Listen boos, I’m not knocking the canned option, I’m just not gonna deny that Homemade Cranberry sauce is so much better. And it only takes a few ingredients and a little time to pull it off. It’s basically fool-proof y’all. I can guarantee it will be the simplest thing you make for your holiday table. Serve it along with the cornbread dressing and fried turkey this Thanksgiving boos.
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“This homemade cranberry sauce is so much better than the canned kind and it’s almost as easy as opening up a can! We love it!”
—CHENEE
How To Make Cranberry Sauce
Step 1: Add water and orange juice to a medium pan over high heat and bring to a boil.
Step 2: Add sugar and salt and whisk in allowing them to dissolve into the liquid.
Step 3: Rinse cranberries thoroughly then add cranberries and bring liquid back to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for 12 minutes allowing the cranberries to burst.
Step 4: Turn off heat and allow cranberry sauce to cool to room temperature and serve.
Step 3: Rinse cranberries thoroughly then add cranberries and bring liquid back to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for 12 minutes allowing the cranberries to burst.
Step 4: Turn off heat and allow cranberry sauce to cool to room temperature and serve.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Rinse cranberries thoroughly.
- Add water and orange juice to a medium pan over high heat and bring to a boil.
- Add sugar and salt and whisk in allowing them to dissolve into the liquid.
- Lastly, add rinsed cranberries and bring liquid back to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer cranberries for 12 minutes allowing the cranberries to burst. Turn off heat and allow cranberry sauce to cool to room temperature and serve.
Notes
How to Store Cranberry Sauce
Leftover cranberry sauce should be stored in an airtight lidded glass or plastic container. When you want to reheat, add to a skillet or saucepan over medium heat until warmed through.How long will homemade cranberry sauce last in the refrigerator?
Properly stored, homemade cranberry sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.Can I freeze fresh cranberry sauce?
For sure boos! Homemade cranberry sauce can be frozen for up to one month. To freeze, store your cooled sauce in a resealable freezer bag or airtight container, trying your best to remove any excess air. When you want to reheat, there will be a bit more water in the mix so your sauce will not be as thick as when it was originally cooked. Allow it to simmer for about 5-6 minutes to let some of the liquid evaporate off and let it get thick again.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Go Fresh: If you can grab fresh cranberries for this recipe and actually juice oranges, do it. The quality will improve so much y’all.
- Let It Pop: You want to let this sauce cook until the cranberries pop and break down. It improves the texture so much.
- Chill Out: Let that sauce cool so it thickens and the flavors develop more.
- Do You!: Make sure you taste before you serve so you can adjust based on your preferences. Want it sweeter? Add more sugar? Want more citrus? Add more juice. It’s your world boos!
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh Cranberries: You can swap in frozen cranberries. Just thaw them first boos! I actually recommend buying a couple extra bags of fresh cranberries at the store when they’re in season and sticking them in the freezer for when you can’t get fresh ones.
- Orange Juice: Fresh juice is best but the store bought kind works just great in a pinch boos.
- Granulated Sugar: Use light or dark homemade brown sugar instead of granulated sugar to add some depth to the mix.
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Serving Suggestions
- Easy Thanksgiving Meal: Go low-key and avoid a whole turkey and instead make roasted turkey legs or turkey wings along with turkey gravy, seafood dressing, green bean casserole, and honey cornbread.
- Festive Holiday Feast: Get a honey glazed ham in the oven along with scalloped potatoes, balsamic brussels sprouts, candied yams and potato rolls.
- Unexpected Dessert Topping: Add to scoops of vanilla ice cream or serve along with whipped cream and slices of cranberry bundt cake or cranberry orange cake for a unique winter treat.
Recipe Help
Yep boos. If you’re not a fan of the skins left behind by the cranberries, you can pass the sauce through a fine mesh sieve or strainer. Just be sure to do this while it’s still warm! The sauce thickens as it cools, which will make it harder to get through the sieve if you wait too long.
When buying fresh cranberries, look for ones that are perky and bright red. Pale or faded color is an indication of an under-ripe cranberry y’all.
You can prep cranberry sauce up to 3 days before you plan to serve it. In fact, I like to make my cranberry sauce at least one day in advance because it gives the flavors more time to develop as they sit in the fridge.
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It’s delicious! Made it his way for many years. Since there are no little ones at the table (they’re grown), I add a slug of Gran Marnier to the simmering.
Sounds fantastic
thank you, always better from scratch, among other things, I like to dial down the amount of sugar a bit, so appreciate that as well!
This is going on the holiday table! So delicious and easy to make, much better than the store-bought version!
I never knew I liked cranberry sauce until I made it fresh!
perfect Homemade Cranberry for thanksgiving without the preservatives
Oh my, a sticky sweet sauce with the tart cranberries sounds wonderful. Definitely making this for my family.
This homemade cranberry sauce is so much better than the canned kind and it’s almost as easy as opening up a can! We love it!