Cranberry Sauce Recipe

 

Cranberry Sauce

Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 (makes about 2 cups)

Homemade cranberry sauce is an iconic Thanksgiving side dish made with just 3 ingredients. Sweeten it with sugar, or use a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup (our favorite!). The sweet and tangy flavors pair perfectly with savory turkey.

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar, or 3/4 cup honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar, plus more to taste

• 3/4 cup water, preferably filtered

• 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
  

  Instructions

  1. Rinse the cranberries. Place them in a bowl of water—any bad cranberries will usually float to the top, making them easy to discard. Pick out and discard any shriveled, squishy, or discolored ones, then drain well.

  2. Melt the sugar. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar (or maple syrup, honey, or coconut sugar) and water. Set over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.*

  3. Add the cranberries. Add the cranberries and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 12–15 minutes.

  4. Sweeten to taste. Add more maple syrup, honey, or sugar if needed. Remove from the heat and cool the sauce to room temperature before serving.
     

     Notes

     • Substituting sweetener: If using a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup, simply combine everything in the saucepan all at once and bring to a boil.

     • Optional add-ins: Add any of these at the start of cooking:

       • 2 wide strips of lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp lemon juice

       • 2 wide strips of orange zest, plus 1/4 cup orange juice (for Cranberry Orange Sauce)

       • 1/2 cup dried cherries

       • 1/2 cinnamon stick

     • To store: Once the cranberry sauce has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
       

       Nutrition (Per Serving)

       • Calories: 116 kcal

       • Carbs: 30 g

       • Protein: 0.2 g

       • Fat: 0.1 g