Quick Answer
To make cranberry sauce, combine one 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries with about 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan.
Bring it to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until most of the berries pop and the sauce looks glossy. It thickens a lot as it cools.
Cool it, then refrigerate it in a covered container. It keeps well in the fridge for about a week to 10 days and freezes for months.
Why Make Cranberry Sauce From Scratch?
Homemade cranberry sauce takes about 15 minutes and uses three basic ingredients. It tastes brighter and tarter than the canned jelly, and you control the sugar.
Cranberries are packed with natural pectin. That is why the sauce sets up on its own without any added thickener once it cools.
It is also one of the few holiday dishes you can make days ahead. In my kitchen it is always the first thing I cross off the list.
What You Need
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (about 3 cups)
- 3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water, or orange juice for a fruitier sauce
- A pinch of salt
- Optional: orange zest, a cinnamon stick, or a splash of maple syrup
- A medium saucepan and a wooden spoon
Frozen cranberries work exactly like fresh ones. Do not thaw them first, just add a minute or two to the cooking time.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce, Step by Step
1. Rinse and sort. Tip the berries into a colander, rinse them, and pick out any soft, shriveled or brown berries and stray stems.
2. Dissolve the sugar. Put the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the liquid comes to a boil.
3. Add the cranberries. Stir in the berries and the pinch of salt. Return to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer.
4. Simmer until they burst. Cook for about 10 minutes. You will hear the berries popping. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks.
5. Flavor and cool. Take the pan off the heat and stir in zest or other flavorings. Let it cool to room temperature, then chill it.
Do not judge the thickness while it is hot. The sauce looks runny in the pan but sets into a soft, spoonable texture in the fridge.
Whole Berry Sauce or Smooth Jellied Sauce?
For a chunky whole berry sauce, stop cooking once most berries have burst but a few are still whole. This is the classic homemade style.
For a smooth jellied sauce like the canned kind, cook a few minutes longer, then press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the skins. Pour it into a small loaf pan or mold and chill it overnight.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation describes the whole berry method as cooking the berries until soft, then adding sugar and boiling briefly. That order keeps more of the berries intact.
How Much Sugar Should You Use?
Cranberries are very tart, so most recipes use between 3/4 cup and 1 cup of sugar per 12 ounce bag.
I start with 3/4 cup, taste the sauce once it cools a little, and stir in more sugar while it is still warm if needed.
You can swap part of the sugar for maple syrup or honey. Use a little less liquid if you do, since those sweeteners are already wet.
Easy Flavor Variations
- Orange cranberry: use orange juice instead of water and add a teaspoon of orange zest at the end.
- Spiced: simmer a cinnamon stick, two cloves and a strip of orange peel with the berries, then remove them.
- Apple cranberry: add one peeled, diced apple with the berries for a softer, sweeter sauce.
- Ginger: stir in a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger for a gentle heat.
- Maple pecan: sweeten with maple syrup and fold in toasted chopped pecans just before serving.
Serving Cranberry Sauce at Thanksgiving
Cranberry sauce is the classic partner for roast turkey because its tartness cuts through rich gravy and stuffing.
I take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before dinner so the flavor is not muted by the cold. Serve it in a small bowl with a spoon, or unmold jellied sauce onto a plate and slice it.
Leftovers are just as useful. Spread it on turkey sandwiches, swirl it into yogurt or oatmeal, spoon it over brie, or use it as a glaze for pork or chicken.
How Do You Store Homemade Cranberry Sauce?
Keep cooled cranberry sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator. It usually stays good for about 10 days thanks to the sugar and the berries' natural acidity.
For longer storage, freeze it in airtight containers, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. It keeps good quality for several months. Thaw it in the fridge and stir before serving.
You can also freeze whole raw cranberries straight in their bag. NCHFP notes they freeze well with no sugar, so I always buy an extra bag or two in the fall.
If you want shelf stable jars, follow a tested canning recipe like the one from NCHFP, which uses a boiling water canner. Do not just pour hot sauce into jars and seal them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Cooking too long. Over simmered sauce turns stiff and gummy once chilled. Stop when most berries have popped.
Adding thickener. Cornstarch is not needed. The natural pectin does the work.
Using an aluminum pan. The acid can react with bare aluminum and give a metallic taste. Stainless steel or enameled pans are better.
Making it last minute. The sauce needs at least a few hours to set, so make it a day or more ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make cranberry sauce without sugar?
You can, but it will be extremely tart. A sugar free sweetener or extra fruit like apple or orange helps balance it.
How far ahead can I make it?
Up to about a week in the fridge, or weeks earlier if you freeze it.
Why is my sauce runny?
It probably just needs to chill longer. If it is still thin after cooling, simmer it a few more minutes.
Can I use dried cranberries?
Not for this recipe. Dried cranberries are already sweetened and will not burst or release pectin.
The Bottom Line
Fresh cranberry sauce is just berries, sugar and water simmered for about 10 minutes until the berries pop.
Make it ahead, let it set in the fridge, and adjust the flavor with orange, spice or maple. It beats the can every time, and it takes less effort than almost anything else on the holiday table.
