This Cranberry Sauce Recipe kicks your holiday meals up a notch! With a perfect balance of sweet and tart, it’s just the thing to complete your holiday spread!
author’s note
Cranberry Sauce So Good You’ll Skip the Can!
Cranberry Sauce is the one thing I firmly believe is best homemade, even with my love for store-bought shortcuts during the busy holiday season.
Take these brownie cookies, for example—they’re a total lifesaver! But when it comes to this cranberry sauce recipe, nothing store-bought even comes close. It truly makes turkey something special.
This recipe is hands down the best version I’ve ever had. It’s just the right amount of sweet while keeping that delicious tart cranberry flavor. The texture is spot on, and it’s so easy to make you won’t want to go back to canned.
Turns out, making this from scratch is easier than you’d think. Once you try it, you might find yourself craving it beyond the holidays. I serve it whenever I can get fresh cranberries!
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Orange juice | Use bottled 100% juice or freshly squeezed. Zest the orange for extra flavor if you like. |
| Cranberry juice | If you don’t have it, use all orange juice or water and a little zest. |
| Fresh cranberries | Frozen work the same. Do not thaw first. Rinse and pick out soft berries. |
| White sugar | Adjust to taste after cooling. Add more or less depending on your sweetness preference. |
| Brown sugar | Swap with maple syrup or honey. |
| Salt | Just a pinch makes a big difference in this Cranberry Sauce Recipe. |
How To Make Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Prep Cranberries: Wash, dry, and check for stems.
- Mix & Heat: In a saucepan, stir juices and sugars over medium heat until dissolved.
- Cook: Add cranberries and salt, bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring until some berries burst.
- Cool: Remove from heat. Sauce thickens as it cools. Store in fridge up to a week.
Quick Tip
How do you make cranberry sauce thicker? Cook the cranberry sauce until it’s as thick as you like. It will thicken more as it cools.
Uses For Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- With a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas meal
- On biscuits or pancakes
- Serve with this cornbread recipe
- In these turkey cranberry sliders
- Add into these easy oatmeal jam bars in place of the jam
- Swirl into a yogurt bowl
- Add it to a turkey cranberry wrap
Storage
Can This Cranberry Sauce Recipe Be Made In Advance?
Yes, this sauce can be made up to a week in advance! Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge. These Sugared Cranberries are also great to make ahead!
More Thanksgiving Sides:
Salads
Thanksgiving Salad
Side Dishes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Desserts
Raspberry Jello Dessert Recipe
Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Cranberry Sauce
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 100% orange juice
- 1/2 cup 100% cranberry juice or use more orange juice
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
- Salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar gently packed, use light or dark
Instructions
- Wash and dry cranberries. Check for any stems or damaged berries and remove them.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine orange juice, cranberry juice, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Stir until the sugars dissolve completely.
- Stir in the cranberries and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 7–12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch closely, as the sauce may bubble up. Some cranberries will burst, while others remain whole—mash them as desired. (If the sauce thickens too quickly, lower the heat. If it’s not thickening, increase the heat slightly.)
- Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Would you happen to have a variation of this recipe for dried cranberries (the ones known as craisins)?
No, sorry I don’t!
If I don`t have cranberry juice, can I use just orane juice? Thanks
Sure!
I used to make it with frozen cranberry concentrate, but for some reason no longer find it in the stores near me. Do you use unsweetened or sweetened cranberry juice for your recipe?
I buy the 100% cranberry juice. So not sweetened! 🙂
My grandson’s love to take the leftover cranberry sauce and make jelly and peanut butter sandwiches for school.
My husband made the cranberry recipe and it was very good.
So happy to hear it! Thanks for the comment Becky 🙂
Why only make this once a year for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Grab several bags of the fresh berries, wrap them in an additional freezer bag and add the date. You can make this cranberry sauce all year long. Also, you can make some incredible freezer jam using cranberries or with a variety of fruit: berries, apple.
Great ideas; thanks for sharing! 🙂
The red color looks so good. I will definitely try this homemade sauce. Thanks for sharing!
You’ll love it! It’s so delicious! 🙂
I have been making my Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice and Suger for over fifty years. It is the best!!!
Isn’t it the “secret”?! So good!! You’ll have to try some cranberry juice too! Thanks for the comment 🙂