Homemade Cranberry Sauce is easy to make and so much better than store bought ones! This cranberry sauce is flavorful, sweet, tart, and makes a perfect accompaniment to your holiday meals. Serve it with some classic holiday foods, or use it in your baked goods, with your favorite breakfast, as a topping on a cheesecake, or parfait.

HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE

This cranberry sauce is made with fresh cranberries, and is simmered with some sugar, water, and some orange juice, for a thick, flavorful sauce. Cranberry sauce makes an excellent side dish to all your holiday meals. No meals are complete without this lip-smacking cranberry sauce, it is so good!!

We also enjoy this cranberry sauce in baked goods, such as cakes, muffins, cheesecake. As a topping on a cheesecake or ice-cream, in a parfait, on a waffle, crepes or pancake. And how about some turkey sandwich. Ohhh… so yum!!!

It takes less than 15 minutes to make fresh homemade cranberry sauce from start to finish. Stir all the ingredients together and simmer until sauce thickens, and you have the most flavorsome cranberry sauce, that you can use it pretty much on anything your heart desires.

The best part of homemade cranberry sauce is that, it comes with no preservatives, and you have complete control over the ingredients. You can add sweetness to your taste, store bought cranberry sauce are overly sweet for my taste. Nothing beats the taste and flavor of this simple, homemade cranberry sauce. Try it once, and I am sure you will never go back to store bought ones, guaranteed!!!

INGREDIENTS FOR CRANBERRY SAUCE

12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, reserve 1/2 cup cranberries for later

1/2 – 3/4 cup granulated sugar or preferred sweetener; 1/2 cup for tart sauce, 3/4 for sweet

1 orange, zest and juice (about 2 teaspoons zest, 3/4 cup orange juice)

1/4 cup water

Pic Shown: Homemade Cranberry Sauce

HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE

Homemade cranberry sauce is easy and so much better than store bought. Cranberry sauce can be made with fresh or frozen cranberries, and with just the few ingredients, you have best cranberry sauce to devour.

It takes no time to make this homemade cranberry sauce. You can make this sauce in an Instant Pot or on a stove top. Sharing my quick and easy recipe for this delicious homemade cranberry sauce.

INSTANT POT CRANBERRY SAUCE

You will need INSTANT POT 

Reserve 1/2 cup of cranberries to be used at the end, to add some texture to the sauce.

Add all the ingredients to the inner pot – cranberries, water, orange juice, and sugar. Mix all the ingredients for 1-2 minutes, or until everything is well combined.

Note: This is important, make sure you mix the ingredients thoroughly to prevent any burnt bottom.

Close the lid, vent sealed. Turn ON MANUAL / PRESSURE COOK (high), for 1 minute. Turn OFF “KEEP WARM” setting.

Note: Pressure cook time only “ONE” minute.

Natural pressure release for 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure manually.

Open the lid. Add reserved 1/2 cup of cranberries. Give mixture a good stir.

Turn ON SAUTE (normal), simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until desired consistency, stir frequently.

Note: As the sauce thickens, it starts to stick to the bottom of the pot. To avoid any burnt bottom, make sure you stir frequently.

Turn OFF SAUTE. Enjoy homemade cranberry sauce!

This recipe yields around 16 ounces of cranberry sauce. Stays fresh for up to a week in the refrigerator.

STOVE TOP CRANBERRY SAUCE

Reserve 1/2 cup of cranberries to be used at the end, to add some texture to the sauce.

Add all the ingredients into a pot – cranberries, water, orange juice, and sugar. Toss all ingredients to combine well.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer. Stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst, and the sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.

Add reserved 1/2 cup of cranberries and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Note: As the sauce thickens, it starts to stick to the bottom of the pot. To avoid any burnt bottom, make sure you stir frequently.

Turn OFF HEAT. Enjoy homemade cranberry sauce!

This recipe yields around 16 ounces of cranberry sauce. Stays fresh for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Pic Shown: Homemade Cranberry Sauce

TIPS FOR BEST HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE

Do not overcook the cranberry sauce, as soon as it starts to thicken, or reaches desired consistency, turn OFF the heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools down.

You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe. If using frozen cranberries, simmer for few extra minutes, as frozen berries, release more moisture than the fresh ones.

If using Instant pot for making this recipe, make sure to turn OFF the “KEEP WARM” setting. After releasing the pressure, simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent any food sticking to the bottom of the pot.

The cranberry sauce thickens as it cools down, and also upon refrigeration.

Cool the sauce completely before transferring it into a clean, sterilized glass jar.

FAQ ABOUT HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE

WHY MAKE HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE

It’s easy, bursting with fresh flavor, and perfect texture. So much better than the store bought cranberry sauce, and the best I have complete control over the ingredients. I can add sweetness to my liking.

SUGAR SUBSTITUTE

You can use any sweetener of your choice, sugar, brown sugar, honey, or preferred sweetener. Recipe uses granulated sugar. Please do not use powdered or confectioner’s sugar for this recipe.

SUBSTITUTE ORANGE JUICE

Equal quantity of apple cider can be used instead of orange juice. You can also use lemon, or lime juice, reduce the quantity to 1 tablespoon, and add few extra tablespoons of water. Or simply replace the orange juice with just plain water.

CAN I JUST USE ORANGE JUICE

Yes, you can use only orange juice, works just fine. 

WHAT SPICES TO USE

For additional flavor, some of the flavorings that go well with cranberry sauce are cinnamon, all-spice. I sometimes add few sprigs of fresh thyme for burst of flavors.

Ginger, one of my favorite spice. Love the fresh, peppery flavor of ginger.

HOW TO STORE AND PRESERVE CRANBERRY SAUCE

Cranberry sauce stays good for up to a week into the refrigerator. Store the cranberry sauce in a sterilized glass jar. Do not pour the mixture in the jar while its hot to prevent uneven consistency. Let the sauce cool down a little and then transfer it into a sterilized jar.

Cranberry sauce freezes beautifully. You can freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Defrost the sauce overnight in the refrigerator, and use it as desired.

WHAT FLAVORING TO USE

I have not used any flavoring in the recipe. However, Vanilla and almond extract, go well with cranberries. Use 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract.

CAN I USE FROZEN CRANBERRIES

Yes, you can use frozen cranberries. Use them as suggested in the recipe.

ADJUST THE QUANTITY OF SUGAR

You can adjust the sweetness of the sauce, depending upon how sweet, or tart you like your cranberry sauce.

For tart sauce, use around 1/2 cup of sugar. If you like your sauce sweet, add 3/4 cup of sugar.

CAN I MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE AHEAD OF TIME

Absolutely. We all know how busy it gets specially during the holidays. This is a perfect dish to make ahead of time, and stays fresh for up to a week in the refrigerator. Honestly, I think it tastes even better as it sits for few days, all the flavors blend in so well.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS FOR CRANBERRY SAUCE

Enjoy this lip-smacking sauce with your favorite food. Sharing some of my favorite ways to enjoy this delicious homemade cranberry sauce.

Cranberry sauce is a must have with all our holidays meals

As a topping on cheesecake, ice-cream, pancakes, waffles

Swirl some sauce into the cake, muffin, or cheesecake batter

Serve it with some cornbread or dinner rolls

I love sauce on a piece of toast, biscuit, or even bagel

Add sauce to your yogurt, or parfait

Pic Shown: Homemade Cranberry Sauce

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