Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Name: Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 10oz fresh cranberries; 1 cup water; 1/2 cup granulated sugar*

This Cranberry Sauce Recipe is simple, delicious, and will have yourself asking why you didn’t ditch the canned stuff sooner. Serve it at your next holiday meal to add a pop of color and undeniable flavor to your plate.

Cranberry sauce in a bowl garnished with fresh thyme.

The Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Homemade cranberry sauce is the perfect addition to any thanksgiving or holiday spread. It’s got the perfect combination of sweet and natural tart flavors of fresh cranberries. This easy homemade cranberry sauce is the perfect compliment to any holiday table. We love serving it at Christmas dinner or with the Thanksgiving Turkey. Plus, the leftover sauce can be used the next day in these delicious cranberry turkey wraps or on leftover turkey sandwiches.

What You Will Need

fresh cranberries – A simple berry that has a depth of flavor ranging from sweet to tart and they offer a healthier version of sauce compared to the canned stuffed. A bag of cranberries from your local grocery store will work great!
water – A simple way to cook down the cranberries.
granulated sugar – To help balance out the natural tart flavors of cranberries. We actually like a bit less sugar in our cranberry sauce, but scroll down to the recipe card for directions on if you like your sauce on the sweeter side.

How To Make Cranberry Sauce

Start by gathering your ingredients.

A bowl of fresh cranberries, a measuring cup with water, and a bowl of sugar.

Next, place all of the ingredients into a medium saucepan.

Water being poured into a sauce pan with cranberries.

Stir to combine everything together, then bring it to a boil and then reduce to low heat to bring the ingredients to a simmer.

Let all those gorgeous flavors simmer for 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once your cranberries have cooked down and have that perfect texture, remove them from the heat, place in a serving bowl, and while the sauce cools to room temperature, you can get some dishes done, leaving you one less thing to think about after dinner.

Recipe FAQs

How Much Sugar To Use In Cranberry Sauce?

This will depend on how sweet you want your cranberry sauce to be. If you like things on the sweeter side, you can add up to cup of sugar.

Can I Make Cranberry Sauce Ahead Of Time?

Yes! This is a perfect recipe to make a day or two before when you plan on serving it.

How To Store Leftover Cranberry Sauce

Store leftover cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Are There Different Types Of Cranberry Sauce?

We’ve got a whole slew of easy sauce recipes with great flavor combinations using orange, bourbon, and apple cider!

Pinterest image showing cranberry sauce in a bowl with the title How to make cranberry sauce. the perfect homemade recipe.

Made this easy cranberry sauce recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!

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