Homemade whole berry cranberry sauce is a holiday favorite. Once you’ve tasted the homemade version—bursting with fresh, tart cranberries and a hint of orange flavor—you’ll never return to the canned stuff.
Plus, cranberry sauce is surprisingly simple to whip up. This recipe has just four essential ingredients, plus water, and can be made in about 20 minutes.
So this year, leave that can of jellied cranberry sauce on the supermarket shelf and learn how to turn those little red berries into a show-stopping side dish. It’s sure to impress your family this Thanksgiving.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know to make your own whole berry cranberry sauce, from the ingredients and step-by-step instructions to my time-tested tips and tricks.
Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I made this sauce for Thanksgiving and it made a nice sized batch. My family loved it so much there were no leftovers! So yummy!
— Jillian
🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Fresh cranberries: Cranberries, the star of this sauce, are little powerhouses of tart flavor that burst open during the cooking process to release their natural pectins. This is what gives the sauce its thick, jam-like consistency. You can also use frozen ones if fresh aren’t available.
- Water
- Granulated sugar: The sugar in the recipe helps to balance out the tartness of the cranberries. While I’ve used ⅔ cup, feel free to adjust this to your taste.
- Cinnamon stick or ground cinnamon
- Orange zest
Looking for more Thanksgiving side dishes? Try my holiday recipes for green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, pea salad, and garlic knots for more delicious dinner ideas.
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🥣How to Make Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
- Start by combining the sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil.
- Once the sugar is completely dissolved, add the cranberries, orange zest, and the cinnamon stick. Reduce the heat and let it all simmer for about 10 minutes. You’ll hear the cranberries start to pop – it’s like nature’s version of bubble wrap!
- After 10 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat, pour it into a serving bowl, and let the sauce cool at room temperature. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so don’t panic if it seems a little runny at first.
- Once it’s cooled, store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
🦃Serving Ideas
I don’t know about you guys, but cranberry sauce is always a show-stopper at my dinner table. Of course, it’s a classic accompaniment to our Thanksgiving turkey, but I love to use it for other meals, too.
I love to serve it with air fryer pork loin or with slow cooker chicken and stuffing. Frozen cranberries mean you can have Thanksgiving flavor all year long.
Another fun thing to do is to spread it on a crispy baguette, top it with sliced turkey and a slice of brie, and you have a fancy, festive sandwich. The tartness of the cranberries really shines when paired with the creamy brie and savory turkey.
For a sweet twist, consider dolloping some of this cranberry sauce on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cold, creamy vanilla ice cream mixed with the tangy cranberry sauce is a match made in heaven.
Looking for a fun breakfast idea? How about using it as a jam substitute on your morning toast? Or better yet, swirl it into your pancake batter for a fruity flavor.
Got leftover cranberry sauce? Try these recipes to use it up: air fryer Thanksgiving hand pies, slow cooker cranberry pork roast, or turkey cranberry sliders.
💭How to Store Your Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Now, if you’re like me, you’re always making too much food. So, what do you do with the leftover cranberry sauce? Well, it’s actually super easy to store!
It will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Or, if you’re thinking ahead to the next holiday meal (I’m a planner, what can I say?), you can freeze your cranberry sauce. Just spoon it into a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, and it will keep for up to 3 months.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- If you can, always opt for fresh cranberries.
- Adjust the amount of sugar if you like. I use less sugar in my recipe than many cranberry sauce recipes because I like to taste the tart cranberry flavor. But if you want to go sweeter, increase the sugar to 1 cup.
- You can also substitute orange juice or apple cider for the water for a sweeter cranberry sauce.
- Don’t just leave the cranberry sauce on the stove and forget about it. It doesn’t need constant stirring, but you do need to watch it and stir it some.
📝FAQ
Absolutely! I’m all for anything that makes the holiday cooking marathon a little less hectic. Cranberry sauce can be made up to 7 days in advance and stored in the fridge. It’s one of those dishes that actually tastes better after a day or two, as the flavors have more time to meld together.
Leftover cranberry sauce? Say it isn’t so! If that does happen, though, there’s plenty you can do with it. Spread it on toast, add it to a smoothie, add some to your morning oatmeal, or use it as a glaze for roast chicken.
Yes, cranberry sauce freezes beautifully. Just store it in an airtight container, which will keep for up to three months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before using it. You can make a big batch for Thanksgiving and freeze half for Christmas!
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Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup water
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick or ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and boil on medium heat.1 cup water, ⅔ cup white sugar
- Add the cranberries, zest, and cinnamon stick. Reduce heat to low and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cranberry sauce is done when the berries start to pop.2 cups fresh cranberries, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so don’t panic if it seems a little runny at first.
Notes
- If you can, always opt for fresh cranberries.
- Adjust the amount of sugar if you like. I use less sugar in my recipe than many cranberry sauce recipes because I like to taste the tartness of the cranberries. But if you want to go sweeter, increase the sugar to 1 cup.
- You can also substitute orange juice or apple cider for the water for a sweeter cranberry sauce.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
This was a hit at our Thanskgiving dinner this year! I normally buy canned, but decided to try this. I will never buy a can again!
I made this sauce for Thanksgiving and it made a nice sized batch. My family loved it so much there were no leftovers! So yummy!