This Cranberry Sauce recipe is so incredibly easy to make with just 4 ingredients and the taste is so much better than canned or jarred!
Prepare cranberry sauce months ahead of time and keep it in the freezer. Simply thaw and serve on the big day!
Homemade Cranberry Sauce Is So Easy
This cranberry sauce recipe is both sweet and tart and tastes so much better than a can! Serve it at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. It goes great with roast turkey, goose, Cornish game hens, or even ham.
- It’s super easy to make. No prep is needed.
- Can be made as a whole berry sauce or smooth.
- Use fresh or frozen berries.
- Can be made months ahead and frozen.
Once you make it homemade, I almost guarantee you’ll never buy canned cranberry sauce again (unless you’re using it to make cocktail meatballs).
Ingredients for Cranberry Sauce
Cranberries – Cranberries are the star and fresh or frozen taste exactly the same in this recipe. If using frozen, there is no need to thaw first.
Cinnamon – I love to add a cinnamon stick to the mix, if you don’t have one, add a small pinch of ground cinnamon or even apple pie spice!
Sugar – Cranberries are very tart so sugar is needed to balance the flavor. White sugar or brown sugar work. This cranberry sauce recipe can be made with sweetener, maple syrup, or honey in place of sugar.
Liquid – A bit of water is needed to cook the cranberries. Replace water with juice like orange juice or apple apple juice.
Variations
- Juices – We use water or orange juice but use your favorite juice like pineapple or apple juice.
- Zest – Stir in some lemon or orange zest or orange peel for some extra flavor.
- Fruit – Add chopped apples, pears, a slice of ginger, or even chopped pecans.
- Spices – Play with the spices and add a pinch of nutmeg, or allspice.
- Boozy – Substitute a tablespoon or so of the o.j. with something boozy, a splash of Grand Marnier, a dash of rum, or a bit of brandy.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce
It’s so easy!
- Place cranberries, sugar, and water (or juice) in a saucepan with a cinnamon stick per the recipe below.
- Simmer (you’ll hear the cranberries start to pop) and stir for about 10 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.
Recipe Notes
- Water produces a more traditional flavor while orange juice makes it zestier.
- This cranberry sauce recipe will thicken as it cools.
- If you’d like a smooth sauce, place the warm mixture into a mesh strainer and strain it into a bowl. Press the cranberries with a spoon to remove as much juice as possible.
How to Freeze Cranberry Sauce
Stock up on cranberries when they show up at your local supermarket because they have multiple uses all year round from sour cream cranberry bars to cranberry trifle or even toss them into smoothies.
Fresh cranberries will last up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator and they can be frozen for up to a year as long as they are sealed in an airtight bag.
Prep the cranberry sauce up to 3 months ahead of time and freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Got Leftover Cranberry Sauce?
Leftover cranberry sauce is perfect for topping ice cream, cheesecake, or sponge cake. It’s great on leftover turkey sandwiches or layer it into overnight refrigerator oatmeal or on top of french toast or homemade waffles or pancakes.
Ways to use Leftover Cranberry Sauce
Did your family love this homemade Cranberry Sauce? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water or orange juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine cranberries, sugar, water, and the cinnamon stick.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes uncovered.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and discard. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until chilled.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Sauce, Side Dish
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I add fresh rasberrys and frozen bing cherries. Sometimes canned mandarin oranges. There is no limit to the choices of additional fruit you can add to the sauce.
Raspberries would be so good!
This is a good, basic recipe…to take it to the next level put a small can of mandarin oranges and a handful of pecans in the cranberries. They are yummy!
Can you can this cranberry sauce?
Hi Arlene, I have not tried canning this recipe and unfortunately am unable to say if this recipe is suitable for canning. Maybe one of our readers will have a suggestion for you!
You can also process it like jams & jellies for long term storage.
Would ground cinnamon work in place of the cinnamon stick? If so, how much ground cinnamon would you recommend?
Yes, you can, I would suggest about 1/8 teaspoon. You just need a little bit.
I’ve made this Cranberry sauce for a few years. It’s quick and easy and always a hit for those who love cranberry sauce! It freezes well, too.
This looks really good. I use a couple of large soup spoons full of marmalade instead of orange juice or orange rind, as well as 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water. The marmalade adds a nice texture and is not bitter. I bring to boil, skim off and cook for about 30 to 45 minutes on low. When it cools it has the consistency of canned cranberry sauce. Holds in the refrigerator for weeks. My husband loves it.
I haven’t heard of using marmalade, sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for the crock pot way of cooking the dressing! You have saved myThanksgiving life!
So happy this recipe worked for you, Sherry!
Like your recipes would like to have them to my email box.
Penny, you can click here to sign up to receive emails. Look forward to sending you recipes!
I always add a little Grand Marnier, orange zest and while the sauce is simmering I put some orange rind peels in it. So good and freezes great!
That sounds amazing!
This is also great with some crunched up walnuts it!!!
That sounds delicious, Diane!
Cranberry sauce is so easy.
What garnish did you use for this cranberry recipe?
Hi Sarah, we garnished it with a sprig of rosemary.
This is my first time to do cranberry sauce and came excelente! Ty
So happy to hear that! Glad you enjoyed it!
I made this cranberry sauce and it’s too die for thank you it’s so awesome I put a little orange zest in also we like the tart that it has my favorite recipe. Ever. Lyndia from Lakeland fla
I am so glad you loved it! We love making this for the holidays too!
So glad you loved it Lyndia!
what can I do if I don’t have cinnamon stick?
You can leave it out or add a very small pinch of cinnamon (around ⅛ tsp or less).
I’ve learned it tastes much better the next day, so I make it at least a day ahead. Super easy and so good!
So glad you loved it Terry!
Hi. This looks great! Do the cranberries need to pop open when cooking?
Also, if using frozen cranberries do they need to thaw out before cooking?
THANK you!
You do not need to thaw the cranberries first. They will naturally pop open while simmering. Enjoy Lisa!
Hey I was wondering how far in advance to Thanksgiving cal the cranberry sauce be made. Thank you for sharing your recipe
This can be made 4-5 days in advance or up to a couple of months if you freeze it. This recipe freezes perfectly!
This’s is how I make it but I also add orange zest. Gives it just a little texture.
Yummy, thanks for sharing!
My ex mother in law use to make a jellied cranberry relish. It had chopped celery, nuts and cottage cheese. Don’t remember the other ingredients and she has passed away. Any ideas?
I don’t have anything close but I’m a big cottage cheese lover! I have some vintage recipe cards and books so if I happen to come across something similar, I’ll be sure to let you know!
Do you serve this cold, hot, room temperature, or what?
I usually serve it room temperature.