts between the two sauces. The homemade cranberry sauce has nearly half the calories, carbohydrates, and sugars compared to the store brand. It also has more fiber as well as potassium!
But what if you've been cooking it forever and it's still not right? 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.
Directions. In a saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, orange zest and juice, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and mixture thickens slightly, 12 to 15 minutes. (Sauce will thicken more as it cools.)
Spirits are a wonderful addition to cranberry sauce, but remember that a little goes a long way. Go with spirits and fortified wines used to make other sauces, and start with port, sherry, madeira, marsala, sweet vermouth, or even bourbon. Add it to your sauce a teaspoon at a time until you get the flavor you want.
Cranberry sauce is best served at room temperature or slightly chilled. (You've got enough things on the menu to warm up! Don't make the list longer!) I tend to make cranberry sauce a few days before Thanksgiving and then set it on the table about an hour or two before we plan to eat.
Homemade cranberry sauce has bigger, bolder flavor. Canned cranberry sauce often has a fuzzy, muted taste from too much sugar. It doesn't capture the pure tartness of fresh cranberries. When you make it from scratch, you can control how much sugar you put in, or use other sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.
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.
And deep down, they are not so different after all: Whole cranberry sauce indeed involves whole berries. Jellied cranberry sauce goes through much the same process, but it is heavily strained, removing elements of nature — skin, seeds — that would impede its perfect silken texture.
Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal. Saltiness: Salt plays two very important roles in flavouring a dish. Firstly, it balances against bitterness.
Honey: Another option is to use honey as a sweetener. Start with a small amount (such as 1 teaspoon) and gradually add more until the desired level of sweetness is reached. Maple syrup: Maple syrup is another option for sweetening unsweetened cranberry juice.
Anything from a drizzle of honey to agave, maple syrup, or molasses will also fare well. After a few minutes of maceration, the sour fruit juices will mix with the sugar and alleviate some of the cranberries' natural tartness.
If your tomato sauce is too acidic and verging on bitter, turn to baking soda, not sugar. Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid. A little pinch should do the trick.
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