Make a bowl of sweet and tangy Homemade Cranberry Sauce for your holiday table. It’s the best way to brighten up your Thanksgiving meal!
Why We Love Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- No need to run from store to store looking for canned sauce because everyone else is stocking up for the holidays.
- Fresh ingredients that taste delicious! I grew up helping my mom make homemade cranberry sauce every Thanksgiving. It’s a fun tradition and this sauce is so easy the kids can help too!
- The perfect compliment to chicken or turkey! Cranberry sauce isn’t just for Thanksgiving. You can put cranberry sauce in your cocktail shaker with some vodka and baste chicken breasts with it. I love to eat turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sandwiches whenever the craving strikes. It’s too good to only make it once a year.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Fruit: You will need fresh whole cranberries that have been washed and have the stems removed. I can usually find them in the produce section around the holidays or in the freezer section during the rest of the year.
Simple Syrup: Granulated sugar and water combine to sweeten the cranberry sauce. By making a simple syrup first, you won’t get any clumps of sugar in your sauce.
How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Then add the sugar and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
STEP 2 Turn down the heat, add the cranberries, and gently stir them into the syrup. Bring the sauce to a boil, and then reduce the heat again. Simmer the cranberries for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
STEP 3 When the cranberries have all burst, your cranberry sauce is ready! Transfer it to a heat-safe container or bowl and allow it to chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
Tips & Tricks
- You can run your cranberry sauce through a blender or food processor if you like it to be smoother. If you want it REALLY smooth, blend the cranberry sauce and then run it through a mesh sieve.
- Adding a tablespoon of lemon or orange zest is a great way to add another layer of flavor to your cranberry sauce.
- This cranberry sauce is great on sandwiches or casseroles made with leftover holiday foods. Or load up some leftover baked sweet potatoes with chopped turkey and stuffing and pour some cranberry sauce on top. YUM!
Homemade Cranberry Sauce FAQ
What other recipes can I make with homemade cranberry sauce?
Cranberry Brie and Bacon Turkey Sandwich or Thanksgiving Leftover Sliders are a great sandwich option, as well as making delicious Black Friday appetizers for when everyone is done with holiday running around and needs an easy day, you can make Easy Cranberry Brie Bites and Cranberry BBQ Meatballs.
Can you freeze cranberry sauce?
Yes, you can freeze your leftovers in an airtight container for up to three months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight and you’re ready to eat.
Other Recipes You May like
- Walnut and Cranberry Pie
- Chocolate Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
- Cranberry and Cherry Punch
- Cranberry Apple Fizz
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Add sugar and water to a large saucepan, heat over medium-high heat, stirring often until boiling. Boil until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes.
- Lower heat to medium, then gently stir in cranberries.
- Heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 13-15 minutes stirring occasionally until cranberries burst.
- Remove from heat and pour into a container and cool in the fridge for 2 hours or until chilled.
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