Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce: Three Ingredients, Ten Minutes
Once you see how easy it is to make it homemade, you may never serve canned again!
Homemade cranberry sauce is one of the easiest holiday wins. Three ingredients, ten minutes of cooking, and you have the kind of sauce that gets requested at every family gathering forever. The canned jellied version still has its loyal fans (and a place at every Thanksgiving table), but fresh sauce is a different food.
Quick Reference
- Three ingredients: cranberries, sugar, water. Optional: lemon or orange.
- Time: 10 minutes cooking, 1 hour cooling.
- Cranberry to sugar ratio: 12 oz cranberries to 1 cup sugar (standard sweetness).
- Make-ahead: up to a week refrigerated; freezes 2 months.
- Best for: Thanksgiving, Christmas, leftover turkey sandwiches.
- Texture preference: simmer 10 minutes for jammy; 5 minutes for chunky.
Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 bag (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- Optional: zest of 1 orange or lemon
- Optional: 1 cinnamon stick
- Optional: 2 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey
Instructions:
- Combine cranberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Add citrus zest and cinnamon if using.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce to a simmer. The cranberries will start popping; that is the sound of pectin release.
- Simmer 8-10 minutes for jammy sauce; 5 minutes for chunky.
- Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon if using.
- Cool 1 hour at room temperature. The sauce thickens as it cools.
- Refrigerate up to 1 week.
Variations
- Orange-cranberry: add zest and juice of 1 orange.
- Ginger-cranberry: add 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger.
- Maple bourbon: replace half the sugar with maple syrup; add 2 tablespoons bourbon at the end.
- With nuts: stir in ¼ cup toasted pecans or walnuts after cooling.
- Less sweet: reduce sugar to ¾ cup for a tarter sauce.
Storage and Make-Ahead
Cranberry sauce holds up beautifully in the fridge for a week, and the flavor improves after a day or two. For longer storage, freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently if you want it warm, or serve cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make cranberry sauce ahead?
Yes. Make 3-5 days ahead; the flavor improves. Stir before serving to refresh the texture.
What’s the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry relish?
Sauce is cooked; relish is raw (cranberries pulsed with sugar and citrus in a food processor). Both are Thanksgiving staples.
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes. Use directly from frozen; no need to thaw. Cooks identically to fresh.
How long does cranberry sauce last?
1 week refrigerated, 2 months frozen. Sealed jars freshly canned would last longer but most home cooks use it within the holiday season.
Why does cranberry sauce set up like jelly?
Cranberries are naturally high in pectin, which sets with sugar to form a jelly-like consistency as it cools.
This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at questions@farmersalmananac.com.
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
I always put some cinnamon in mine. Just really adds a lot.
We make our own. We use my Nanas cranberry maker with a wooden cone shaped squished and cone shaped metal strainer. My Nana made it and we carry on tradition. Every year!!
Homemade is always the best! Sounds like a wonderful family tradition.
A local store deli makes their own with cherries in it. It’s my favorite!
Try substituting orange juice for the water. You won’t regret it. Also try substituting just a little less than a cup of honey for the sugar.
And some maple syrup, then also used on the cheesecake! Yum!
Eric, what a great idea!
Have always loved cranberry sauce, but never made it at home. I never found a recipe to make it. This sounds wonderful and easy, so I may have homemade this year! Love the idea of pineapple and nuts too! Thanks!
Try using cran-apple juice for the water and add walnuts. I think you’ll like that as well! Add some zest of orange peel if you like.
the canned cranberry would be great if they would stop putting high fructose corn syrup in it.
I cut the amount of sugar, add oranges and walnuts. Have not tried adding pineapple but that sounds good, too.
What I have done for years is add an 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple with the juice and some chopped walnuts. Friends who do not like cranberry enjoy this recipe. You just need to let it be known that there are nuts in the relish.
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!