Making homemade cranberry sauce is super easy and so delicious. There is so much more flavor and depth to cooked cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries, warm spices, and apple juice. I cannot begin to describe how much more flavorful this cranberry sauce is than canned; you’ll just have to try it! I promise there will be no going back.

How to Make Cranberry Sauce

Making cranberry sauce is incredibly easy. Toss all the ingredients into a saucepan and let it simmer for an hour. Seriously, that’s it. When making this for Thanksgiving dinner, it is usually the first dish I prep. Once it is simmering on the stove, you can just set a timer and forget about it—moving on to prepping the stuffing and other sides. After an hour, when it’s done cooking, I just turn off the heat and let it sit on the stove until mealtime. Plus, while the sauce is simmering, your house will smell absolutely delicious—sweet and cinnamon will fill the air. Guaranteed to get everyone in the Thanksgiving spirit.

This homemade cranberry sauce is not just for Thanksgiving. I love to buy up the cranberries right after the holidays and serve this on top of pancakes, cornbread, or sandwiches. Think of it like jam; you can really use it in so many ways. Yum!

Low-Sugar Version

This recipe fully embraces the tartness of cranberries. It is sour; if you prefer it sweeter, add more maple syrup. Try following the recipe first and then doing a taste test to adjust the sweetness level. One of the reasons I love making homemade cranberry sauce is to cut back on the sweetness, but that’s just my preference. You do you!

Health Benefits of Cranberries

Cranberries are high in vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, manganese, and vitamin E. These tart little berries are full of antioxidants. According to Healthline, eating whole cranberries is the best way to get as much nutrients as possible. “Many of these plant compounds are concentrated in the skin — and are greatly reduced in cranberry juice”. Healthline says that consuming cranberries can reduce your risk of urinary tract infections, reduce risk of stomach cancers and ulcers, and promote heart health. Pretty big benefits from a tiny little fruit. After reading about all the amazing benefits of cranberries, I’ve just added them to my grocery list!

Homemade Cranberry sauce

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Making cranberry sauce is super easy with this tasty recipe. Made from fresh cranberries, warm spices, and apple cider, this homemade cranberry sauce is less sweet and deliciously tart.

• Author: Erica
• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 60
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 cups 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 12oz fresh cranberries
• 1 cup of apple cider
• Peel of 1/2 an orange
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

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Instructions

1. Rinse cranberries and add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the cranberry sauce on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Sauce will thicken more as it cools. If it is too thin, cook the sauce down for longer.
3. Remove the orange peel and cinnamon sticks before serving. Delicious warm or chilled!