Cranberry Sauce Recipe (Ready In 5-Minutes!)

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This 5-minute cranberry sauce recipe calls for both fresh and dried cranberries to make it a tart, sweet, and jammy side dish, with a dash of orange flavor for brightness.

There are few, if any, Thanksgiving recipes that are tolerated straight from the can. Jellied cranberry sauce, in all its jiggly glory, may be the only exception, and for some, only in a pinch (hello turkey, brie, and cranberry grilled cheese). That is, until you’ve tasted the sweet tang of this homemade, 5-minute cranberry sauce added to your forkful of the best juicy turkey with my mom’s classic stuffing. One bite and I promise you’ll never go back to canned. Personally, I think this is the best cranberry sauce recipe. It features two types of cranberries: Fresh cranberries for tartness and dried cranberries for texture and sweetness. It’s jammy with chunks of fruit and a hint of orange thanks to grated orange zest, and orange liqueur. It’s the best cranberry sauce in my book, and Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be the same without it.

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What’s in This Cranberry Sauce Recipe

If you follow the recipe on the back of the bag of fresh cranberries, you’ll see three basic ingredients: Cranberries, sugar, and water or other liquid like orange juice. This recipe follows the same idea, but adds in dried cranberries that plump and soften as they cook down in the jammy sauce, adding more texture and sweetness to the sauce. I don’t add any spices to my cranberry sauce, but adding a cinnamon stick, fresh sage, or rosemary would be delicious.

Here’s what you’ll need for this cranberry sauce recipe:

Fresh cranberries—for tartness
Dried cranberries—for sweetness
Sugar—you could use brown sugar if you wanted, or a mix of sugar and maple syrup
Water
Kosher salt
Orange for zesting—this adds complements the tartness of the cranberries without thinning the sauce.
Orange liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier, if desired—this adds an extra bump of citrus, but if you don’t care for the taste, you can leave it out.

How to Make This Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Making this cranberry sauce is super simple and takes mere minutes.

Here are instructions for how to make it:

Bring water, sugar, and kosher salt to a boil. Use a medium saucepan or pot (I like using one with a heavy bottom) to boil the water and dissolve the sugar and kosher salt.

Add the fresh and dried cranberries and orange zest and liqueur. Cook at a boil for a moment, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat and stir occasionally. The cranberries will soften and pop as they cook and release their natural pectin to make the jammy sauce, The fresh cranberries are cooked when the skins break and pop, and the dried cranberries plump and soften—this will take about 5 minutes.

How to Jazz up Cranberry Sauce

I love this cranberry sauce recipe exactly as is (but I’m more of a purist). If you want to play around with adding different flavors, here are some ideas:

Add cinnamon stick
Try lemon zest instead of orange zest
Add some freshly grated ginger
Add vanilla bean or vanilla extract
Stir in some raspberry or cherry preserves (if doing this, you probably want to cut back on the sugar a bit)

Make It Ahead of Time

This homemade cranberry sauce will stay good in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, making it a perfect task to make ahead of the big serving day.

Can You Freeze Cranberry Sauce?

Yes, you can freeze cranberry sauce. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziploc gallon bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

What is the Difference Between Cranberry Sauce and Cranberry Relish?

The main difference is cranberry sauce is cooked, while cranberry relish is typically not. Cranberry relish is often finely chopped in a food processor and sometimes has nuts and citrus peel. Cranberry sauce is a thicker consistency (closer to a jelly).

Do You Serve Cranberry Sauce Hot or Cold?

Serving this cranberry sauce hot, cold, or at room temperature is totally up to you, but it’s traditionally served chilled from the fridge (and that’s how I like it). If you need to reheat it, simply do so in the microwave.

Ideas for Leftover Cranberry Sauce

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself with leftover cranberry sauce, here are some fun ideas for how to use it up:

Make a breakfast parfait with yogurt and granola
Spread it on melty brie cheese or add it to a cheese board
Mix with mayo and spread on leftover turkey sandwiches
Use in a bourbon or gin co*cktail
Use in a vinaigrette for salads
Add to grilled cheese sandwiches or paninis
Spoon over pound cake

What to Serve With Cranberry Sauce

How To Cook THE BEST Juicy Turkey
Swedish Meatballs (try instead of lingonberry sauce)
Juicy Roast Turkey Breast
Turkey Cranberry And Grilled Brie Cheese Sandwich
Baked Turkey Meatballs
The BEST Stuffing

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave arating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo andtag me on Instagramwith #foodiecrusheats.

THE BEST Cranberry Sauce Recipe

This homemade cranberry sauce recipe calls for both fresh and dried cranberries to make it tart, sweet, and jammy with a dash of orange flavor.

