Fresh Cranberry Sauce

The best things in life are often the simplest — and this fresh cranberry sauce, made with just three ingredients, is proof.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce vs. Canned Cranberry Sauce

Every November, Americans debate the merits of canned cranberry sauce vs. fresh cranberry sauce. The canned sauce, with its signature shape and jiggly texture, is certainly nostalgic. Fresh sauce, meanwhile, usually has a more complex flavor (and a less gelatinous texture). Plus, when you make cranberry sauce from scratch, you’re able to customize the ingredients and ratios to suit your taste.

We think you should give this fresh cranberry sauce a try. You definitely won’t be disappointed!

How to Buy and Prepare Cranberries

Buy cranberries that are plump, firm, and unblemished. Avoid bags that contain soft, shriveled, or moldy berries.

Before you start cooking, sort through the berries and discard any that don’t look plump and fresh. Place the remaining cranberries in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water before using.

How to Make Fresh Cranberry Sauce

It couldn’t be easier to make this fresh cranberry sauce with just three ingredients. You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect:

Bring the water to a boil, then stir in the sugar and cook until it is dissolved. Add the cranberries and bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the berries have popped and the sauce is chunky. Transfer the sauce to a serving dish or jars to cool completely. Mix with a fork before serving.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

“I have made it the basic way, but I’ve also used orange juice instead of the water … delicious,” says Lisa Raulston. “It adds another layer of flavor while still keeping it simple.”

“Loved this recipe,” raves Mary Marler Ewing. “The only change I made was I added a couple of cinnamon sticks to the recipe while it simmered for 10 minutes. Made the kitchen smell great and was wonderful in the cranberry sauce.”

“I have used this recipe a few times in the last couple of years,” says Kim. “It is my “go to” recipe for cranberry sauce. It is so simple, I don’t know why anyone would buy cranberry sauce from a can.”

Ingredients

1x2x4x

Original recipe (1X) yields 16 servings

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries (such as Ocean Spray)

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients.Oana Ennis/Allrecipes
2. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan; add sugar and cook until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.Oana Ennis/Allrecipes
3. Stir cranberries into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until cranberries have popped and sauce is chunky, about 10 minutes or longer for desired consistency. The longer you cook it, the less chunky it will be.Oana Ennis/AllrecipesOana Ennis/Allrecipes
4. Pour sauce into a serving dish or jars and cover until ready to use; the pectin in the cranberries will make the cranberry sauce gel as it cools.Oana Ennis/Allrecipes
5. Mix cranberry sauce with a fork before serving.

Cook’s Note

If you like a sweeter cranberry sauce, you can use up to 2 cups white sugar in this recipe. I prefer a tart sauce, so I only use 1 cup.

Use as a filling for cranberry and cream cheese tarts or a tasty topping on bagels, cornbread, or cheesecake.I Made ItPrint

116 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)