Course sauce

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberry sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Calories 72kcal

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
¾ cup water
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups fresh cranberries , 12 ounces
½ cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon orange flavor liqueur , optional, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring sugar, water, and kosher salt to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Stir in the fresh and dried cranberries, orange zest, and orange flavor liqueur. Bring to a boil then reduce to a rolling simmer. Cook until the fresh cranberries soften and pop open, and the sauce thickens and becomes jammy, about 5 minutes. Set aside and cool before serving.

Notes

Cranberry sauce can be made up to 1-2 weeks ahead.

Freeze in an airtight container or freezer ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

Nutrition

More Cranberry Recipe Ideas

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip And Macadamia Nut Cookies
Cranberry And Walnut Stuffing
Turkey Cranberry And Grilled Brie Cheese Sandwich
Cranberry Baklava Phyllo Cups
Cranberry Nut Bread

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Cranberry Sauce Recipe (Ready In 5-Minutes!) | foodiecrush.com (2024)

FAQs

Why won't my cranberry sauce set? ›

One possibility is that you may not have used enough sugar: Sugar helps the sauce firm up, so be sure to use the full amount called for in a recipe. Another possibility is that the cranberries need to boil for longer, releasing their pectin and ensuring a jelly consistency.

Get More Info ›

Are you supposed to cook canned cranberry sauce? ›

It's perfectly fine to serve up cranberry sauce — whole berry or jelled — straight out of the can. But in my experience, heating the canned sauce up takes its flavor to the next level. Plus, it becomes a little more aesthetically pleasing.

How many people does 1 can of cranberry sauce feed? ›

One 12-ounce bag of cranberries makes about 2 1/4 cups of basic cranberry sauce—in my house, that's enough for about five people. Going the canned route? You'll need at least one can for six people.

Keep Reading ›

Is canned cranberry sauce better than homemade? ›

While there are some editors who prefer homemade cranberry sauce, the canned variety also has quite a following. "There's something so beautifully perfect about the texture of canned cranberry sauce, and none of those homemade mess will ever compete," says Senior Digital Food Editor Kimberly Holland.

Tell Me More ›

Why does my homemade cranberry sauce taste bitter? ›

Dear Evelyn: I had the same problem when I first started making my own cranberry sauce. I found out that you should cook them just until they pop. Further cooking will make them bitter, and once that happens, you need to start again.

Explore More ›

What to do if cranberry sauce doesn t thicken? ›

Why didn't my cranberry sauce thicken? Cranberries have a lot of natural pectin, the ingredient that makes cooked fruit gel. To release that pectin, you need to cook the berries until they burst and can form a bond with the sugar.

Find Out More ›

What thickens cranberry sauce? ›

Sugar helps the thickening process, and while it's nice to try to keep your cranberry sauce from being too sugary sweet, you will need at least some sugar to make it work well (about 1/2 cup sugar per 12-ounce bag of cranberries).

Read On ›

How to enhance canned cranberry sauce? ›

Adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or orange zest, a tablespoon of chopped candied peel, or even a splash of juice to your canned sauce will brighten flavors and bring in some homemade flavor.

Should cranberry sauce be served hot or cold? ›

Is cranberry sauce supposed to be hot or cold? Either! Some prefer to have it served fresh and warm, straight out of the pot, while others need it completely cooled down to enjoy the flavours. Personally, we prefer cooled sauce.

Show Me More ›

Do you serve homemade cranberry sauce cold or warm? ›

Should cranberry sauce be served warm or cold? You could, of course, serve it straight out of the pot, but I think it's best after it's chilled in the fridge. Chilling it helps it firm up some more in the fridge, plus, serving it this way means you can make it days ahead of a holiday.

Learn More Now ›

Why is my cranberry sauce soupy? ›

Mistake #2: Your Cranberry Sauce Is Too Runny

But what if you've been cooking it forever and it's still not right? You may have added too much liquid to the cranberries. In addition to pectin, cranberries contain water, which means you only need to add a splash of liquid to get the cooking going.

Keep Reading ›

Will cranberry sauce thicken as it cools? ›

How to Thicken Cranberry Sauce. If you prefer thicker cranberry sauce, simply simmer the sauce a little longer on the stove – but keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools.

View Details ›

How do you level up cranberry sauce? ›

Learn More ›

How do you cut the acid in cranberry sauce? ›

Add A Splash Of Vinegar

While citrus is a natural pairing for cranberry sauce, bright, savory vinegars like sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar play well with the bitter-tart berries. Start with a little, then add more gradually. It's easy to overdo it when in comes to bold vinegars.

See Details ›

Cranberry Sauce Recipe (Ready In 5-Minutes!) | foodiecrush.com (2024)